Jill Rhodes was one of two passionate speakers to challenge the Greene County Board of Education at its June 16 meeting.
“I am coming here today to stand up for the city of Union Point, for the school we have in Union Point,” Rhodes told board members. “I am so tired of our Board of Education and our administrative people taking advantage of us in Union Point.”
She is the wife of Union Point Mayor Lanier Rhodes and is, herself, an active force in leading efforts to improve Greene County’s second-largest city.
Her biggest complaint was about plans to move students at the Greene County Primary School in Union Point to the new school planned for Meadow Crest Road, behind the Home Depot. The school board has not announced plans for the Union Point school building after the move expected in August 2023.
“I’ve talked to many people in this county and they don’t want a school on Meadow Crest. That is not our community,” she said. “You are ripping the school out of Union Point. That is our community. I don’t know how you make your decisions. You are not listening to the people.”
Union Point was devastated when bankruptcy closed the Chipman-Union sock manufacturing plant in 1961 but Rhodes says the city is on its way back. She mentioned two new industries, new businesses, the sale of three buildings on their main street and the Firefly Trail, a project that is building a multi-purpose, 39-mile trail system from Athens to Union Point. Still, she says a major part of the recovery is the local school.
“Our city and our people will fight for our school in Union Point, Georgia,” Rhodes said.
She spoke during the public comment period of the school board meeting during which time board members do not normally respond to questions or comments.
But later in the meeting, District 4 BOE member Perry Lee tried to explain.
“I promise everyone that every decision that is made is in the best interest of the students,” Lee said. “It’s not to sell homes. It’s not personal agendas. It’s what is best for the students of Greene County.”
Also offering strong thoughts during the public comment period was retired Greene County teacher Kristine Mapp.
She wanted to talk about “administrative inequalities” but BOE Chair pointed out that public comments are limited to topics on the day’s agenda. Mapp scanned the agenda, saw “spending resolution” and said, “I’ll talk about that.”
“This is about the spending that you use on administration,” she said. “Why is it that all the administration that is black has to have educational leadership?”
Lynch said that was not on-topic but she persisted and he relented.
“I know for a fact that there’s a lot of administration that does not have educational leadership which is a minimum qualification,” Mapp continued.
She noted that Assistant Superintendent Rotonya Rhodes, who is African-American, had educational degrees - including an Educational Specialist’s Degree (Ed.S.) and a Doctorate Degree in Educational Leadership - but Mapp challenged the educational backgrounds of the BOE members.
She also pointed out that Superintendent Chris Houston is a former Sheriff.
Mapp also criticized what she said are high dropout rates and low graduation rates adding that the school district’s decision to hold some students back from matriculating to the next grade because of the pandemic this year did not help.
“So, now we have students that have been kept back that were already behind. I don’t see this as being fair or equal,” Mapp said. “What are we going to do differently when we open this new school that guarantees struggling students the ability to graduate on time and on grade level. I don’t think it’s fair that students get all the way to high school and still can’t read.”
Board of Education members in Georgia are not required to have specific education degrees or experience, but they must participate in certified training sessions each year.
According to the school district website, Houston has Master's Degrees in Business Administration and Public Administration. He served for 20 years as Greene County Sheriff before becoming Superintendent. Dr. Perry Lee (Dist. 4) is an optometrist. Joe Bashore (Dist. 2) owns an appliance repair company and serves as Greene County Emergency Management Agency Director. Steve Kilgore (Dist. 1) served on the Governing Board of Union Point STEAM Academy. Chairman Mike Lynch is a retired former executive for companies such as Ford Motor and Dow Chemicals. The only African-American member of the BOE, Clarence Hunt (Dist. 3), holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Therapeutic Recreation and a Master’s Degree in Practical Theology but did not run for re-election this year.
Also, at the June 16 BOE meeting
• A resolution was approved to put an extension of the current Education Local Option Sales Tax (ELOST) on the general election ballot. It would otherwise expire in 2024. If approved by voters, the school system estimates that $39 million will be generated over five years by continuing the one-cent sales tax.
• Approval was given to spend $146,402 to renew licenses for two software programs used by the school system.
• The board did not act on the latest offer from Lake Oconee Academy to settle the charter school’s two-year-old funding lawsuit against the BOE. Chairman Mike Lynch told the Lake Oconee News a counteroffer is being crafted to send back to LOA.