Lawrence County Schools Face Consolidation

The issue of school consolidation in Lawrence County has nearly 200 Mount Hope residents coming together to voice their concerns.

[Sheila Smith]

I think that closing Mt. Hope school is a big mistake, they have higher test scores than other schools in Lawrence County and the children get a lot of one on one with the teachers. Education should be most important! I think we need to rethink our choice of superintendent. Speake is a 1a school and I haven't heard a word about closing them down. Things need to be fair or not done at all.

[Anonymous]

Well Speake is on the list now for consolidation now so all of you Mt. Hope people should be happy now. It is not in our control over which schools get cons. and we shouldn't make such an argument over it. What WILL happen WILL happen and it's out of our hands. Thanks.

[anonymous]

All of our children in Lawrence County are worth the argument!!!!! Cramming all of them in just a couple of schools plus cutting up to 50 teachers, what kind of education would that be? I don't think that issue has been addressed. Every community has a lot of pride in their School and taking that away would be a tragedy. Concerned parents have every right to be upset and argue this subject all they want!!

[anonymous]

Mr. Grimes,

I think you are being used like a puppet on the string with Dexter Rutherford, DeWayne Key, and Luke Slaton pulling the strings.

One of your board members has stated that you don't care that students will quit, move, or fight with each other as this movement proceeds.

If we don't have money, then why have you offered monetary incentives to a few principals to move before the consolidation has even begun? Why did you offer a former superintendent a substantial amount of money to become assistant superintendent to you? If we have no money, then how are you able to do this?

Why hasn't there been any concern expressed about how many support personnel will lose their jobs? Many of those that are in the four schools are tenured. How are you going to address this? How will they support their families?

Have you given any thought about the bus rides these students will be taking each day? I dare you to ride what might be one of these rides that is the longest route at each school, add the time for breakfast (federal mandate) at their home school, and then being transported to the next school. I don't think any of you have the guts to find out because as stated earlier you and the board members don't care.

You stated in your campaign that you cared for all Lawrence County Schools and their best interests. I don't see that. All I see is a young man whom I once knew as being used to further actions of others who could not get this done. I see a young man who is letting monetary interests of others controlling him. I don't see the bright young man I once knew as being charge of this situation. I do see a young man who has lost any respect of those who did vote him and a man who has lost his political career due to the control of others.

I hope you deeply take a look at yourself, those who have advised you, what's in it for them, and how things have changed for you since this has begun.

I hope you take your Christian faith that you once had and look to God for the answers that are true and right in this situation.

[Bill Braski]

Why would someone from Atlanta Georiga care? Hey I bet your from Speake or Mt'Hope aren't you? Do you have the guts to say that? Well I'm from Moulton. Nobody wants to consolidation.The truth is I DO NOT CARE what anyone says,it will greatly benefit our county.What it looks like if we don't then we won't have any schools to fight over. And as for the students who have said they're dropong out if this dose happen, screw them.If they are that stupid then go ahead.I think thats why we want to consolidate now for idiotic reasons for dropping out like this.
Mr.Grimes,like the man said tonight, sometimes the right thing isn't the most popular thing to do.

[THE Lucas Black]

Look I love having 7 schools as much as anybody, but in the current state of the economy it will be impossible for us took keep this going on. And I think it's pretty to low to call out somebody like Heath who is trying to change things for the better, and it's especially low to try and make consolidation look like a non-christian choice and challenge his faith.

This guy from Atlanta obviously is in denial that the 7 school system is the problem and is completely unfair. Why should a 4A with more kids be treated the same economically as a 1A? That neglects the needs of a 4A and gives unfair treatment to the smaller schools. I mean how can we keep 7 schools running in one of the poorest counties in the state during this economic point? How can we keep schools open that don't even offer a choice between advanced and standard dipolmas? How can we keep this many buses running every semester? How can we keep a system going that pays a 1A coach as much as or more than a 4A's? A similar comparison would be Tuskegee's football coach being paid as much as AU's or Bama's, along with having better facilities.

Consolidation isn't something that I want to do but it's something we all need to realize we have to do, it sucks that some people will lose their jobs but it's better for most everybody in the area.

And as for the dropouts, who gives a rat's ass? If you're that stupid as to drop out because you have to consolidate, then you probably would be to stupid to graduate anyway.

[bettie hollis]

anonymous wrote:

Mr. Grimes,
I think you are being used like a puppet on the string with Dexter Rutherford, DeWayne Key, and Luke Slaton pulling the strings.
One of your board members has stated that you don't care that students will quit, move, or fight with each other as this movement proceeds.
If we don't have money, then why have you offered monetary incentives to a few principals to move before the consolidation has even begun? Why did you offer a former superintendent a substantial amount of money to become assistant superintendent to you? If we have no money, then how are you able to do this?
Why hasn't there been any concern expressed about how many support personnel will lose their jobs? Many of those that are in the four schools are tenured. How are you going to address this? How will they support their families?
Have you given any thought about the bus rides these students will be taking each day? I dare you to ride what might be one of these rides that is the longest route at each school, add the time for breakfast (federal mandate) at their home school, and then being transported to the next school. I don't think any of you have the guts to find out because as stated earlier you and the board members don't care.
You stated in your campaign that you cared for all Lawrence County Schools and their best interests. I don't see that. All I see is a young man whom I once knew as being used to further actions of others who could not get this done. I see a young man who is letting monetary interests of others controlling him. I don't see the bright young man I once knew as being charge of this situation. I do see a young man who has lost any respect of those who did vote him and a man who has lost his political career due to the control of others.
I hope you deeply take a look at yourself, those who have advised you, what's in it for them, and how things have changed for you since this has begun.
I hope you take your Christian faith that you once had and look to God for the answers that are true and right in this situation.

Try having your children travel 50 miles per day,
then you would have a reason to whine.

[Jeff Gilbreath]

I am a graduate of Mt. Hope School and am now finishing my Ph.D. in music education at Auburn University.

I do have connections to Mt. Hope and have heard some reports of what is going on in Lawrence County. I wonder if there have been studies done to find out exactly how money is going to be saved in these consolidations. Certainly, the buses are not going to save money. Many, many miles will be added to their routes and the mechanical upkeep will be expensive. Putting children on the road for long periods of time is much more dangerous. I would assume that safety measures will be taken. Students cannot be crammed onto buses and cannot be expected to stand for the trip. What research has been put into the impact of busing on a school system?

Mt. Hope School also has one of the newest high school facilities in the county. Why would the board close such a facility? Seems like a waste of valuable resources to me.

I understand that though Mt. Hope is still small, it grew at a faster rate than any other school in Lawrence County. Why would the board wish to close a school that has some of the highest test scores and the fastest growth rate of any school in the county? It would seem to make more sense to close another school and send them to Mt. Hope.

My children have grown up in Auburn City Schools. My wife is a teacher in Auburn City Schools. The system here is largely funded by a community that has usually been willing to allow tax increases in order to pay for education. My wife is a music teacher, and I understand that all of the arts teachers we enjoy are funded through the city taxes. Mt. Hope doesn't have that option. Attempted tax raises don't work in such a poor county. But, have all options been considered? Has all funding been counted? I thought President Obama was going to rescue the teachers in poor systems with his outrageous spending package. Has that been taken into consideration?

My children are receiving a very good education here in Auburn. The system here is nationally ranked in the top 1000 schools. Regardless, the quality of the teachers that my children have, though they are very good, cannot compare to the education I received at Mt. Hope School. I have never felt that my education was less than others with whom I work and attend school. My professors have never been disappointed in my ability to read, comprehend, and write. My understanding of science and math is equal to my peers. I received a quality education at Mt. Hope School. Did I mention that my Ph.D. is in music education? Does Mt. Hope have a band or a choral program or even a general music class? No. Did I have a choice of which math or English teacher with whom I studied? Nope. But, the teachers I experienced were quality teachers who poured their lives into us. Many of the teachers who are employed at Mt. Hope School grew up there. They learned from some of the best teachers in the state and are able to pass on that knowledge...obviously. The test scores would not be as high as they are if the teachers at Mt. Hope were bad. So, who is the board going to fire? How can you decide which teachers can make a difference in the life of a child and which do not? I have been awarded for my teaching here at Auburn University. I learned what I know about teaching from my hours of watching teachers who care about their students at Mt. Hope School. It is an absolute tragedy to close down that school with a knee jerk reaction.

I'm afraid the board is going to find that money is not going to be saved in the long-run. As with every government endeavor, the money is going to be eaten up somehow. There will never be enough money until the citizens of Lawrence County decide it is important to pay a few cents extra in order to save the schools. In the meantime, to fire excellent teachers and to close quality schools is a very poor decision.

[Tex]

There aint no need in it... the only thing that will change is that instead of having 7 schools with no money there will be four schools with no money... but hey who am i to say anything :)

[Mr Terry]

To Sheila Smith: Where did you obtain your test score information? I would like to get that info and make a poster with that info.

[Mr Terry]

Where did you obtain your test score information? I would like to get that info and make a poster with that info.

[chandler]

this is STUPID!!!!!!!!!!what the crap i hate speake!!!!!!