This is my child's first year, believe me it's not easy in any high school. Have you been in Sandy Creek High School? What is this put down of it? What makes it down at the bottom of the list? These are just questions? I don't understand where you are coming from? You know I if it is a racial problem, I feel sorry for you. No, I'm not black, but I have taught my child we don't see color? Do you? Is this the problem with Sandy Creek?

Contrary to what some(GloriaG and NameWithheld) would have you believe, SCHS does not have BAD reputation inside or outside this county. It seems to me that there has been more negative publicity about some other schools in our county. I am PROUD to say that I am a part of the Sandy Creek High School family, by choice. I have three children that attend SCHS and all three of them wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

Have either of you ever been to SCHS and interacted with the students and faculty there? I have. As a matter of fact, I have spent the last four years doing just that. NEVER once in my 4 years has a student at SCHS disrespected me. Quite the contrary, as I am continually amazed at just how respectful they are. White, Black, Asian, or Hispanic their race just doesn't seem to matter. Are there students that cause some disruption? Sure there are, but they are at EVERY school not just Sandy Creek.

What motivates these individuals to try and make Sandy Creek look like some under-achieving, thug infested school?

I don't know. But they need to Stop!

PROUD Sandy Creek High School Family member,

Ryan Gunnin

I agree with you. SCHS is one of the best schools in the county. I have a junior and a freshman there and so far have not had any problems...whatsoever!!
The majority of the time the problems stem from home with lack of discipline. Corporal punishment is still used in my home and my children know this. They do something not allowed ---They get in trouble! The law states you can still discipline your children whether parents want to believe it or not. Yes...you can still spank. Spanking is different than beating a child. If more parents would stand up to their children we wouldn't have all of these issues in society. Parents take a stand in your home. It is your home....right? your children don't pay your bills....right? OK....Bust their butts. It really works!
Ryan you have 3 good children who you can tell are disciplined. Keep up the good work!! For the rest of you....TRY IT...you might actually like being a parent once you see it works!!

I think it is the perception most closed minded people have which gives Sandy Creek HS its "Bad Reputation". In addition, I feel the administration at Flat Rock Middle School added to this perception during the shirt episode. Once the administration gave a punishment, they should have stuck with it, no matter if they thought about it then decided it was the wrong decision. Just like parenting. It shows weakness and empowers the children. Maybe people are afraid this "weakness" is carried over to the high school, which is the farthest thing from the truth!!! Sandy Creeks administration by far is the best in Fayette County. They don't turn heads so not to take heat from the parents as does the administration at McIntosh HS when it comes to the drug problems that school has. Talk about reputation. Ask five random kids from each of the high schools what McIntosh HS is known for and I feel sure 4 out of 5 will say drugs.
BRING IN THE DRUG DOGS AND FIX THAT SCHOOLS REPUTATION!!!

SCHS came in last in the county for test scores, and much has been written here about the racial tension, and misbehavior of some.

Cherokee County is ahead of Fayette, in test scores. People look at test scores and school violence and general unrest(hooliganism) when they decide where to send their kids.

It is a sad fact. Just because it has a bad reputation now doesn't mean it can't change for the better. With hard work it can turn around.

Are you going to be part of that hard work?

with me. Yes I realize that SCHS came in last in test scores, but the test scores at SCHS are still better than the majority of the state. Standardized tests are a poor indicator of student achievement anyway. Are you aware that the Board of Regents is currently not requiring SAT testing for students entering the state’s junior colleges? Several other states have found virtually NO difference in the performance of students with high SAT scores versus students with lower scores. This alone would question the validity of standardized tests such as the SAT as indicators of future academic success. A school can’t be judged by standardized test scores alone, nor should a student. Maybe you could make the argument that SCHS was a poor school if the students there were not getting into quality colleges and universities. Our students are consistently accepted and attend those schools each year. West Point, The Air Force Academy, Georgia Tech, Auburn University, The University Of Georgia, Stanford, Florida State, and Wake Forest are just a few of those schools that I personally know of individuals that attend. There is also an individual this year that has been accepted to Harvard, Yale, and Cornell. You don’t just arbitrarily get accepted to those three, you’ve got to EARN it. Someone must be doing something right at Sandy Creek.

Now that I’ve addressed your so called educational deficiencies, I’ll address your other comments. Where exactly have you seen the abundance of writing about racial unrest and school violence at SCHS? Was it from the comments of select individuals on these blogs? Or was it in the letter to the editor from someone unwilling to sign their name? These are questionable sources at best. There was quite a bit of racial unrest recently at Flat Rock Middle School, NOT Sandy Creek High School. So don’t lump those two together. There have been two or three incidents of weapons in school safety zones in Fayette County reported in the media in the past year or so, not one of them was at Sandy Creek. If I were picking a school to send my children to, those incidents would weigh more heavily in my decision than test scores, since my first priority is my children’s safety.

I’ve got an idea, why don’t you people that keep bad mouthing Sandy Creek, take a ride to Tyrone and spend a day observing the students and faculty. I’m sure Mr. Rabold would welcome you in so you can see for yourself things aren’t as bad as you would like people to believe.

Ryan Gunnin

Why do you think these black kids continue to threaten the white girl who was innocently wearing a dixie-outfitters t-shirt? I'll tell you, its because of crap like this! Mt. Olvie, along with so many other so called african americans continue to look for racism in everyday life. The racism is not going to stop at this school until the administration admits they blew the whole thing out of proportion. The kids who were wearing the dixie outfitters shirts never even thought about the t-shirts as racist until it was pointed out by a few black trouble makers, who were upheld in their whining by the administration, who sent all kids home who were wearing the shirts. If the adults here would have acted professionally in the beginning, this issue would be over with.
However, it continues today....the girl just received a death threat at myspace from one of these thugs. It's my understanding, that the school, the county office and the sheriff's office is trying their best to sweep this under the rug.
There is no recourse for the white student at this racist school!

You seem to imply its the girls fault she is being singled out! I met her and she is a sweet little girl who has NOT worn that shirt again! I think you're rather flippant about a death threat on a child! These black thugs that threatened her are still attending school here. Why? The same reason only a white family was made an example of in the matter of out of county kids attending school here! As long as the green light is given to black thugs they will continue. Has anyone ever heard of reverse discrimination? It seems to be quite a part of daily life at these schools.

A death threat of any kind is illegal. A death threat based on race, done over the internet is a FEDERAL CRIME!

The parents whoever they are need to be VERY BUSY!

The local media needs to know about this. The FCC, the people at myspace, the district attorney's office,(before you call the state attorney general, and the governor's office) at least let the sheriff's dept and the district attorney take a swing at this case. The FBI, GBI, and Dateline NBC.

It would be in the best interest for the local authorities to appear helpful, before this attracts national attention. They will look better in the long run if they help you.

I would also take this very seriously, as we have seen the local kids here do have access to knives and guns. Don't take this threat lightly. Your daughters life depends on your taking legal action.

This kid or whoever sent this death threat needs to pay the price for being stupid.

Get busy, get a landshark, if you can't afford one call channel 11's attorney Bill Liss see if he will help.

To all of the blacks who hate whitey, keep it to yourself. We are sick of your threats.

it is what is being allowed to go to Sandy Creek. And yes the person who mentioned the houses being 350,000 and up is right. The attendance at Sandy Creek doesn't match what lives in the area. People move here to get away from the thuggish behavior. They want their kids to go to school with those of others who have moved to the area with the idea of having a better life for their children. Then they find kids bussed in from other areas and a blind eye to people from the other counties that put their kids in school here. Why is this happening? One reason is the person elected to represent this area has never stood up for it. She seems to understand that people in Peachtree City want their kids to go to school in Peachtree City with other children of the same background, yet it is perfectly acceptable to her, for ours to go to school with children that are bussed past their closest school straight to ours. A lot of these kids and their families don’t reflect the same values for education. This has been an experiment on our kids that hasn’t worked. When staff has to spend most of their time to working with kids that come to school with chips on their shoulders wanting special treatment, our average Johnny, gets lost in the scuffle and so does the vary reason we moved here.
Another problem is the people who live here, not demanding this be changed. At the school meetings over the boundaries, Peachtree City parents packed the house. I saw only one face I recognized from the Sandy Creek area. If you lay down and play dead you will keep on being abused. You will have to stand up for your children and your investment here or forever be the ‘catch all’ for the county.

I'm not sure if you are implying that our Mayor can stop these kids from being bussed into our school system or not? But I think that is a county desicion. Mayor Lee does not set up the boundaries...that goes beyond her duty.
And for the girl wearing the shirt. You are right...she is a very sweet girl....with a troublemaker mother. This issue would have been long gone had it not been for her mother stirring the pot. I have subbed at FRMS many times and the problems are not as bad as everyone makes them out to be. No....it would not be my school of choice but I don't work FT for the BOE so we had to stick it out when our children went through there. The racial tension is under control this year. They have a new Asst. Principal who is very millitant and keeps everyone on track. Which is exactly what they needed. But I still believe if parents would discipline at home schools would not be under fire.

out of yourself...I don't know ...WHY...you are diggin back that deep, but you might want to ...LOOK.. at the date Jan.07? durka durka...that was about Janet Smola and the fact no one in this area does anything, meaning our schoolboard rep, or cross to bear, whatever is your perspective. Read closer before you go on your tirade, you look like a fool...Maybe that is why you hang around an elementary school, youre still trying to scoop of what you don't know. No one metioned your mother in law, leave the sauce alone!

Your right...I did misunderstand what you were saying. My Bad!! As for me hanging around an elementary school...I've told you once before that I have a REAL job. I write legal documents. Remember..we covered that subject last week or has your alzheimer's kicked in again.
Oh....and since your soooooooo politically correct I want to see you running next election. Bet you money you'll win.....NOT!!!

This person 'sickandtired' is such a hypocrite, preachin' all over tha place. 'sickandtired' needs labotomy.

If I was being condescending or sarcastic, or attacking you, you would have known it. I would have misspelled your name, and then drrraaaggged ooooutt words. I didn't do any of that with you. I was responding to your post as though you were serious.

Yes, I have formed many of my opinions based on what I read in the paper. I think many people do, that is why Cal is very serious with people who post innuendo, or baseless comments on here(like with the Jordan things and others). So yes I'm guilty of believing what I read here and gossip in the community.

My question to you was sincere. What are you doing to help?
I have talked to several educators in this county and two from another county, and they all were saying the same thing. When a parent comes in and volunteers in the classroom test scores, and more importantly, interest in the subject being taught both go up. They said that in their opinion the kids did much better in the classes that had a parent in the classroom. They said even if you are not familiar with the subject being taught, having the parent there really makes a difference.
I wasn't attacking you. You can make a difference,(I know it is a trite cleche, but this is one time where it is true) you and every parent in Fayette County, not just Sandy Creek schools. The kids here are crying for help. I hope all of the parents can give even one hour of there time.
I wish you the best in everything.

Sandy Creek IS a quality school.

Like any other high school in America students can find trouble if they look for it.

I am unaware of any 'bad reputation' existing for any Fayette County School.

Perhaps if you had the ability to go back and read skyspy's blogs you would see where she is coming from. Basically skyspy hates kids....be they Peachtree City kids or Sandy Creek kids. She seems genuinely convinced they are all "up to no good” and that they are "Hooligans" and “delinquents”.

Sandy Creek is a fine school with some very good Administrators, teacher, kids, and from what I see from you, parents as well.