About Those Heartless Republicans

First this story needs one caveat. You can probably count the number of Republicans in Clayton County on one hand, so I am not so sure how much success their fund raising efforts will yield, but still it is a good news story.

After he suffered a stroke 10 years ago, the 44-year-old Harris was diagnosed with an enlarged heart and congestive heart failure. He's been through 2 pacemakers and now has to use a partial artificial heart. He needs a transplant to survive.

Marxen convinced the entire Clayton County Republican Party to take on his Democratic friend as a fundraising project. "They said, 'well, that doesn't matter anyway, you know, he needs help and we need to do that,'" he added.

"We've been friends for so long, if the situation was reversed, I'd do the same for him, too," Harris said.

For One County There Is No 'Race To The Top'

Because Cobb County Georgia is already at the top.
I live in the best county in America. No, really. The latest example of this is the refusal of school board to participate in a program to fleece taxpayers out of even more money in a federal program called "Race To The Top". Georgia did 'win' $400 million dollars in this, what do you call it, competition.
The basic concept behind it is your school system has to be such an abject failure that the only solution of course is to pour more money at the problem. Cobb County decided not to participate and the reasoning given when the subject came up way back when is sound.

"No. With federal dollars, you know there are long, strong strings attached and at what cost," Sweeney said. "You give up what makes this community so special; local control. ... We have the capacity and the intelligence to do what it takes to improve student achievement while reducing federal government interference. Besides, local control isn't the only expense. Federal programs are usually proven to be very inefficient. The costs for Race To The Top funds from a dollar, resource, administrative and time perspective are likely to outweigh the proposed program cost benefits."

Of course it doesn't hurt that the school system doesn't suck and therefore probably wouldn't have gotten any of the money anyway as evidenced by the largest city school system in the county.

In fact, Marietta City Schools was never eligible for the federal funds, intended to support new approaches to improve schools, because they do not meet the criteria of "low performing" set by federal education officials. To be eligible for RTTT money, a school system must have an overall graduation rate below 60 percent, and Marietta High School has a graduation rate of 83.7 percent.

It is just more proof of how poor performance gets rewarded all in the name of making it 'fair' or 'equal'. I have heard it said many times, and the view is correct, you will get more of the behavior you reward and less of the behavior you punish. At this time in America anybody who succeeds is to be punished and unless the trend is reversed then you are going to get exactly what you have rewarded.

The other reasons this is the best county in America? Our law enforcement is allowed to check the immigration status of anybody they detain for another law violation. Glock was just approved for a building permit to expand their handgun manufacturing facility and another business which sells guns was approved for an indoor shooting range. And the number one reason it is the best, our budget is not in the red. Yet.

No, most of that millions of taxpayer dollars will go to school districts, to line the pockets of the administrators, like Clayton and Dekalb county which are such total and complete failures that they constantly stay on the black list with the school accreditation committees. For more on Clayton county schools check here.

County Commission To Jesse Jackson: STFU

Clayton County, Georgia is the most dysfunctional county in America; well, maybe next to whatever county Detroit is in. Recently, they had to cut off their commuter bus service due to funding problems. In a county where a large portion of the residents rely on government-funded transportation, along with government funded everything else, this was a huge blow. Suddenly, thousands of people were left without the means to get around, go to work or to school. The commission took an all or nothing stance on the issue, which puzzled many others as to why they couldn't go to some sort of limited service, but we figured it all amounted to trying to put pressure on the rest of the metro Atlanta area and the state to come to their rescue.

Well, nobody did. So now Jesse Jackson rides into town and of course he offers the typical liberal solution. Raise taxes!

The county commission gave Mr. Jackson two minutes to state his case and when he asked for an extra minute they told him no.

Time to shut up.

You have got to hand it to the state representative who, in her protestation of the shutting up of the Jesse, deemed his being there as "gracing us with his presence."

By the way, Clayton County is what you would consider the revrund's base. It is 51% black with a 7.5% hispanic and 35% white demographic.

Honor Killing in Atlanta?

That is a picture of the "loving" father who appears to have killed his 25 year old daughter over a dispute they had with her arranged marriage. They are from Pakistan.

A 25-year-old Jonesboro woman is dead after police said she told her father she wanted out of an arranged marriage.

Police said they found Sandela Kanwal’s body inside a home in the 9600 block of Utah Drive in Jonesboro. They said Kanwal had been strangled to death by her father, Chaudhry Rashid, 56.

You have to pay attention to the story to find the information about the country of origin.

Police said the family is from Pakistan.

The story is in it's beginning stages so we will have to see how it unfolds, but it contains all the elements of a good old fashioned honor killing. Of course who are we to pass judgment on the customs of another culture and I am sure as soon as Obama is president all of this sort of stuff will stop because the world will love us. Beside law enforcement seems to have a handle on it. Sorry if you happen to be the female member of a Muslim family who loses your life at the hands of a relative to protect the honor of the family, but you can rest in comfort knowing the full weight of the American judicial system will swing into action. Unless of course a liberal judge throws it out and sets your killer free. As they say in the Muslim world, inshallah.

Uh, About That Diploma ... It's In The Mail

Just when I think the fiasco that is the Clayton County school board can't get anymore ludicrous, they prove that stupidity and arrogance has no limits. This week has been graduation week in Georgia, and for Clayton County students, it will probably be the last graduating class for a while. The school system is losing it's accreditation, something I have wrote about on numerous occasions, mostly as a public service message for those planning on moving to the Atlanta area. Do not move to Clayton county if you have school age kids, well even if you don't for that matter.

So what have they done now? They hired a new superintendent over the objections of the very committee that is responsible for determining if Clayton County will get their accreditation back. This new superintendent ordered the destruction of all of this years graduates diplomas because his signature wasn't on them. They didn't tell anyone. The first indication of this came when the first high school held their graduation and the supposed diplomas were handed out. Imagine their surprise when they opened up their folders only to find a blank piece of paper. Parents started asking questions and that is when it was revealed that the diplomas had been shredded and that it will now cost the county $50,000 to have them reprinted.

The reason? Clayton County Superintendent John Thompson ordered more than 3,000 high school diplomas shredded Thursday after seeing his name wasn't on them. On Friday, Thompson learned it will cost up to $50,000 to reprint the diplomas.

Once again for those planning a move to the Atlanta area two areas to avoid is Dekalb County, which accounts for almost all of the crime in the metro Atlanta area and has more problems then Carter has liver pills and Clayton County which has the problems with it's school system.

It should come as no surprise either that these two counties are also hardest hit by the housing market. While they try to come up with all these other reasons the truth is having a high crime rate and unaccredited schools tends to hurt the housing market just a tad.

And yes, both of these counties are solidly Democrat. One of Dekalb's more famous residents or former residents is Cynthia McKinney.

A Mother's Day Candidate Profile

Today's candidate profile is a woman running on the Republican ticket to unseat the current Democrat representative for my district in Georgia.

Her name is Deborah Honeycutt. To find out about the incumbent click on the tags at the bottom of the post, but this post is all about Mrs Honeycutt.

She is a doctor and this not her first challenge to the current corrupt politician who is holding the seat right now. A word of advice to Mrs. Honeycutt, don't ignore that sliver of Cobb County that is in the district you want to represent like you did last time. The district in question is 13th and it encompasses much of the southern and western portions of the metro Atlanta including Cobb, Fulton, Clayton, and Fayette. Clayton County is the county that is in danger of losing the accreditation for its schools that I have written about a lot, and one which once again is predominately an African American area and just can't or won't leave the Democrat plantation. That is what makes it such an uphill climb for Deborah Honeycutt. Even thought she is a successful African American woman she has that dreaded (R) after her name and to too many people they simply can't see beyond that.

In 2004 Dr. Honeycutt was President of the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians and in 2005 served as Chairman of the Board of Directors. On the national level she has served on the American Academy of Family Physicians’ Commission on Education. She was twice elected the nationally elected Minority Constituency Delegate and is now the Georgia State Delegate to the American Academy of Family Physicians.

In 2005 she became Medical Director of Good Shepherd Clinic, the free clinic in Morrow, Georgia. She served as medical director there until her decision to run for U.S. Congress in Georgia District 13. Dr. Honeycutt, despite her campaign schedule in 2006, continued to serve free clinic patients as a volunteer physician.

I don't think even the esteemed Dr Howard Dean can boast of such a record. Here is some more information on her stance in regards to small businesses.

Since her website is just starting up it is kind of sparse, but I hope she fills it up and I hope the RNC will see fit to send some money her way to get this corrupt Democrat out of office.

Beating a Dead Horse, I Know: Clayton County School Board

I know I am beating a dead horse here, and I have written about many times but I just can't get over the arrogance of the school board in Clayton County. The schools are going to lose thier accreditation and The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)has given them until Sept 1 to get their act together. They simply refuse to do so. Only one member of the school board has stepped down despite the SACS making a condition that they all step down. Now to spit in the eye of the accreditation board again they have hired a new superintendent whom the SACS says is unacceptable.

A man previously deemed not qualified by Clayton County schools' accrediting agency has been named the school district's temporary superintendent.

The Clayton County school board voted 5-1 Wednesday night to hire John W. Thompson to help save the district's accreditation. Board Chairman Eddie White voted against the hire.

A little background on this guy.

Last month, Thompson withdrew his name from consideration; his attorney said at the time the board had refused to meet his demands. It was not clear if he had changed his mind Wednesday night.

And what were those demands? Why nothing any other county school superintendent wouldn't want.

Thompson initially asked Clayton for a $275,000 salary and up to $2 million for a consultant team, along with 24-hour security and 24-hour access to a car and driver, according to the district's search firm and someone who sat in on Thompson's interview.

So folks, seriously, if you are planning a move to the Atlanta area in the near future and you have school age children please avoid Clayton county. They are bent on self destruction and a lot of kids are going to wind up being hurt for their arrogance.

The Circus That Is the Clayton County School Board continues

I know this is a local issue, but it points to the bigger picture of what happens when a group of people gain power and then no longer listen to those around them. Clayton county Georgia schools are going to lose their accreditation.

It is mostly because of the school board they have that is so corrupt and self absorbed with their own importance that they continue to do anything they want and the way that they want to. They aren't looking out for kids forced to attend the government schools in Clayton county.

They have narrowed their search for a new superintendent down to two choices. Here are your choices.

Thompson, 63, has served as superintendent in Tulsa and Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh declined to renew his contract in 2005 after complaints about his blunt, authoritative demeanor and questionable spending practices. Newspaper reports show Thompson charged a wardrobe, 24-hour access to a Lincoln Town Car and office renovations to a school credit card.

Wood, 59, worked as a superintendent in several districts in California and served as chairman of two accreditation agencies. He was forced out as head of the Fresno school district in 2004 after the state found falsified construction records. The district had to return $3 million to the state after an audit showed school officials falsified contracts for 24 schools.

The head of the accreditation committee has already informed the school board that neither finalist is acceptable, but what do they care? Nobody is going to come on their turf and tell them what to do.

This county is going to lose its school accreditation; of that there is no doubt. The big question now is what are all of the people who have kids that live there going to do?

If you are planning a move to the Atlanta area, you need to avoid Clayton County.
You have been warned.

Is your county losing its accreditation for its schools?

Clayton County Georgia is.

The county was in trouble a couple of years ago and barely dodged the bullet by putting together a slick Powerpoint presentation to satisfy the accreditation committee, but they came back. The old Reagan philosophy of "trust but verify". Well they couldn't verify anything except further corruption among the members of the school board, and a school system that was woefully lacking.

So a couple of weeks ago the accreditation committee told Clayton county that the game was over, they are losing their accreditation at the end of this school year and effective Sept 1. At first the school board went into full denial mode, then after the citizens attended a couple of school board meetings to let their voices be heard a couple of board members resigned.

Oh no, not for their actions as members of the school board. One admitted he didn't live in the area he was elected to represent and is believed to have muttered something like"Are you crazy, I would never put my kids in this school system."
Well, Clayton continues to travel down the path to self destruction.

One of the finalists for Clayton County's temporary school superintendent post is asking for a $275,000 salary and $2 million for his consultant team, officials said Wednesday.

John W. Thompson also is asking for 24-hour security along with a car and a driver, said Dick Greene of the search firm Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates.

Yup they are interviewing somebody who obviously has the interests of the county and its children right at the fore front of his agenda.

In his interview, Thompson asked for up to $2 million to spend on a hand-picked consultant team and additional money for housing assistance and travel, according to an official who attended the interviews.

"He wants a driver available for a Lincoln Town car 24-hours a day, his own security team from his home town in North Carolina and large expense accounts," added John Trotter, chairman of the Metro Association of Classroom Educators, who did not attend the interviews but spoke with at least one school board member who was at the sessions.

The impact on the county since the announcement of losing its accreditation has been immediate and it will continue through the summer. Everybody who can is trying to sell their homes and move to adjacent counties.

Those counties in the meantime are trying to come up with plans to accommodate the expected influx of new students while warning people that they will be checking addresses of newly enrolled students to stem the tide of those who don't leave Clayton but try to attend their schools.

Losing accreditation means that the students will not be considered high school graduates for those in that situation, and therefore can not qualify for scholarships and meet the other requirements that colleges and universities require. It will also make them ineligible for military service.

In other words, it will totally screw up the lives of the children. And yes before you even ask this county is solidly and completely Democrat owned. Has been for years.

This is going to have deep and long ranging effects for this county.
Consider yourself warned. If you are planning a move to the Atlanta area, avoid Clayton county.

School board needs protection

This is probably only of interest to folks in Georgia but consider this a public service for those planning to move to the Atlanta area anytime soon. I normally tell you about Dekalb county which seems to average a murder a day but this time it is their neighbors Clayton County.

Two years ago the Clayton county schools almost lost their accreditation but some nice talk and a few nifty PowerPoint® presentations and they managed to dodge the bullet. Well the accreditation committee came back to see what progress had been made and found that not only had no progress been made but in some regards they have gotten worse. At the root of it all is one of the most corrupt school boards known to man. Well it seems they have finally gone too far and now are getting all kinds of unwanted attention.

The stakes are high. If the schools lose their accreditation none of their graduates can qualify for the state sponsored college scholarship program called the HOPE scholarship. The deadline to show improvement is September. The school board is so corrupt and self centered that they fail to admit that they are the problem, even after the last inspector made a very public announcement of his findings last week and that is exactly what he told everybody.

So now the school board is getting extra protection to protect themselves from the gathering mob of parents with pitchforks and torches and who are warming up the buckets of tar and getting the bags of feathers ready.

The other industry hardest hit, like they don't have enough problems already is the real estate industry. Kind of hard to sell houses in an area where the schools aren't accredited.

Clayton County school board members, under verbal assault from parents, students, teachers and others, are getting some extra protection of the physical kind.

Starting Monday, all visitors to the Clayton County Schools' administrative complex in Jonesboro will have to walk through a metal detector to get inside.

Once in, they might also have to submit to another search by trained security personnel using a hand-held metal detecting device.

"The district," according to a press release, "is taking this step to ensure a safe working and meeting environment for Board members, district employees and visitors."

Schools spokesman Charles White said the beefed-up security measures are part of an ongoing effort to improve safety in school facilities — not a reaction to the controversy enveloping the district.

Now I ain't sure how putting metal detectors at the administrative complex improves security at the schools themselves.

Where do you want to live?

From time to time I post about local issues here in the metro Atlanta area, but I think this set of headlines from todays AJC (Atlanta Journal-Constitution) pretty sums it up. The county I live in is Cobb a Republican stronghold and the people that brought you Newt Gingrich. Dekalb is festering cesspool of liberal democrats that used to be home to one Cynthia McKinney. Clayton is located on the south west side and is also a strong Democrat hangout.

cobb

* Trail-blazing chief moves on
* Georgia 'cheapskate' is millionaire author at 28
* Kennesaw researchers discover ancient chocolate use
* Mableton 4th-grader wins laptop, national prize for school
* King celebration in Cobb scheduled

dekalb

* Assistant principal stabbed to death
* Fallen tree causes Decatur power outage
* DeKalb court puts focus on mental health
* Police seek shooter of restaurant manager
* Gunmen at large after deadly robbery
* Jailbreak try by man charged in restaurateur's murder

clayton

* Box of cereal, not bomb, prompted Clayton Courthouse evacuation
* One killed, two injured in Clayton wreck
* Alpharetta man shot outside Riverdale pizzeria
* Clayton school board struggle flares again


So Cobb county is lauding a woman fire chief who is retiring after 30 years, a self made millionaire at the age of 28, and a young girl who helped to win some money for her school as well as winning a laptop for herself. Oh yeah did I mention she is the child of Russian immigrants. Meanwhile Dekalb and Clayton is just a police blotter report.
If you want to see the difference between Democrat and Republican policies in action in microcosm the metro Atlanta area is a great test lab.