The White Republican Governor Of Georgia Had Better Watch It - He May Get The Black Community To Finally Say Something About The Cheating Scandal

Perdue rips Atlanta school chief in CRCT cheating

Dear Governor Perdue:

Afford me the opportunity to offer you some advice. You are a Republican. The Black community generally does not like you because you are on the "wrong side". They are largely of the opinion that it is the Republican Party and Conservatives DON'T HAVE BLACK PEOPLE'S BEST INTERESTS in mind.

Here you go butting into the business of the local Black community via their school system. You know that this community has long be suspicious about the agenda of the Republicans. The assumption is that you all "don't want Black people having ............". That you all don't like seeing Black people in power.

Now I would be remiss to not note that you have been a Democrat far longer in your political career than you have been a Republican. Today you reside on the "white side", having done nothing more than switch parties and thus this is the "wrong side" for most Black people.

I, a Black man, am appreciative of the fact that the assignment of grades that were not owned on a standardized test and/or via a years worth of work in the classroom is in fact, not only a violation of academic integrity which runs awry of state law, such an act is always an assault upon the students who did not earn that which now appears in their test results or report card. (Please note that there are 2 grading scandals going on in metro Atlanta. The alleged modifications to the CRCT tests at 4 schools around the state and then a teacher in Dekalb County who has proof that the grades that she hand wrote in her grading book is not what appeared on the final report as she took maternity leave and a substitute stepped in.)

Governor Perdue - despite all of this it is YOU who is on shaky ground. We realize that you have a fiduciary obligation to insure the integrity of the educational systems in the state that you preside over as governor. In this case, however, you are expected to be conscious of the special sensitivities that are present in this one particular district known as 'The Atlanta Public Schools". This school district is "our school district". After a long hard fight for our freedom and fair treatment - "WE" now "run things" in this school system. Just prior to many elections for control of the school board the key drive for improvement of this vital institution which educates our children was captured in the statement "we need people who look like us and who have the best interests of our kids in mind". Governor Perdue - now that this point of control has been achieved you must realize that you are seen as "the outside threat".

This "outside threat" can be made to exceed the threat that miseducation imposed upon a school system who's kids are overwhelmingly African-American might represent to their own interests. Those with power in the district who see you as a threat may attempt to shift the issue from the alleged violations of academic integrity over to YOU. Thus the burden is upon you, Governor Perdue. Do you want to have the system corrected and the children enhanced or do you want a fight? This fight would actually benefit the entrenched interests more than it will the kids. Some people wouldn't mind trampling the children for the cause of retaining their power.

Last year at about this time you saw the neighboring Clayton County Public School System run aground. Clayton has a similar demographic to APS. Ironically a portion of the local people who were negatively impacted by the school board's actions came running to you to get involved. It took this level of desperation for them to get beyond their natural definitiveness and seek out your gubernatorial power over the situation.

Dr Beverly Hall has been a capable administrator. She has stepped into a bad situation and made measurable change forward. As any organization there is an inherent sense of defensiveness that causes them to circle the wagons at the sight of an external challenge. Instead of going public with your concerns about Dr. Hall's handling of this situation, why not seek to address it in a more executive or administrative manner.

The worst possible outcome is for you to "rile up the activists" and thus have them fighting against you rather than FOR THE STUDENTS.