CCSD and Athens Education friends:
In the holiday week’s swirl of information and conjecture about the current state of things in the governance of our local public schools, I think this most recent article in the Flagpole from a few days ago has not received appropriate attention:
Blake Aued is in his nothing-but-the-facts mode reporting the events of last Thursday night’s BOE meeting in which the superintendent again seemed to be close to resigning in real time. Accounts from the meeting and ensuing local headlines raised hope for a change in the hearts of many locals and since then various explanations have arisen along with theories on who knew what when.
But in reading Blake’s story summarizing the last bit of the work session , I realized this pretty simple fact: Superintendent Demond Means has indicated his desire to depart based on his understanding that the board does not want him here.
Blake:
Then all hell broke loose. “Madame chair, I recommend an executive session, because by virtue of that vote, you don’t want me as superintendent, and we need to have a discussion about how I leave,” Means said. “So I am making a recommendation for executive session.”
A special called meeting is on tap for just after this Thanksgiving holiday:
Tuesday afternoon 12/3 at 5:30 PM with the sole agenda item an Executive Session to discuss all of this.
That’s all pretty clear. The result of course is anybody’s guess. No one is enjoying this that’s for sure,
Like many other people, I just hope the board is represented by competent counsel as they negotiate with the direction of the CCSD and a lot of public money at stake– and with the superintendent clearly represented by attorneys and advisors. That seems obvious but I have no particular knowledge that it is happening. Surely the school board members know they need a skilled lawyer they can work with on behalf of all the children and families, and the educators responsible for them, who are counting on them. Surely.
BERTIS DOWNS 