Why can the board listen to the 3 way plan & not listen to the families of crowded schools that have asked for relief? Is it a socio economic difference or what? They need to be voted out! Good for E. Fayette to get a new school! Why couldn't the board fix the crowding at Peeples while they were moving lines last night? Lucky for Timberlake they get to go to Braelinn (they don't see it yet, but they are going to love it). The Board of Education amazes me!

Unfortunately it will work out in the short term but not in the long term. Had the board had the guts to go with the approved map then none of the affected schools would've been overcrowded so that's a nonissue.

The professional and the committee tried to do their jobs, but too many back room and board room deals got in the way.

I for one can't wait until the next election!

There IS NO OVERCROWDING at any of the Fayetteville elementary schools affected by the 3-way win plan. I think that's why you're really angry.

Unlike you folks in and around PTC, we in Fayetteville live in a far less dense area of the county. That means far fewer changes are needed for redistricting.

You chose to live in or around PTC. You are paying the price for doing so. Anyone on the edge of those school boundaries is pretty much set up to move, maybe even several times over several years. Tough!!!

I don't blame you for trying to do the best for your neighborhood. But the 3-way win was the best for the entire student population of THREE SCHOOLS!!!!!

Kudos to the BOE for having the guts to do the RIGHT THING and do what the committee couldn't: disrupt the fewest students possible. The consultant wasn't a total waste of money, though had they shifted all those kids to "center" the districts as you suggest, it would have been. That would have moved students just to move them.

At least I will sleep peacefully knowing that I argued a Logical thought (something that you clearly lack) instead of an emotional one.

I do feel bad for the students who will be on the bus for 45+ min. I sure hope that they remember to go to the bathroom before getting on the bus.

I am getting a kick out of the fact that you think you know me. First you accuse me of living out of county and now you think that I live in or around Peachtree City. Maybe by the time you actually figure it out, your children will be graduating from FCHS, since that's where they will be redistricted to. At least I can honestly say that my children won't be redistricted unless it's a cold day you know where...then again with this board you never know! Hey...maybe you should run for school board Crime Dog there as logical as you!!

How do you figure the E. Fayette kids will be on a bus 45 minutes or more? They'll be going an extra one or two miles.

To argue logically you have to have facts, not extreme assumptions. So sleep well heatjam and don't forget to take your meds!

Besides, on the bus issue, it's not like half of Fayette County doesn't already drive their kids to school anyway.

BTW none of the current East Fayette kids come from areas north of 54. Check out the maps on FCBOE's website.

I don't think there are any sour grapes here - everyone got exactly what they wanted, didn't they?
Wishy-washy just doesn't look good on a school board. Had they taken their time with the maps in the first place none of this vote and take back the vote would be a problem.
Besides it will all play out again when the lines have to be moved again. It does make for some interesting blogging.
To answer some of your questions - I don't live in PTC, I wasn't involved in any of the meetings where they couldn't agree on the color of the sky, and I am not affected by the outcome of this particular board vote.
Hopefully people will see that if they come together with cool minds, produce a workable plan, and present it effectively, they can make a difference. (Of course we can't rely on the board to do that!)
Now why can't we get people fired up about national elections?

Spineless is your refusal to accept that those East Fayette teachers LOVE their kids and want to keep them.

Spineless is your refusal to acknowledge there was no need to move the 500+ kids at Minter and Spring Hill (none of the 3 schools will be overcrowded!)

The BOE had backbone to overrule that "citizen committee" that had so much infighting they could barely agree what color the sky was. For real, you should've been there. Wait, maybe you were!

Spineless were the rumor mongers who claim the faculty at Spring Hill didn't want the East Fayette kids. That is SO WRONG. Any kid that comes through those doors will be loved and cared for as a SUN, no matter what!

So I guess 4 real if you want to observe spineless, you should just look in the mirror.

You might say that you would have accepted the East Fayette children with open arms, but your actions speak louder!! In fact an East Fayette parent at the meeting called a spade a spade when she asked the board when it became acceptable to discriminate on socio-economic terms? Obviously they heard your words loud and clear!!

The FCBOE discriminated on socio-economic terms when they did not decided to replace East Fayette with a new school in Fayetteville, East of 54.

I know that this is over, but your blog was really bothering me (so much so that I had to come back hours later to address it). I am sure that East Fayette parent feels that way, but it was agonizing listening to her get to her real point (most of what she said did not even make sense). If she would have not have beaten around the bush soooooooo long, her point might have had more impact. Perhaps there are some that feel that way, but come on, if that sentiment had true validity, you would have heard many more complaints to that nature. I believe we all just have a feeling of loyalty to our schools and the student body. OK - I'm done.

Instead of blogging anonymously I was working behind and in front of the scenes to save Spring Hill from the chopping block.

If they came to your kids school and said we're removing half the kids ... half of the parents who paid into PTO, investing in the school... I'm sure you'd be hacked off too! Especially because it was for NO GOOD REASON!!!

My son already has a diverse classroom at Spring Hill; it's a good thing. They will have to grow up and deal with folks of all colors and backgrounds.

Since when is it discrimination to move children into a brand new school??? You NAACP types kill me!!!!!!!!

NAACP Types? In one statement you spout that you are proud of the diversity and Spring Hill and then you write NAACP types. I agreed with you until that statement, You need to check yourself.

OK I can see how someone might get the wrong impression of my intent with my "NAACP types" comment.

The main problem with the NAACP is there are always a few hangers-on who almost single-handedly destroy any positive gain. The newspaper article on the gang symposium referred to folks who catcalled the DA 'cause they want to treat gang-bangers with "love" instead of jail time when they commit crime.

I got news for you pansies, this is still Fayettenam and if you commit a violent crime no matter you're white, black, hispanic, jewish or whatnot you'll do the time!!!

Now to further define what I call "NAACP types", take this East Fayette situation. An aging decrepit school is closed. All the students get a new school. Yet ABCWrap and heatjam manage to call it discrimination.

It must've been you 2 brainiacs behind the whiteface kids on the bus and the whiteface police officer on a motorcycle a few years back in the Fayetteville MLK parade.

If you radicals would lose the chips on your shoulder, you might realize we're all on the same playing field.

Until you get over the color of your own skin, and realize how far removed we are from the 60s and 70s, we won't be able to judge you on the content of your character.

The Fayette NAACP would do well to kick such bad apples out of its bunch, at least if it wants any credibility.

I am just thankful my child is part of the generation that hopefully will be too successful to hate based skin color.

YOU REALLY HAVE NO CLUE AS TO WHOM I AM...SO QUIT THINKING THAT YOU DO!!

1ST YOU ACCUSE ME OF LIVING OUT OF COUNTY. MY FAMILY AND I HAVE LIVED IN FAYETTE COUNTY FOR OVER 14 YEARS. PROBABLY LONGER THAN YOU HAVE. OUR SUBDIVISION OPENED SPRING HILL, PEEPLES AND MINTER AND BEFORE THAT WE WENT TO BROOKS, SO I THINK THAT WE KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT REDISTRICTING.

2ND YOU ACCUSE ME OF LIVING IN PTC. YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT'S NOT A BAD THING! I, FOR ONE, ENJOY THE AMMENITIES THAT PTC HAS TO OFFER AND SPEND QUITE A BIT OF TIME THERE. I LOVE ALL OF FAYETTE COUNTY, NOT JUST MY LITTLE HAMLET.

BUT THIS LATEST BLOG BY YOU IS THE BEST!! IF IT WASN'T SO ABSOLUTELY LUDICROUS IT MIGHT EVEN BE FUNNY!!! I AM AS PALE AS PALE CAN BE. I DON'T EVEN TAN IN THE SUMMER! BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?? IF I WERE GREEN, ORANGE OR PINK WITH PURPLE POLKA-DOTS, I WOULD STILL TREAT ALL PEOPLE THE SAME. EVERYONE HAS THE SAME COLOR OF BLOOD COURSING THROUGH THEIR VEINS - RED.

BEFORE YOU HIT THE POST COMMENT BUTTON ON YOUR NEXT POSTING, MAKE SURE THAT YOUR VENOM IS IN CHECK - BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT PEOPLE SAY, ONCE WORDS ARE SPOKEN &/OR WRITTEN, YOU CAN NEVER TAKE THEM BACK.

... despite your screaming. I had my Ipod on, thankfully.

You seem to be protesting too much. I must've struck a nerve.

Now that you've revealed so much about yourself, riddle me this: how is moving kids from the OLDEST school in the county to a BRAND NEW SCHOOL discrimination???

Don't worry. You can reply after you check out of the ER with your heart attack. I don't think I've ever seen someone get so worked up on this website ... well, almost never.

Since you have said you want the best for all Fayette kids, I'll apologize for getting you so durn fired up. Sheesh!

Sometimes screaming works to get a point made and sometimes it doesn't. I guess in your case it didn't, but then again I don't think that anything would. It's nice to know that you can apologize though, sarcastic as it may have been.

You don't know me and you never will. I will sleep peacefully knowing that.

And as much as I would love to continue this "conversation" that we have going, all good things must come to a close. So I will end with this...I am glad that all of the children get to stay together at their current schools (well, all except the 40 students - hopefully all will be able to work out the logistics to provide their own transportation to stay at Minter). I don't believe that in the long run, however, it will be for the better of the entire county. I hope and pray that I am wrong but I wouldn't be surprised if all of this will be rezoned to a map that makes logical sense. The county tried to do the right thing with the consultant and committee but too many others got involved. Hopefully a lesson was learned and we won't be repeating the same mistakes.

"You NAACP types kill me!!!!!!!!"

May I ask exactly what you meant by that statement??

You still haven't A CLUE where I am from!! NAACP type??

Did you speak at the meeting?? Better yet - did you attend ANY of the meetings at all?

I'm a Lakemont resident and been following this since September. Before moving to Fayette, I researched the schools at all levels so I don't disagree that it matters to buyers.

I've said before - either school is good and I am not concerned for my children's education if they go to either. The map now has us going to Minter. Not a perfect solution since we have friends that would remain but just as many would come along. That is not the issue for me. I am perfectly willing to move on to Minter - but not at the expense of another community if I can help it. Certainly not if it means leaving East Fayette open.

I find it deplorable that some would argue that elementary students remain at East Fayette for even one more year so we could retain hard won feeder patterns. Like it or not - that's the sentiment of some whether they will admit it now or not.

It's a short term fix and a false hope for us anyway. I don't think a non-contiguous zone will survive the next cycle. If a prospective buyer looks at the map they're not going to believe it either.

100% correct!!

Are you for real - To answer your question, we moved to Fayette recently. We researched schools and narrowed down our choices of school districts to two. We did not even consider homes in other school districts. Homes that were nicer than ours and priced less.

That is how redistricting affects home values. Parents who are concerned with their children's education that cannot afford private schools, choose schools in a particular district which drives demand up in that district and in turn increases home values. Theoretically speaking, you change the boundries, it can affect the schools performance changing the schools ranking, which like it or not people use as a guide when choosing where to live.

By only considering a certain school instead of an entire system, you made the assumption that the boundary lines are etched in stone. There are no guarantees when it comes to school district boundary lines. Great thing is that kids don't let their elementary school ranking affect who or what they become in life. As adults, most don't remember their elem school ranking. But they do remember specific teachers. And as I am sure you are aware - there are poor teachers even in highly ranked schools and if your child happens to get one of them, you'll be 'homeschooling' in the afternoon, evening, and weekends, because you DO care about your child's education. I understand purchasing a home in an area with good schools, however to claim that closing EF is going to do drop property values , well, that's a bit of a stretch. Actually, it should boost home values in the EF zoned areas.

Right now it really doesn't matter where in Fayette County your house is...all property values have dropped with this lovely economy and nothing is really selling as we all know.

Heatjam - you may not have read all of my blogs, but we just moved here a few months ago from a county approximately 50 miles away.
Fayette homes have been affected MUCH less than in other counties because of the good schools. We bought our new home simply because it was in Fayette County in the school district that we chose. I know only too well how bad the market is. We took a major hit in home value on our old home because it is in an overbuilt area where the schools went to S*^t!
Fayette County residents should feel very fortunate that our schools are excellent. That is why it is even more important to keep our schools great - to give those who are selling in this market an edge over those counties which have not placed a priority in keeping up with the population growth in their educational systems. Amen! I am glad we're here!!!!!!!!

You are exactly right. Some people in this County are so one track minded about these crazy (non issues) and about whining about staying at the same school! What about these East Fayette kids, they don't even an know where they are gong, and the meetings are always filled with these spoiled parents, complaining about social issues unrelated to the actual best interest for students as East Fayette.

I hope the BOE doesn't listen to this nonsense. I also really think that they shouldn't allow teachers get up and speak because there is no way they can be impartial to the situation...They need to let parents talk, and only have employees talk if requested by the BOE or if they have actual pertinent information to share such as a school counselor, or the principal. You don't see all the county employees showing up to talk at a County Commission meeting??? It would be a free for all...

I would rather hear from a teacher in a school than a parent who most likely spends little time in the building. Teachers see the daily issues of an old building or in some cases around here CROWDING, which some people don't know a thing about because they just come in an hour every now and then & don't see how bad it makes a school. I am glad these teachers had the nerve to stand up for themselves!

I also wanted to comment on the Lakeside/Lakemont blog - I knew some of them did not want to stay at Spring Hill. They are definitely wise to think of their high school pattern - it does make a difference in housing prices. Look what Starr's Mill drives for prices!

I think it was just a Lakemont person, I have not heard any Lakeside saying they don't want to stay at SpringHill, they are fine staying and letting East Fayette have the new Inman School.

There's no such thing as impartiality. EVERYBODY has an agenda. Including you. People who don't want the maps changed already got what they wanted. People that want to change them don't like where they are going. As far as I am concerned impartiality left those students in horrible conditions for far too long.

Many of the teachers that spoke were parents in the schools. Those that weren't have first hand knowledge of the conditions. They are also taxpayers and as employees have an interest expressing an opinion in major reorganizations. Last I looked, free speech is still occasionally practiced here. "free for all" was an interesting choice of words.

Were we at the same meeting? I think brown water, the boys bathrooms smelling, etc.... are all considered negative and I quote "Negative comments about neighborhoods, students, personnel or schools are to be withheld." So I would have to say several staff members of East Fayette could not follow directions either. The SpringHill and Minter speaker each said to keep the East Fayette staff together just as the East Fayette staff requested, so what is the problem it seems everyone wants the same thing.

The REAL reason for this public forum was to talk about repurposing East Fayette. So talking about brown water and the smelly bathroom are quite appropriate in trying to convince the board to repurpose it (not that any reason was really necessary since that is what they want to do and they are really just holding these meetings because they legally have to) This talk was not "negative" talk - it's the truth!!!

I was unable to attend the meeting last night but I think that you hit the nail on the head! The meeting was one of two public forums on REPURPOSING E. Fayette...NOT REDISTRICTING!!!! That's been done already. Hopefully the Board will remember that. If they start making the votes only stand true for 2 months (they voted on redistricting in Dec) then their effectiveness becomes null and void.

Does anyone else reading these blogs find it interesting that after all the blogging, Heatjam missed the meeting on Monday?

Perhaps heatjam is actually a sheep in wolves clothing?

And perhaps no one is answering Heatjam because we are tired of hearing your voice.

Sorry - I missed the meeting Monday night due to 101.5 fever which I still have. If you want to get sick, let me know and I'll be happy to share not only my thoughts but my germs as well.

It's very interesting that some bloggers today are thinking logically.

But, I am still awaiting an answer to my original question...care to
give it a shot?

Sorry your ill heatjam. Feel bad I called you a sheep.

I think your question in hard to answer without seeing a preliminary map, perhaps that is why no one has taken a stab at answering, Perhaps we should all get our maps out and start coloring away (meant as humor).

Yes, we all have our own agendas and that is only because we are human and in most cases, parents who want the best for our children. In the end whether or not the boundries change we will all adjust. I think change is hard - especially when you feel as though you are part of an academic family and our proud of your schools accomplishments and know that your children contributed to those accomplishments.

Again - sorry I called you a sheep.

Thank you!!

I know that this is such an emotional issue, but I really think that when all is said and done, everyone will be ok and we, the bloggers, will find something else to complain about!! (At least that's what my spouse says!!)

Me, personally, I don't care for people who don't stand by their convictions. My point of view on this topic appear's to be in the minority -but hey, I don't take it personally. I just like to make people think that what looks good at the outset could very well cause more problems down the road. As you know there are always at least 3 sides to every issue.

Thanks again for your apology...I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy!!

There was a person there the other night that spoke about how Cherokee County deals with their school boundries and I thought the plan was superb.
The speaker indicated that in Cherokee County, no matter what redistricting may occur, you have the option of staying at the school you started at. This may be a hard plan to implement based on the numbers but might work in appeasing those who don't want to change.
A new idea, however, should not be introduced at this point, however, in the future...

Drama, drama, drama

I've heard people talk about that plan and they has no answer when I asked what happens to A) the subsequent children since it's what ever school you first walk into is where you get to stay and B) When you sell your house, what school does the new owners children go to? I can see it now...what a transportation nightmare! Also, Cherokee is still growing and Fayette has completely stalled out in growth.

The answer would be simple, if you elect to stay at the old school you provide your own transportation, the new owners kids go to the school the house is zoned for, what was so hard about that?

I yam what I yam....Popeye

That makes sense, however the person that I spoke to seemed to think that the county would always be responsible to provide the transportation.

Thanks!

If the BoE starts to "tweak" maps, they are asking for huge problems. The maps are done! They have been voted in. If they open that can of worms, I know of quite a few families that would like to change the school they will be at next year, so the board better prepare to start honoring all requests. All E. Fayette can not go to Inman, that would leave no room for growth, and the board has repeatedly said there is growth coming the the Inman area. Why can't we do the circle around the school? It would make so much more sense!

Once again g8rgrl we agree!!! I have said before that this should all be a done deal but you and I seem to be in the minority. The board should do nothing with the maps - been there done that!!

But I am STILL awaiting a logical (not emotional) answer to my question...what to do with th children on the 92 corridor who live right near Inman?? I posted that question over 24 hours ago and still no response! I guess that means the logical one would be to keep those students at Inman and let them open the brand new school (which is a fun thing to do...you can really get creative with traditions...)But alas, that would have to go against this oh so logical (note the sarcasm) 3 way plan.

I think the kids on the 92 corridor - next to Inman go to Inman. They leave Minter & go to the school nearest them. Now, that makes less room for E. Fayette, so they have some that have to go to Spring Hill. Now, that makes less room for SH kids, so some have to go to Minter - wow! I made a big circle. My own 3 way plan! That is a logical answer, I do not have a horse in this race, so I am logical. Put the emotion in & that plan will not fly. I hope the board shows a spine for ONCE. I would love to see them do the "right thing" now, better later than never. The board hosed Timberlake at the last minute for unknown reasons (read here -another neighborhood throwing them under the bus). Maybe now, they can manage to do the right thing.

Sounds like the current "approved" map to me!! Which is really the only LOGICAL answer! I agree w/ you about Timberlake however I think that Sam Sweat had to move some group out of Peeples since that was the only school that was at or over capacity to begin this whole process to begin with. I think that in the long run Timberlake will be much happier in Braelin! Keep smiling!!

I think Timberlake got moved because there was a Timberlake resident who spoke at the open meeting who asked for her special permission child to be able to stay at Braelinn and also stated that she thought that most Timberlake residents wouldn't mind moving to Braelinn.
Unfortunately alot of subdivisions seem to run into this problem where one resident says he/she is speaking for the rest despite any opposing views that are held within that subdivision.
Reading the blogs you can see that is quite evident in the Lakeside/ Lakemont debates.
What I think everyone needs to realize that while the three way win plan helps those three schools out for now, what happens down the road and the board gets tired of buses bypassing each other on county roads and starts trying to put things back the way the current map BA is drawn. Sooner or later someone just has to "get over it" and make the best of his/her situation.
Whatever happens tonight, I think some healing needs to go on and each resident needs to make sure he/she does everything possible to support his/her school so it is a Win/Win situation for all.
As long as there is growth in Fayette County there will be rezonings and unfortunately some unhappy parents with the school their child is assigned to.

I'm not opposed to having the East Fayette students going to Inman if it is closer to their homes than Spring Hill. The reason that Lakeside/Lakemont were chosen to go, as a group, to Minter was to fill up Minter when the homes, closest to Inman left Minter to go to Inman. These 2 neighborhoods have, I believe, about 200 or so children and for bussing purposes it was easier to pickup these students in abt 5 or 6 stops then picking up 200 children from here there and everywhere in 20 or more stops. Then you look at Farrington which is much closer to Minter but is at Spring Hill. Why? Probably because it is extremely hard to turn left onto Hwy 85 South at the time of day when the busses would be picking up children. Again, a bussing issue.

Has transportation chimed in on this "3 way plan"? I know they had input on the the other maps.

But...I am still awaiting a logical answer on my original question.

I think the 3 way plan is the one that needs to be voted for and from what I saw last night everyone that spoke at the public hearing thinks so too. I understand your concerns however no one has yet attended the Inman school, so it would disrupt zero children which would exceed what the board set out to do disrupt the least number of students and the East Fayette Family deserves to have the new school. Do you think they should be allow to have that? I do and many others do too.

To get the result you say will happen with the 3 way plan the board should have razed east fayette and built the new school there. I presume the was a perceived need for a new school on the 92 south corridor and that is why a new school was built there.

Again I ask the question...what do the people who support this "3 way plan" say to the thousands of tax payers when busses go past Inman to take children to Minter? I'm waiting for a logical answer. Please take emotions out of it.

Repurpose EFES.
Keep the boundaries like they were voted on in Dec.

The Three Way Plan will not be workable in the long run. And I was at the meeting on Monday. I did not hear one single representative from East Fayette support or even mention the three-way plan. So the correct statement would be: reps for Minter and Spring Hill support the three-way plan, but not everybody does. As a matter of fact, EFES reps were only speaking on the repurposing of their school, which was the stated objective of the forum. I don't think any of them had even heard of the 3 way plan before reading the signs that some people were holding.

For the parents who dislike change so much, maybe we should add a new page for them to sign at the famed LaFayette Welcome Center: "I, the undersigned, hereby understand that by purchasing, renting, or otherwise living in Fayette County, I am not guaranteed any particular school. That school boundaries can and will change as needed to accommodate the growth of our county." If you don't like this, then move elsewhere where there is no growth.

I have yet to see large and growing communities who do not need to redistrict often. And to those who like the circle around the school idea - many more students would be 'impacted' did you know the students who live ACROSS 54 from EFES (less than 1/2 mile from the school) are bussed to Hood Ave?

It's a brilliant idea! When people register their kids - they sign a waiver acknowledging they live in a county school system & that at the discretion of the board they could be redistricted due to growth or new schools etc... I love it! That would shut everyone up. I may email the board with that one.