Well thank you much! It's great we all are trying to make good, better. That's where excellence comes from!

MainFrame

along you line of thinking, I have this idea. The schools are overcrowed but we are letting anyone who works for the FCBOE bring their kid/kids to school here free. No matter if they cut the grass or whatever. They say it cost $700 plus a month for Fayette county to school each one. Wouldn't it be a much better idea, and cheaper, to stop this and instead give the teachers an extra $500.00 a month? With that, many could choose to live here, if cost is an issue. We would also attract more good teachers. Most people are gonna go where they can make the most money. That is just a fact of life. What if we have someone mowing the yards who has 5 kids, all out of county and we are footing the bill? I bet we would be surprised.

I think the county has excellent teachers and administrators already. I was in a pretty bad car wreck a few years ago and have cronic (no pun intended) pain.

I still to this day talk with teachers and administrators that helped me through that situation several years ago. Having been other places I can say from my point of view - the teachers and administrators here are the best and it shows.

Of course - that's just my opinion.

MainFrame

That's not me in the pic, dude, but WHS. Got it.

Didn't know. Thanks.

WHS, WHS, WHS, WHS, WHS, WHS, WHS, WHS, WHS, WHS, WHS, WHS!

You know it going going to be confusing having BMMS (Bennett's Mill) and BMS (Booth). Why did the BOE have to choose a name that started with "B"?

Shoot, that's like saying the DOT road repair schedule should be commuter-convenient. Or the PTC public works repair schedule.

mom678

Integrating? I think the "better than thou" attitude was imposed by other people in the county, we didn't earn it ourselves. PTC IS a unique community, and we do have amenities that other communities don't have. Believe me, we pay for them, but that's a choice we made. Don't vilify us for it, it doesn't cost you anything. Why does it bother everyone else so much that we drive golf carts to school? Is it because they can't? Do my kids deserve to be shuffled around like cattle because they live in a nice place? You're a "tax the rich because they can afford it" person, aren't you?

I believe you would be quite welcome to move to Peachtree City if you wished. I don't think that there is a sign at the door saying "Elite only". There are all types of homes, apartments etc. and a lot of great people who live here. I do not need to be integrated with anyone to have a "humbling effect" and I take that as a total slap in the face to all the different nationalities and races that live in Peachtree CIty. Change does not bother me one bit. Moving kids 4 times in 5 years who live in the same home bothers me. I moved every two years from childhood to adulthood and guess what I don't want that life for my kids - it wasn't that great. We have a BOE that has never planned ahead hence Sandy Creek and now Bennetts Mill. Also I have never seen as many trailers as last night at Starrs Mill Rising Star and they are undercapacity!!!

"...different nationalities and races that live in Peachtree City."....Huh? Nationalities? Minorities? In PTC?

It’s interesting to look at the demographic breakdown of PTC versus other areas. These numbers may be a little old, but…Fayette County is about 80% White, 16% Black and 3 % Hispanic. PTC is about 89% White, 6% Black and 4% Hispanic. Fayetteville is about 80% White, 19% Black and 2% Hispanic. The state of Georgia is about 66% White, 30% Black and 7% Hispanic. It’s not that PTC over-indexes heavily on White people but clearly it under-indexes on Blacks/African-Americans. Not only that, but one only needs to look around and see that PTC has mostly White teachers, administrators, principals, volunteers, students, employees and businesses. When you compare PTC to Fayette County in total, it is sticks out like a …well…like a very white thumb.

Maybe, just maybe, race is playing a part of the issue here as well. Maybe the parents in the effected areas are concerned about sending their children to the new state-of-the-art Bennett’s Mill Middle School (and then High School) because they know there will be pressure to hire a more diverse set of administrators and teachers and that it will be pulling more students from Fayetteville. Hence, Bennett will be a more racially mixed school. Maybe, just maybe, parents see what has happened in Flat Rock with the shirts and the downhill slide of that school over the past several years and they are worried. I don’t know….Your name is “Ardenlee upgrade”. Does that mean you are in Ardenlee? How would you feel sending your kids to Flat Rock. I’m sure the Ardenlee residents (and Crabapple Woods, Maple Shade…etc.) are breathing a sigh of relief….Race may be a factor, too...Do certain parties "protest too much"?

What's going on at FRMS is absolutely ridiculous no matter what color your ancestors were. Moving on to the district boundaries...my kids go to Crabapple Lane and I know lots of people who live on the north side of Peachtree Pkway whose kids will have to go to Bennett's Mill now. Not a single one of them is mad because of racial issues. What they care about is that their kids have to go 7 miles to school! As for the Crabapple-Ardenlee-Maple Shade area (I live in that area, by the way)...we are breathing a sigh of relief, I can assure you. FRMS is 5+ miles away from us, up a major thoroughfare, and we have such a small number of kids they would make up less than 2% of the population at FRMS. Talk about isolation. Besides, that's where most of the growth is happening so why would they move kids into that district when they should be moving them out? As for BMMS, what difference does it make if the teachers and administrators are white or not? Despite what that one woman said at the meeting the other night about the only people at the school who look like her kids are the custodial staff (her words, not mine), what matters is that they do their jobs well. They should not be pressured into hiring "minority" employees because the ratios are off. They should hire the best person for the job. I'm held to that standard as a business owner, so it should apply to the FCBOE as well.

Great post. If people would go beyond the T shirt headlines at Flat Rock and speak to parents who have children there, they would be blown away. I for one would not let my children be subjected to it but so many have no choice and it's sad. Your comment about breathing a sigh of relief in your neighborhood is so honest, no one likes change but sometimes "change is good" only when it does not affect you. This is evident by the thank you notes and pats on the back Janet Smola is receiving from certain neighborhoods in PTC for "leaving them alone"!!! Yes you are closer to Flat Rock than Booth and Bennett’s Mill by a couple of miles so be glad distance was not an issue. I think we really need to look at feeder systems. You will have Kedron Elem. which will feed into 1 Middle school and 1 High School and half of a mile away you will have Crabapple Lane which will feed into 3 middle schools and potentially 4 High schools. This does not seem to be in the best interests of children as far as community and continuity is concerned. Finally please pray for the families of the 3 Gwinnett High school teenagers killed at 3.30 pm right after school. This empowers me even more to limit the amount of traveling time and distance school children are exposed to, and reinforces why I moved here in the first place.

Actually, we are closer to Booth by about 2 miles than we are to FRMS, but we're closer to FRMS by about 2 miles than we are to Bennett's Mill. Just wanted to clarify that. BMMS is about 7 miles from our bust stop, and FRMS is about 5. Booth is 2.8.

You know, it would be alot easier to swallow what you're giving if you would change your name. "Ardenlee Upgrade" sounds just a little snobbish. I mean, why don't you just come out and say, "Hey, I think I'm better than the people in Ardenlee (or the Northwest communities"). Why "upgrade"? Do you believe that where you live now is better than where you used to live (Ardenlee?). The Northwest communities are excellent places. They have hard-working, church-going (there's even a church in Ardenlee I believe) and family-oriented people. The neighborhoods are clean, the houses are well-maintained and they get involved in PTC. I know a few people that leave in that area and they are great people.

I really want to hear what you are saying but it's rather hard. It's one thing to really love where you live but quite another to be negative about other places specifically. Were you one of the ones arguing for tossing the Northwest community (Ardenlee, Crabapple Woods...etc.) to the "wolves" so that your kids could stay in PTC schools? I promised myself not to keep engaged in this discussion because I'm not effected like a lot of my friends are, but I just have this thing against snobs. LET'S HEAR YOUR WIN/WIN PLAN!....(and how about a name change to something less...well...you know.)

You were doing great until the "there's even a church in Ardenlee I believe" That was your give away. Good spot cruiserman.

Some clarification from you would be grand. Might make you seem less shrill.

First your complaint was that we were all just whining, then we were racists and now you claim:

I just have this thing against snobs.

In the name of all that's holy, make up your mind.

You’ve tried to say you are not from Ardenlee but your thinly veiled comments to try to disguise yourself aren’t working. “I know a few people that leave (sic) in that area and they are great people.” PTCANDME, you're a little early for Halloween. Take off the mask. You live in Aredenlee and furthermore, I think you were the lady who stood up and spoke on their behalf last week.

Give it up and abandon your "above it all" attitude. Admit you’ve got a dog in this fight.

Also, you know very well there is no win/win solution. Stop trying to end debate because the dissenters haven’t got a nirvana plan. There is a lot of area between the crap the BOE has presented and a win/win. Like a plan that makes sense in that it won’t have to be changed back in a few short years.

Cruiserman, everyone posting has a dog in this fight, so who cares who they are in real life. I know who you are by the way and am surprised that you just cant stop trashing on people with different opinions than yourself. To suggest that the BOE plan is crap is silly. Could there be some improvements, sure. That's why they've solicited input. They could have come up with alternatives that would make alot more sense geographically but would have resulted in even more of an uproar. But something tells me you wont be happy unless the Booth lines remain exactly as they are today so your little world doesnt change and then it becomes someone elses kids who are affected.

Your right. everyone posting does have a dog in this fight. You make my point perfectly. I don't care who PTCANDME is, just that she cops an attitude that she isn't affected, just an interested bystander.

Second point we agree on is that the BOE plan could use some input and that there could be improvements. PTCANDME started off last week exclaiming that the BOE should "Stick to their guns" and not change a thing. Any input was just whining and we should all shut up. I don't know how you get public comment this way.

I'm not sure how you cannot find a plan "crappy" that you admit disregards one of their five criteria, that being geographic location. (Another criteria is "safe walking conditions" so they missed on 2). Why would "alternatives that make alot more sense . . . create an uproar?" I am sincerely asking . . . why? What am I missing here? You even admit it; this plan doesn't make sense; it affects my kids; we have the right to know why.

Thirdly, your right again, I would love for the Booth lines to remain the same, but as an adult I know that change is a coming. The only thing I ask is that IT MAKES SENSE.

Finally you are wrong. In earlier postings, PTCANDME's nemisis Ardenlee Upgrade made just this threat (to send PTC's kids and not hers), to which I asked Upgrade to chill and not wish this on our neighbors. I don't know who Upgrade is, but SHE has admitted her kids are affected as have I.

Trust me, I have no interest in the individual, just in calling the "it doesn't affect me" bluff.

Would you feel better if I told you I cleaned homes in Ardenlee !! Do you think Head Ragg is a rapper or skyspy a federal agent. Get over your own insecurities it is just a blog name. OK how about this plan. The BOE is concerned about feeder patterns and my kids school Crabapple Lane has 3 middle schools it feeds to and maybe 4 high schools. Kedron has 1 Middle and 1 High and Tyrone Elem. has 1 Middle and 1 High. Therefore if all of Crabapple Lane went to Bennetts Middle it would solve 4 problems. Feeder Patterns, filling Bennetts Mill, community identity and would make way for the West Village expansion to fill Booth. Your thoughts please.

I thought Head Ragg was a terrorist?

The 3-way split is unique, I believe, so I think the feeder pattern issue will be resolved quickly and quietly. Tyrone is filling up with residential development. Burch elementary is full, or close to it. Tyrone elementary is very small, very old, and almost full now. We've already established that the BOE has land to build a new elementary school near Centennial but doesn't have the money to build it. So where are all of the "new" elementary school kids in Tyrone going to go? To Crabapple. I think the portion of CLE that was left out of the rezoning effort this time will be sent to another elementary school in the very near future. Kedron has open chairs, and the northwest neighborhoods are small enough to send back to Kedron. That's my prediction.

More than once, I find we agree on many things. It is sad to have a kid at Flat Rock and it is even sadder that Janet Smola is getting pats on the back in Peachtree City. No one likes her, or her husband in Tyrone. She got her office because ..twice..no one ran against her. How very sad...Her husband is about as popular as she is...same deal..I think he wound up on Towncouncil for tyrone by 18 votes? We can't get rid of either. People have stood up in Tyrone meetings and asked him to leave. Neither won't ...it is their only time in the spotlight and beyond their wildest dreams! How is that for sad? The people of Tyrone are good...our schools have been the scape goats and tokens. How else would you explain dragging kids from the other side of the county to go to school here? It is not the people who live here, or their children causing the problem. They are trying to stand up to the trash they are being fed to be 'politicaly correct', sorry about the spelling....don't have sp turned on..colleg grad. but never cared if my spelling was correct. Pred Med and Art Majors...
The people in Tyrone are just like everyone else...they want to go to school with people from their area...just like them...they have been the guinnie pig cause of people like Janet...did I mention she is from the Boston area...? When I see them...I want to puke!!

I don't think the FCBOE cares about them. This school is their token along with FCHS...they don't care what happens to the kids here...if they did..wouldn't they be asking people like...Oliver's(asst sup of schools for Fayette) nephew(who is principle of Flatt Rock) questions about what is wrong at the school? I never had a problem with him...but if he was white? would anyone have let this kind of nepotism go on? I am not from here, so I will point one finger...Where I am from,,,Blacks wouldn't be caught dead asking for this kind of BS and ...Whites wouldn't be caught dead..giving it to them! We both, white and black...didn't do this...you guys are so wrong...are you afraid of the NAACP..? both black n white here? I think you are! Whites are scared, and Blacks who have come up by working for it,...don't want to rile the Rappa ..gansta group...why? I don't understand? Blacks who have worked hard should be proud...and not ashamed of what they have earned...they don't own these no'accounts'''neither does anyone else!

Cherokee county came in ahead of ours, time to move if you love your kids.

You are right blacks play the race card and play it badly here. They claim racism for things that are not. Everyone seems to let them get away with it. This diminishes every black person who is a high achiever by their own merit.

So if I understand this correctly they are going to bus white kids to a school that has changed demographically. The white kids can prop up, and bring up the test scores for people who would rather play the race card, instead of study and succeed??. Now we can play a chess game with demographics instead of kick the pricipal in the pants and get him moving on something other than the race card?

Is this really how my tax dollar is being spent? I have to spend more tax money on gas to bus kids further away to prop up a failing school?

I DESPISE this strategy.

When I moved my family to Madison, Wisconsin in 1987, we found a rental house in a nice neighborhood with a good elementary school within easy walking distance.

Little did we suspect that the school board had recently split the grades so that my older children were bused 10 miles across town to a school in the middle of a drug-infested neighborhood. The principal was a black woman with a politically correct agenda, aimed at socially engineering the attitudes of the students. (I've mentioned her before: she attempted to ban the novels of Mark Twain. Also, the school was named Abraham Lincoln Elementary School, but she led a campaign to rename it Ida B. Wells Elementary School. Lincoln emancipated the slaves; Ida bit a guy on the hand. I've heard of dogs doing the latter, but never the former.)

In addition to spending over an hour each day wasted on a bus ride,
my kids were subjected to bullying by racist minority children, and suddenly had as classmates many kids from single-parent families where good values were seldom if ever taught.

One day on the bus ride, as they were within two blocks of the school, my kids looked out the window to see the police working out in a vacant lot, investigating a crime scene where the body of a murder victim had just been discovered!

I've vowed that if any of my grandkids wind up in a school district in which the board members are similarly foolish, I'll do all I can to finance their education in a private school.

Image: Child's author Bill Peet's "Whingdingdilly"

that is it! And when they get to the end of the day, not only will they .NOT..do anything for the kids at FR...they are gonna make sure no kid in white kid in Fayette is happy...this is so wrong!

They seem to have the same attitude that the fedral gov. has towards their employees...."we are not happy until you are unhappy" That seems to be their attitude towards the parents and kids here, especially if they are white!.

What they don't understand is they only exist because people with kids live here.....if they move to a better county like Cherokee, their role and the need for race baiting administrators will be diminished.

I have no idea where you live but in my subdivsion, we have 2 Japanese families, an Iranian family, a Gambian family, a German family, a Hispanic and an Indian Family. Having lived all over the world this is without a doubt the most diverse neighborhood I have ever lived in and I love it. I have never thought of PTC sticking out like a very white thumb but now you say it I guess the schools on the south side of the county after redistricting will definetly stick out like a very white thumb. Oh I wonder why? Maybe you have uncovered something here.

We have many international and colorful families, and we love it. My daughter thinks it is very cool that one of her Korean friends is teaching her Korean phrases. Maybe the southside of PTC is mostly "homogenized" (but I know several very nice people who live on the southside, so I don't mean to disrespect the southside of PTC), but the middle section of PTC quite diverse. Certainly the statistic that Peachtree City Elementary is only 59% white supports that claim!

No race is not a factor. What is a factor is that what the BOE wants to do is just dumb.

Once again, we take 46 kids to the new school from Flat Rock and 2-3 years from now, Flat Rock will be 381 OVER capacity. Booth has a projected growth of 72 kids 2-3 years, is currently at capacity and they sweep 242 kids out into the county. By the way, Rising Star looks like a trailer park (no trailers at Booth, OK one for storage but none for classes) and amazingly Rising Star is left completely alone.

And because we dare to point this out we're irrational, emotional, whinning and now . . . racists.

Get a clue, check out the numbers, and stop being provocative.

Ok…since you’re the “stats person”, tell me what you would have done if you were the FCBOE. Specifically, what would you do to solve the overcrowding? What neighborhoods would you move? Would you move any? Would you, like our esteemed Mayor, claim to build a middle school right here in PTC? How do please everyone? I’m serious. I think the board had a huge task to take on and dealt with it really well. What solution would you suggest?

There are quite a few good maps out there that were presented last night.

Please go to meetings so you are able to keep up. Geez.

We are working on getting more detailed info from the BOE under the Blue Sky Rules to refine these maps. We don't have available specifics about these new students coming to the county and are at admittedly at a disadvantage.

The overcrowding is a myth. Sweat stated last night that there are kids eating in the hallways at Booth. Not really true but makes things sound desparate. Team A in 7th grade is having lunch in the atrium. I called the school about this weeks ago and was told that there was a renovation done this summer, made a mistake moving the food line out and making them have to rearrange the lunchroom tables. Your BOE at work reducing the capacity of the lunchroom. I asked what was going to be done to solve this problem. Nothing, it's not a problem. The students like eating in the atrium and it's reduced the noise level in the lunchroom. I've actually talked to students that eat in atrium and it's cool with them.

Here we go again, but you asked. Fayette Middle 1041 enrolled, 1187 capacity; Flat Rock 946 enrolled, 1137 capacity; Booth 1182 enrolled, 1187 capacity; Whitewater 1176 enrolled, 1137 capacity; Rising Star 1109 enrolled, 1187 capacity. YOU DO THE MATH.

NOW, there is some 1400 students heading toward us in the next 2 to 3 years. The new school has a capacity of 1200. Ya with me. But they aint here yet. Their not coming to PTC, yet Booth got hit up to move all these students.

This is where I must leave you. If you really care, GET THE POWER POINT PRESENTATION. CRUNCH THE NUMBERS. SEE THE LIGHT. Don't trust me, seek the truth for yourself and for God's sake, stop lapping up whatever the government, at any level feeds you.

Notice, that I have yet to say anything about race?!?!?!?!?

The capacity numbers for the middle schools are deceiving. These numbers do not take into account new state mandates for smaller class sizes. Booth curently has 15 (or so) classes that exceed the state imposed limit of 28 students. Mr. Sweat said about 150 students should be subtracted from the school capacity to accomodate special programs, such as gifted, EIP, speech, etc. and new class sizes.

I think Fayette county has a wavier for class size this year, but next year we must add some teachers. This will be expensive (teacher salaries) but it must be done. There has to be classrooms to accomodate these new teachers.

Also, more the just 7A eats in the atrium. Eating in the atrium does reduce noise in the lunchroom, but it also significantly INCREASES noise in the 7th grade pod.

There is no easy answer. I believe there is a better way to draw the lines, but we must take into account that if no students are moved from Booth, we will need to add trailers. I'm not opposed to trailers, but the space at Booth is very limited.

when you see that the BOE's plan will leave Flat Creek some 380 students over in a few short years. You see, Maggie dear, no one seems able to explain why it is ok for Flat Creek to get so bloated but we GOTTA rip Booth apart. With its current enrollment and potential growth combined, Booth only goes over "capacity" (which is now some funky fluid number) by 67 students.

Yes, I saw the “alternatives”. You say they are “good” because maybe your neighborhood presented one of them. Also, I’ve seen the FCBOE presentation (it’s quite a colorful display) and you quote the numbers accurately. You still haven’t given me YOUR idea on what needs to be done. You’ve only pointed out the “problems” with the board plan. Let’s see your idea. If yours is truly better, then hey, I’ll yield to it. Who has to suffer under your plan? …or do you have a win/win idea? I’m listening.

I believe this is about Fayette County as a whole not just PTC. In general, Fayette County is growing. If we look ahead, which is what we ought to do, the current schools will not be able to handle the number of kids.. You say, “NOW, there is (sic) some 1400 students heading toward us in the next 2 to 3 years.”….but, as you say, we don’t know where they’ll be…”We don't have available specifics about these new students coming to the county and are at admittedly at a disadvantage.”…May I say that one only needs to see the development areas within Fayette County and one can see where the growth will be. Maybe you have more specifics on that, but just simply driving around the county (which I do a lot of) will reveal much. The growth seems to be coming from the north (Tyrone) of the county and squeezing toward the middle from Fayetteville and the northeast. PTC still has the Wieland development to contend with (they’ll probably go to Booth). Again, you may have better information, but the current schools will not be able to handle it. The board chose a location to address this. Should there be another school in the northeast part of the county, maybe, but Bennett’s MS appears to be more in the middle of the squeeze. Again, I’ll yield to better information.

Is the issue really about over capacity now? No. It’s about capacity in the future. That leaves us two choices: either build on to existing schools or build new schools. I don’t see us building on to existing schools, do you? Is there room to build on to PTC schools? Do you want to put trailers at Booth? Really? What are the issues around that (e.g., safety, overcrowding, traffic…etc.). You may say that Booth doesn’t have a problem now but they will. Again, when Wieland comes in, they’ll go to Booth. Do you really think, as our esteemed Mayor (note the sarcasm) has said, we need another middle school in PTC? I don’t. So, we (Fayette county) are left with building a new school. But where? Again, look at the development within the county. Is there a better place to build one?

Also, I do believe race is playing into this somewhat. It’s not at the forefront, but I believe it is there. You may say it isn’t but I do believe it is. I won’t keep focusing on it, except to say that there is pressure to make the new school more diverse among the students, teachers and leaders. Hence, another reason for the location (pulls from Fayetteville and PTC). Some people in the effected areas may not like that-again, I’m guessing here.

In the end, as I have said before, PTC has no representation on the board and has had little concern for FCBOE. It’s a mentality endemic to our precious little town, unfortunately. If anything is learned from all of this, we need representation on the board. Maybe you should run for a position on the board next time…You know, I’d vote for you.

You make my point in the beginning of the first paragraph . . . "If we look ahead, which is what we ought to do," . . . I'll give you a hint. Take the numbers and try to look down the road. This isn't rocket science.

What makes you think that the BOE's plan is the only plan? What makes you so tenacious that this is how it should be as if they've presented tablets from Mt Sinai? Why does decent from the populous (read voters and taxpayers) make you so nervous and snarky? Christ woman, we're talking about our kids. You ARE in a big hurry like Upgrade said. THIS IS IMPORTANT AND NEEDS TO BE DONE IN A THOUGHTFUL MANNER. Why do you need us to expect any less from this process?

We know the growth, in general, is coming from Tyrone and Fayetteville. You poo, poo Logsdon saying we need another PTC Middle School and then contradict yourself with your concern about "Wieland coming." I assume your talking about the west village and not Lexington Commons. We could very well need another school down the road. Tyrone and Fayetteville are going to fill Bennett's Mill within 2 or 3 years (this is another hint about those numbers). Conservative Cowboy has threatened me with another 1200 kids from the West Village (duh). Yup, sounds like another school.

Look, if it makes sense to move my kid, fine. What's got us all so hot under the collar is this is a plan that will have to be totally redone in 2 to 3 years. The BOE sells the plans as lasting five years. There are plenty of studies (not just whining and telling your kids to suck it up) that reveal jerking kids around from school to school takes its toll on students scholastically in a big way. This is bad.

I still don't quite know how any of this makes me a racist.

Amen about PTC representation on the BOE. A cruiserman run? You'll be the first to know.

We are letting the developers come in here n build on smaller n smaller lots. When a big developer built that giant sub across the street from McIntosh, didn't bells go off in anyone's mind as to where are these kids gonna go? The obvious was McIntosh but, there are just room for x no of students in MHS. So what do you do with the kids that have gone there for years? Tell them they can't go anymore? Someone knew it would be overcrowded and something would have to give. People need to get more into what the developers are doing and how it will impact their area. The developers want to build on postage size lots and get out. They don't care what happens to the schools. But God, do they make the money!
One glaring detail I have noticed about the developer that built all those hugh houses on itty bitty lots is...when he writes his covenents for his subs...HE NEVER PUTS IN ANY OF THEM...YOU CAN'T RENT OR LEASE! Look at his houses! You could put 2 or 3 families in them! And guess what? there prob are! People buy those things, do the sec 8 housing, rent them to gov who fills them up with people living on our tax dollars and then to add insult to injury...overcrowd our schools!

what I wrote last night...THESE ARE SOME OF MY THOUGHTS ON THE PROBLEMS WITH THE SCHOOLS..it is a big part of the problem.

I think that anytime something like this is gonna be done. The letter from the FCBOE should be read at the town council meeting that is gonna vote on this and put into the minutes. The FCBOE can not tell the town not to approve a sub, but it can, and does write a letter telling council the impact it will have on the schools.

These developers are making BIG BUCKS...to get some of this passed, they should have to kick in for more on our schools, or have to build on larger lots...and please...put in the convents...you can't lease or rent the property!

in is with larger, what they call, "impact fees". They are walking away dirty filthy rich, and we are left with overcrowed schools...make them pay...they are standing in line to build here!

schools are not being built for kids in the far ends of the county in mind at all. There should be a middle shcool put in the North Fayette Clayton line area, and one put in the extreme south end. These kids are being bussed too far. They have a right to a school within walking distance just like everyone in PTC!

to the party, head_ragg. No power point presentation needed for your enlightenment just some common sense has seen you through.

However, this is the pickle we're in and it's gotta be worked through.

Quit fix ...maybe we could have the last laugh and sell the land they have bought to a developer for a quick profit and buy land in either end of the county where it is cheaper n put in the middle schools. After the developer buys, we will insist on 1 acre lots! ho ho

and I wasn't there last night, maybe the school board is trying not to displace some of the kids that were there first. And, maybe by doing so, no one is happy. They feel the best idea is another school in the same area, but everyone wants their kid to go to school close by. When I look for a house, I want a culdesack n walking distance to the school...just in case.. But we do need to crack down on the developers, they are like kids in a candy store. Make them pay!

a copy of the power point presentation. Could you tell me exactly were on the site to get it?

the download is right next to the map of the county. But be warned, I couldn't download it onto my Mac and had someone with power point software on their pc give me a hard copy.

The road to enlightenment is never without struggle.

No, I am not a Democrat.
No, I am not a 'tax the rich' type person.
No, I am not jealous of the cart path as I have been a user of the cart paths myself and enjoy them immensely.

As I recall, I said 'Peachtree City is a great place with many nuances not afforded to most in the state. They have reasons to be proud of where they live.'

I agree using the word 'elite' was strong, but nowhere in that statement did race and nationality come into it, neither specifically stated nor inferred. I have many great friends in PTC, and many in Fayetteville. I know there are verious types of neighborhoods in both PTC and Fayetteville with all of the economic classes. I also mentioned an 'elite' attitude in reference to Whitewater.

In observing these posts and various verbal comments the 'elite' refers to specific statements involving 'Peachtree City only' schools. PTC is a part of Fayette County, just as Fayetteville and Tyrone are. Over the years I have observed a definite divide between these communities, it does go both ways, and the reasons are varied depending on who you talk to. By using the term 'intigration' I was simply meaning it would be good to have our children learn to come together as a 'Fayette Community.' We need to teach our children, all of us, that no one is better than anyone else just because of the name of the city their address is attached to.

There are many people better than other people. It's just a fact! But it's not because they live in Peachtree City. It's not because they have more or less melanin. It's not even the amount of money they have managed to inherit or accumulate on their own. Perhaps you're struggling to figure out why some people ARE better than other people. Being better is not a crime and recognizing that you are better is not a bad thing either. Peachtree City may be "elite" but isn't that a good thing?

"The only thing that sustains one through life is the consciousness of the immense inferiority of everybody else, and this is a feeling that I have always cultivated." Oscar Wilde, "The Remarkable Rocket" Irish dramatist, novelist, & poet (1854 - 1900)

P.S. I don't really believe the message but it's such a good quote I had to paste it in. There is MUCH MORE to life than being better than others. But being better is a good start.

Elite. Logsdon said it best last night.

I was there, too. He said it was unique - several times.

I know they just built cart paths at Rising Starr, Peeples and Starr's Mill.

Can the PTC folks being sent to Bennett's Mill drive their golf carts like they could before?

Opened another can of worms huh?

You know they can't.

I do agree with some parental guidance needed in this situation. Point taken. But it's not a perfect world filled with perfect on the spot parents.

I understand shifting, growing communities. PTC is built out. The plan leaves any "balance of students" in the dust and just sets up to send everyone back where they came from in a couple of years. These are kids.

The real problem is the school isn't needed yet and they're yanking kids around to fill it.

The arguments from Lakemont et al. were valid...except for the president of the HOA; I agree he was less than persuasive. And he sounded like he had marbles in his mouth while he was talking. So I'm with you there. I also agree that parents who involve their children in this debacle are asking for trouble. Middle schoolers have enough to deal with as it is without adopting their parents' psychoses. However...

I don't think it's unreasonable to expect that your kids will attend the school that is geographically closest to your home. People purchase homes in neighborhoods for a multitude of reasons, not the least of which is the school district. Peachtree City residents pay more for their homes than you would pay for comparable homes in other areas, but you pay for the quality of life also. Someone from Lakemont made a comment about the "little golf cart paths" in PTC but that is something that we appreciate and are willing to pay for, so let it go. The fact that the residents of that area want their kids to go to school in PTC is understandable. I live in PTC also, and that's what I want. If I lived in Tyrone, I would want my kids to go to school in Tyrone.

Obviously the FCBOE has to change boundaries from time to time to accommodate growth, and you can't change the boundaries and expect to make everyone happy. I don't think the citizens who spoke out last night against the boundaries are spoiled or obnoxious - except for a notable exception from Kedron Hills, everyone was respectful to the board and the committee. I don't think the map is perfect, and I think to some degree the committee did violate its own guidelines, but considering how few citizens from the county actually provided input, they did a decent job.

if children are taught that it's OK to change schools, make new friends, and encouraged to see the glass as half-full, they will. On the other hand, if kids are told that this is a bad thing and given all kinds of reasons to whine and complain, then guess what! They will not weather the transition as well! Parents, YOU set the tone for how your child will perceive change

I would write more, but this really says it all. I just wanted to pull that out of your post to make sure it was seen by everyone.

If Children are taught to just get along, don't ask questions, ignore the facts, then we end up a bunch of sheep and are a lot easier to herd around.

My Scots-Irish ancestors are spinnin'.

So are my ancestors........

What's wrong with letting our children at least know we are fighting for them - for their education and their personal lives (get to stay with their friends).

Some of you are not thinking of the children. They want to stay where they are. Maybe they are 750 feet from school or 8 miles. Maybe they drive golf carts, ride the bus or are taken to school. They are still our children and we don't want them moved around every time someone at BOE gets a wedgie.

First of all, how do you build a community with kids scattered all over the county in High Schools? That IS the BOE's fault.

How about the parents that started in PTC elementary, "started Kedron" (I'm talking raising money for all the stuff BOE doesn't pay for), "started Crabapple" (leave all your work behind and start over) now are being asked to "start Bennett's Mill" and then in a few years "start" the New High School"?

Further more, your BOE has the Crabapple kids split into three middle schools and now wants them to go to a middle school that has a three way split and finally start at Mac and finish in the New High School.

If your not your kid's advocate, who will be.

If you don't teach your kid the life-skill of adapting to change, who will?

The weatherman will. Oh, and Darwin. Adapt, migrate, or become extinct.

teach your kids advocacy, who will. Sometimes ya gotta call bull and stand up, that's all.

YES! If a change happens now, then it invalidates all of the work they did for the first one. The plan is set and we need to move on. Stick to your guns FCBOE!!!

They fed some garbage into a computer, ignored their stated objectives (download the powerpoint presentation) and are trying to sell it.

IT'S THEIR JOB. THEY WORK FOR US. AS TAXPAYERS, WE'RE ALL FOOTING THE BILL.

Have you even looked into any of this or are you just gonna sit in judgement of the folks that have.

We're from the government and we're here to help. BAAAAAAAAA!

Man, get a clue.

Are you worried Ardenlee will substituted for the Robinson Rd kids? If your Middle School was on Crabapple Lane and you now had to drive 16 miles round trip out of your community to a new school you would speak out. There was no public representation on the committee deciding these lines. Now is the only time the public can speak out. Respect those rights.

Chill girl. You gotta prob with the old neighbors?

Ya make good points, but God's Gravy, don't wish this on them.

I'm just sayin' . . .

you must be right obn the line and you are affraid they will move you I don't blame you! Duck!

Nope...without getting into specific locations...I'm not on the line...

I understand the concerns. It's all very complex and emotional. The FCBOE did do a tremendous job. Would I feel the same way if my children were effected? Yes. If I was really unhappy,I would speak up, but I'd still recognize the tremendous work that the FCBOE did. I also would not be saying things like "take this neighbor and not ours". There were some elitist comments made at the meeting last night. People should not have to move, but it is an option for those that are very unhappy with the whole thing.

If we, as PTC residents, don't like what the board does, then we need to get some PTC residents on the board....right? Just asking....

If you make a mistake at work do you "Not change anything" If I were in a board room and responsible for taking twenty children who walked 750 paces to school and now decided that I would make them do a 16 mile round trip to school instead, and incur all the costs associated with that trip, I would be fired on the spot. Worst of all I would be laughed at uncontrollably too!!! No one last night talked of Peachtree City Schools only community schools. When you have a group of people who live in a community, take pride in their community, invest great amounts of work and effort in their community you have a great school system. FCBOE seems to have forgotten that. That was the message sent loud and clear last night from everyone whether they lived in PTC, Fayetteville or Tyrone. Lets just hope they listen.

The plan is set. The FCBOE did an amazing job given the complexity of the situation.

Why do you think FCBOE did an amazing job? Are you on the Board? Do you have children? Wait, do you have children that are being effected by this?

From what was said last night, we need a do over.

It would be wonderful in a representative republic if the representatives didn't have to listen to their constituents. Yeah, "stick to your guns" it makes it easier to run the Gulog. If you had bothered to come to the meeting last night, you would know that there wasn't whining going on, but legitamate concerns.

What's been happening to your neighbors in Lakemont has been criminal. Do you realize that this is the first year in a decade that they will have their entire neighborhood graduate from the same high school. This is because of phasing kids into High School. Redistricting has had older siblings in one school and younger at another for years.

FCBOE Good Job . . . but they're just whining.

Their Home Owner's President said during graduation week, he personally had to break up fights at their pool because of school rivalry between neighborhood kids.

FCBOE Good Job . . . we don't whanna hear it, it doesn't affect me.

Now they are looking to move these kids next year to Fayette. But the kids that are already in WW will be allowed to finish there. In a few years Fayette will be overcrowded and they will be moved to the new school.

FCBOE Good Job . . . my goodness, would you just hush.

Furthermore, if you study the new plan, it leaves the county middle schools so imbalanced in '09 it's ridiculous. We will have almost 400 too many students in Flat Rock with over 400 empty seats in Bennetts Mill.

FCBOE Good Job . . . your just being annoying now.

Take your anti-community snobbery somewhere else. It's obvious your in it for yourself. Wake-up, you've moved into a community that cares and wether you can admit it or not, that's why your here.

Sounds like there are no women and no parents involved in this process. Are there any Minorities invloved?

This looks like a 'screw job' baby. What was the 'criteria' (basis) for the decision making process?

Why would anyone want to go to a school that fed three different high schools at once? Isn't that like - dumb?

Why don't you guys stop calling Sweat and call DeCotis or your Bored, err, Board Member instead? They are elected (or appointed by the elected).

I'm just asking-

MainFrame

If you like conspiracy theories, howabout this. Sweat is the committe chair, see, and the ex-principal of Starrs Mill, ya with me so far, and his is the only group left alone. Amazing.

More to the point, we've got Sweat's committee drawing the lines. They are not elected. Actually, it's some computer drawing the lines. It's not elected either.

The criteria doesn't matter 'cuz they didn't follow it anyway.

As I understand it the Board just votes on what the committee presents. So your right, no parents involved but a couple of chicks that work for the BOE.

We have been going directly to the Board Members, too. That's alot of what last night was about.

Thanks for asking.

Sorry I don't know alot about him or what he even looks like, I think. But does he have 3 boys and a wife who works as a teacher somewhere here in Fayette?

I was there last night, and as expected, the largest contingents were from Lakeside/Lakemont and the north PTC neighborhoods. For the most part, people were respectful and made cogent arguments. IMO, the Lakeside/Lakemont neighborhoods have put up with too much already, and the committee should accommodate them. I also believe that the north PTC residents should be left alone, because if it is at all possible to go to school in your hometown, you should.

I understand the decision to not have parents on the committee. The fact is, any parent would look out for his child's best interests at the expense of others. We all would. So that's fine. What I find to be particularly interesting is that parental input WAS requested, and apparently very few people responded. Last night they said they only received 12 petitions (could have ben only 8, I can't rememebr exactly) and 800 or so e-mails and phone calls. That, my friends, is a pathetic response to such an important issue. We (myself and my neighbors in my neck of the woods) were on top of this from the beginning, submitting a petition to the committee and the Board AND contacting the appointed and elected officials directly. Anyone who didn't was asleep at the wheel.

BOE admitted they got over 500 emails from North Peachtree City residents. As there are just over 100 families affected that was a pretty good response. These were just the emails sent prior to Oct 10th the deadline for public comment. All the neighborhoods hand delivered their petitions to the BOE with all of their 5 points addressed in detail. They knew loud and clear how we felt but chose not to listen.

It would have been better to not respond than to respond the way a certain north PTC neighborhood did in their petition. Might have been yours, who knows? Emotional arguments don't fly with the FCBOE. Neither to arguments about property values, quality of schools, or school bus safety. A well-written set of arguments supported by data used by the county probably carries more weight than an emotional plea laced with threats and estimates of tax dollars. Interestingly, that theme repeated itself in the meeting Tuesday night. Comments from the public: Rational, respectful...rational, respectful...rational, respectful...emotional, disrespectful! Guess where those speakers live? Gives the rest of us a bad name.