Obi’s Sister

Peach Pundit notes that Clayton County is becoming more and more like Louisiana every day. Then he follows up on the circus that the Board of Education has become.

Those who live and work around the Atlanta metro area are all too familiar with Clayton County making the news every morning, noon and night. While this soap opera of greed, avarice, entitlement and blatant stupidity swirls the entire county toward the abyss - who suffers?

Anyone remember the children? There are approximately 53,000 students in the Clayton school district. Approximately 3,400 of those are rising seniors. Faced with a senior year in a newly discredited school district; they are watching their college prospects, HOPE scholarship eligibility and literal FUTURE drying up before their eyes. All because of the selfish actions of nine adults and their posse of lackey administrators.

Is it any wonder that so many teachers are leaving for other systems?

Anyone remember the citizens? My family goes back at least five generations in Clayton County. The founders of churches and post offices and schools. The judges and teachers and farmers and businessmen and writers. Those who doggedly rebuilt after Sherman’s visitation. The men and women who built Clayton by the sweat of their brows, on their knees daily entreating Divine Intervention for the small rural county just south of Atlanta. I remember riding my bike for miles, the old houses in Jonesboro, the huge, old trees, digging up mini-balls in my front yard, the slow pace of the Deep South in the grip of summer. The swimming holes, the teas, the old ladies in their gloves and hats on Sunday, the smell of talcum powder following them as they moved like a herd down the pews.

Is it any wonder that property values are dropping?

Did the quick decline begin with the snipers on the jail roof? The election of the current District Attorney? How many others face the wrath of her personal politics? If this is the face of the New New South, then “No Thanks”. It’s like the script of a bad gangsta’ movie. The only people who enjoy watching it, are the people that were in it.

All I know is that the jewel that was once Clayton County is declining fast.

Sorry if the post seems disjointed - the whole situation just makes me madder than hell.

UPDATE: The Other Athens looks at the accreditation issue from a different perspective. Mind-boggling.