Showing posts with label Get the Cell Out - ATL. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Get the Cell Out - ATL. Show all posts
Thursday, March 30, 2017
Wall Street Journal Announces Cell Phone Cancer Link
U.S. Studies using rats, costing $25 million dollars, leaves no room for debate. The most comprehensive study that has ever been conducted. Exposed for 10 minutes on and 10 minutes off intervals for 9 hours per day to mimic what humans are exposed to daily. Tumors in the brain and around the heart were definitely linked to the exposure.
Expert in clip states:
"You can't say these are perfectly safe."
"This calls into question the previous standards that were based on thermal effects only."
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
It's Over!
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Get the Cell Out - ATL was started in May 2011
by just a few concerned parents simply walking
their own neighborhood, talking with
neighbors about the cell towers
proposed for multiple schools
across the county.
We grew to an overwhelming outpouring of
support when we hit an all time high of 75,000 voters
who said "No" on a ballot referendum in July 2012
when asked if they were in favor of
"wireless telecommunications towers"
being placed on public school grounds.
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"The decision is important because it helps limit exemptions to zoning laws intended to protect neighborhoods from incompatible development," says County Commisioner Jeff Rader.
"Governments (Federal, State, Local and Public Schools) retain this important prerogative, but it should only be exercised to directly advance their public mission, not simply to generate revenue."
We will have a statement on this issue in the coming days, but wanted to first get this information out to you as expeditiously as possible. Dekalb County Commissioner Jeff Rader from District 2 has issued a press release, which can be read below, about the end to the six-way battle between the residents, the school board, the school administration, the county commissioners and the county CEO's office and, of course, T-mobile.
Radar's statement was , unfortunately, not signed or dated. We believe it is legitimate, nonetheless. But, we are still in the process of confirming its origin. When we know more, we will post an update on our website.
Get the Cell Out - ATL was also informed just before the holidays by official sources that the school system's Superintendent Michael Thurmond reports that the contracts for all 9 of the schools originally slated for T Mobile cell towers "have been dropped." As advised, we have waited until an "official announcement" before making any statements of our own, but we have remained on top of this issue and involved in the process as we have vowed to see it through to its conclusion.
Congratulations to everyone involved in every community who helped bring this subject to the forefront of their conversations and who held their elected officials accountable for their actions. And thank you to every person involved in this fight and similar battles taking place across the country. Your willingness to put yourself on the line in order to learn the truth and face skeptics should be an inspiration to others. We would never been able to stand up to the "system" here if there were not success stories of others who had faced the same Goliath, and won their battle before ours.
We appreciate Commissioner Jeff Rader , Commissioner Kathie Gannon and the entire DeKalb County Board of Commissioners for stepping up and taking on this fight against T Mobile while upholding the zoning code in our communities.
If you have not educated yourself about the many adverse effects that have been documented about cell phone towers, please look over the many sources available on our website or email us with your questions. A good source of information can also be found at the Center for Safer Wireless.
www.GETtheCELLoutATL.org
sayno2celltowers@yahoo.com
We also encourage everyone to thoroughly read the new zoning ordinance as suggested by Commissioner Rader and voice any feedback to the county commissioners and CEO's office as soon as possible.
--- Get the Cell Out - ATL
Now, here is the statement from Jeff Rader's office:
Cell-phone Tower UpdateOne of the most pervasive signs of our mobile communications society is the proliferation of cell phone towers across the landscape. In DeKalb, the mobile communications revolution occurred after the widespread development of the landscape, so the infill installation of these structures has been perceived as intrusive in many residential neighborhoods. One recent decision and one pending regulation are relevant and noteworthy.
The recent noteworthy decision is the dismissal of a suit against DeKalb County by T-Mobile, a cellular provider. T-Mobile had sued DeKalb seeking a building permit for structures on two DeKalb County School System (DCSS) properties in District 2: Lakeside High School and Margaret Harris Comprehensive School. T Mobile had entered into a contract with DCSS seeking to invoke DCSS’s exemption from zoning regulation to erect the towers in residential districts where they are otherwise prohibited. Encouraged by the DeKalb Board of Commissioners, the DeKalb County Administration declined to recognize the requested permits as exempt from zoning since the cell towers were not educational facilities. T-Mobile sued, but canceled their contract with DCSS after the Federal Courts ruled in favor of DeKalb. T-Mobile also paid DeKalb County court costs incurred in our defense.
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Regardless of any bad publicity you may have heard about our county commissioners,
they at least did the right thing for the communities they serve when they all signed a
letter to the CEO's office, advising that any attempt to gain an "administrative permit"
instead of using the proper channels should be denied and our county's zoning ordinances
should be upheld.
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The pending decision on the regulation of cell towers is in our new zoning ordinance, which will soon be considered by the Board of Commissioners. After considerable public input and a thorough investigation of relevant federal legislation, the current proposal would allow cellular antennas within or attached to nonresidential structures legally permitted in single-family neighborhoods. These would include houses of worship or other institutions that are legally permitted to be of sufficient height to make a cellular antenna attractive to a carrier. The new proposal would not allow the cell towers that were the object of the T-Mobile controversy.
The proposed policy turns on the inherent incompatibility of a free-standing antenna with a surrounding single family neighborhood, and not on the concerns that some citizens have about the radio waves generated by the antenna. This is important because federal communications regulations prohibit local regulation of cellular antennas based on radio wave concerns. We convened citizen stakeholders interested in this issue recently, who made suggestion on refining the policy for adoption.
The new zoning ordinance can be found online at http://planningdekalb.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/finalDraftZoningCodeJan20151.pdf
The commissioner can be reached at: www.commissionerrader.com *jrader@dekalbcountyga.gov*
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Where We Stand on the Upcoming May 20 School Board Elections
The DeKalb County School Board Election is perhaps one of the most vital to the future of DeKalb as residents have seen in some time. After the Governor removed former board members, several of them are determined to regain their old titles and in one district, the husband of a removed board member is the sole choice for voters.
Here are the races and the candidates from the DeKalb County election website:
BOARD OF EDUCATION
District 1: Stan Jester
(Appointed Member John Coleman is not running for election. Jester is the spouse of former board member Nancy Jester who was removed by the Governor. He also has children currently enrolled in the public school system in DeKalb County.)
Without another choice, GTCO-ATL is in favor of Stan Jester for this seat. Our main concerns with this candidate is that the Dunwoody homeowner's association has been politically active and vocal about their desire to form their own school system, separate from DeKalb County's system. We are unsure how Jester will resolve the conflict that would seem to put him in an awkward spot of wanting to help the current system succeed while not wanting to harm the chances of his constituents in their push toward gaining a separate system. It is not clear how both goals can be achieved as the removal of funds from the north end of the district and return of children who live outside its boundaries would seemingly have a negative impact on the more poor portions of the county, mostly assumed to be in South DeKalb, but also located in the central part of the county where there is a large refugee area.
Jester's wife Nancy was one of the only "no" votes against cell towers and was able to keep her Dunwoody district without a named school on the proposed list from 2011. Stan has assisted GTCO-ATL with records requests and bringing the truth to light by his "fact checker" website and video / audio recording of key school board meetings. GTCO-ATL favors Stan Jester as a positive addition to the board and hope that he continues his efforts toward an open and transparent school system leadership.
Nancy Jester is running for the state school Superintendent's position and will face considerable competition in the primary election. If you are a fan of Ms. Jester, she likely needs your vote on May 20, but you will need to request a Republican voting card in order to have an impact on her race for the state seat. Any runoff elections will not be held until later in July. General elections will be held in November.
District 2: Don McChesney, incumbent Marshall Orson
(Orson was elected, not appointed, but did not serve on the former board. He defeated then-incumbent McChesney so this election is a bit of a re-match between the two. McChesney is a former teacher and Orson is an attorney in Atlanta with children in the school system.)
This is a very tough district and the choices are not so much between the old and the new as they are between Briar Vista and Fernbank Elementary School districts. McChesney has fought in the past for the Briar Vista neighborhood and their school which suffered a loss in student population under the new plan first brought forward by Dr. Cheryl Atkinson, former Superintendent who left amid a flurry of SACS allegations, possibly illegal hiring and firing practices, and her refusal to comply with Open Records Requests. McChesney was the board member who offered the amended solution to the original cell tower debate that removed the three most vocal schools before the full board voted on the issue in July 2011, but he did not attend public meetings intended to gather input from the school communities in his own district which upset many taxpayers, especially those living in the Briarcliff Heights area near the Margaret Harris School for the physically and mentally impaired.
Orson is the former President of the highly influential Emory-Lavista Parent Council and has stepped up in an effort to assist GTCO-ATL and the Margaret Harris neighborhood in their co-joined efforts to determine the current status of the cell tower permits and to get a possible vote on a school board resolution against the cell tower practice in the future. He has been accused in the past of favoring the Fernbank Elementary School community over others, but since his current tenure on the school board he has presented himself to be a very intelligent and thorough board member. Most notably, he helped in the settlement of the Heery Mitchell lawsuit that was costing the school district tens of millions of dollars. That alone has enabled our schools to begin to pay teachers a bit better and reverse all furlough days that had become a standard practice. Orson is also the board member credited for the recommendation of former labor commissioner Michael Thurmond for the position of Superintendent, so depending on how you feel about him, that might influence your vote.
GTCO-ATL will accept either of these board members as favorable to our cause as we believe they both have taken the time to research and understand the issue of cell towers and the concerns of their constituents. We have been mostly in favor of the progress of the new board and the hiring of Super. Thurmond, so for those reasons, we favor Marshall Orson in this district.
District 3: Jerrie D. Bason, incumbent Michael A. Erwin, Jarrod Jordan, Atticus LeBlanc, Willie R. Mosley, Jr
(Incumbent Michael Erwin was appointed to the board by Gov. Deal)
GTCO-ATL has no solid information that would lead us to believe any of the candidates for this seat would be pro-cell tower. We have generally favored the job that the current appointed board members have done to date, so for this reason, we favor keeping the appointed current member Michael A. Erwin.
District 4: Incumbent Karen Carter, incumbent Jim McMahan, John Oselette, Ella “Coach” Smith
(Incumbent Dr. Karen Carter was appointed by Gov. Deal, Incumbent Jim McMahan was elected to replace former board member Paul Womack, the board member who first brought the cell tower issue to the school board in 2011.)
The only person in this district who has publicly opposed the cell tower issue is Ella "Coach" Smith. Smith is our pick for District 4. She was one of the only residents to attend a cell tower meeting held back in May 2011 and she opposed the practice both verbally and in a written statement to the board. She came forward during the time when it was very controversial to do so because she knew then, and knows now, that the health of our children is not something to be gambled with. A former teacher at Lakeside High School, who was also a cheer and gymnastics coach for many years, Smith has been a contributor to the Dekalb School Watch blog and other public forums in her support for the children all over the county, not just in her own district. She has made considerable effort to mend fences between the warring sides of Lakeside vs. Tucker which were very heated during the most recent battle over city lines. And, she gave up her teaching position to work in Fulton County specifically so that she could become a more outspoken advocate for the children and call out the poor governance practices she witnessed.
We are not specifically opposed to Dr. Karen Carter and the job she has done, but we are unclear as to where she stands on the cell tower issue. We have presented a resolution to refrain from using cell towers as a revenue stream and provided quality evidence to show the board that the money in other markets has only been used as a slush fund to further corrupt practices. While members like Mayfield and Orson as well as the Superintendent have reached out to us and others who oppose the towers to help us with learning where things stand in the process of permits and contracts, we have not heard from McMahan or Carter. Oselette appears to only be campaigning in a very limited area with a highly political tilt. For these reasons, we are in favor of Ella "Coach" Smith as the best candidate from a perspective of healing this district and remaining in firm opposition to the placement of towers at our schools. Many of the schools on the list for cell towers were based in and around this specific area of the county.
We also do not specifically oppose Jim McMahan, but have concerns over his poor attendance record on the current board. He has made good voting decisions and did speak with us on more than one occasion to tell us that he supported our efforts to keep cell towers off school grounds. McMahan would not be a poor choice for the cell tower issue, however, we are concerned over his association with the Tucker Parent Council and some behind the scenes changes to staffing at some Tucker schools that may have been an effort to assist the Lakeside City Alliance. The city issue would have split Tucker nearly in half and has been a very destructive element in this district. We believe that anyone who is involved in this battle for city borders should not also be simultaneously involved in school related groups when their efforts in one area may be counter productive to their responsibilities in the other. The children must always come first.
District 5: Pia “Chaz Afzal” Bhatt, Jesse “Jay” Cunningham, R. Alexander Fitzhugh, incumbent Thad Mayfield, Vickie B. Turner
(Incumbent Thad Mayfield is a current appointed board member. Jesse "Jay" Cunningham is a former board member who was removed by the Governor.)
Thad Mayfield has been a very detailed and effective board member since his appointment. He has listened to the concerns of GTCO-ATL and we believe he would be the best choice for District 5. We favor Thad Mayfield for several reasons, but on the issue of cell towers, we believe that he has researched the issue, listened to the complaints and would likely vote against the practice of using towers for a revenue stream or slush fund.
District 6: Bridgeman Bolger and incumbent Melvin Johnson
(Incumbent Melvin Johnson is a current board member who was elected.)
Between the two candidates, we favor Bridgeman Bolger for this race. We recently learned that Bolger worked for Rep. Karla Drenner, who fought a very good fight in the state House of Representatives in an effort to completely ban cell towers from our school grounds. Bolger has reached out to GTCO-ATL to make an introduction, which we appreciate. He understands the cell tower issue and has also worked through his position with the Young Democrats of DeKalb to ensure federal funds for the refugee resettlement communities are getting to the right places, including the schools that are expected to educate these children, many of whom do not know any English.
While we do not have any specific issues with Dr. Melvin Johnson, the incumbent and current chairman of the school board, we are aware that he has a somewhat controversial past. He was a long time employee with the school system and some of his opponents believe he worked for the system during the timeframe that saw a huge increase in administration while schools were being forced to close or run with minimal staff and support.
District 7: Kim Ault, Lee V. Dukes and incumbent Joyce Morley
(Incumbent Dr. Joyce Morley was appointed by the Governor.)
It is with heavy heart that we are reminded of the passing of former board member Donna Edler. Ms. Edler was a friend to GTCO-ATL and one of the only two board members to vote against the cell towers initially (although eventually all except Dr. Eugene Walker stated that they would vote differently if they had the choice to do over again). Ms. Edler died from cancer and was a true fighter until the very end, never letting her illness get in the way of her efforts to provide a better school system for the children in DeKalb County. Edler's children are still in the DeKalb County School System and our condolences go out to them as well as her husband.
This is another difficult choice and GTCO-ATL is not completely in favor or opposed to any of these candidates, lacking sufficient information. However, we are aware that parent Kim Ault has been at the forefront of many efforts to bring the former board members and their poor governance practices into the light. We believe she would be an honest representative who has her own children in the system and has sufficient knowledge of where we have been in order to serve her district well.
However, we slightly favor Dr. Joyce Morley as she has done a fair job during her appointment to the board. She has taken her position seriously and seems to be very committed to continuing the good work that the current appointed board has done so far. For this reason, GTCO-ATL favors Dr. Joyce Morley.
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| PLEASE VOTE MAY 20 in DeKALB COUNTY, GA! |
Here are the races and the candidates from the DeKalb County election website:
BOARD OF EDUCATION
District 1: Stan Jester
(Appointed Member John Coleman is not running for election. Jester is the spouse of former board member Nancy Jester who was removed by the Governor. He also has children currently enrolled in the public school system in DeKalb County.)
Without another choice, GTCO-ATL is in favor of Stan Jester for this seat. Our main concerns with this candidate is that the Dunwoody homeowner's association has been politically active and vocal about their desire to form their own school system, separate from DeKalb County's system. We are unsure how Jester will resolve the conflict that would seem to put him in an awkward spot of wanting to help the current system succeed while not wanting to harm the chances of his constituents in their push toward gaining a separate system. It is not clear how both goals can be achieved as the removal of funds from the north end of the district and return of children who live outside its boundaries would seemingly have a negative impact on the more poor portions of the county, mostly assumed to be in South DeKalb, but also located in the central part of the county where there is a large refugee area.
Jester's wife Nancy was one of the only "no" votes against cell towers and was able to keep her Dunwoody district without a named school on the proposed list from 2011. Stan has assisted GTCO-ATL with records requests and bringing the truth to light by his "fact checker" website and video / audio recording of key school board meetings. GTCO-ATL favors Stan Jester as a positive addition to the board and hope that he continues his efforts toward an open and transparent school system leadership.
Nancy Jester is running for the state school Superintendent's position and will face considerable competition in the primary election. If you are a fan of Ms. Jester, she likely needs your vote on May 20, but you will need to request a Republican voting card in order to have an impact on her race for the state seat. Any runoff elections will not be held until later in July. General elections will be held in November.
District 2: Don McChesney, incumbent Marshall Orson
(Orson was elected, not appointed, but did not serve on the former board. He defeated then-incumbent McChesney so this election is a bit of a re-match between the two. McChesney is a former teacher and Orson is an attorney in Atlanta with children in the school system.)
This is a very tough district and the choices are not so much between the old and the new as they are between Briar Vista and Fernbank Elementary School districts. McChesney has fought in the past for the Briar Vista neighborhood and their school which suffered a loss in student population under the new plan first brought forward by Dr. Cheryl Atkinson, former Superintendent who left amid a flurry of SACS allegations, possibly illegal hiring and firing practices, and her refusal to comply with Open Records Requests. McChesney was the board member who offered the amended solution to the original cell tower debate that removed the three most vocal schools before the full board voted on the issue in July 2011, but he did not attend public meetings intended to gather input from the school communities in his own district which upset many taxpayers, especially those living in the Briarcliff Heights area near the Margaret Harris School for the physically and mentally impaired.
 |
| The location of the original schools affected by the cell tower decision. |
Orson is the former President of the highly influential Emory-Lavista Parent Council and has stepped up in an effort to assist GTCO-ATL and the Margaret Harris neighborhood in their co-joined efforts to determine the current status of the cell tower permits and to get a possible vote on a school board resolution against the cell tower practice in the future. He has been accused in the past of favoring the Fernbank Elementary School community over others, but since his current tenure on the school board he has presented himself to be a very intelligent and thorough board member. Most notably, he helped in the settlement of the Heery Mitchell lawsuit that was costing the school district tens of millions of dollars. That alone has enabled our schools to begin to pay teachers a bit better and reverse all furlough days that had become a standard practice. Orson is also the board member credited for the recommendation of former labor commissioner Michael Thurmond for the position of Superintendent, so depending on how you feel about him, that might influence your vote.
GTCO-ATL will accept either of these board members as favorable to our cause as we believe they both have taken the time to research and understand the issue of cell towers and the concerns of their constituents. We have been mostly in favor of the progress of the new board and the hiring of Super. Thurmond, so for those reasons, we favor Marshall Orson in this district.
District 3: Jerrie D. Bason, incumbent Michael A. Erwin, Jarrod Jordan, Atticus LeBlanc, Willie R. Mosley, Jr
(Incumbent Michael Erwin was appointed to the board by Gov. Deal)
GTCO-ATL has no solid information that would lead us to believe any of the candidates for this seat would be pro-cell tower. We have generally favored the job that the current appointed board members have done to date, so for this reason, we favor keeping the appointed current member Michael A. Erwin.
District 4: Incumbent Karen Carter, incumbent Jim McMahan, John Oselette, Ella “Coach” Smith
(Incumbent Dr. Karen Carter was appointed by Gov. Deal, Incumbent Jim McMahan was elected to replace former board member Paul Womack, the board member who first brought the cell tower issue to the school board in 2011.)
 |
| Dr. Karla Drenner held multiple hearings at the state capitol in 2011 in an effort to ban the practice of using school grounds for corporate gain by the telecommunications industry. |
The only person in this district who has publicly opposed the cell tower issue is Ella "Coach" Smith. Smith is our pick for District 4. She was one of the only residents to attend a cell tower meeting held back in May 2011 and she opposed the practice both verbally and in a written statement to the board. She came forward during the time when it was very controversial to do so because she knew then, and knows now, that the health of our children is not something to be gambled with. A former teacher at Lakeside High School, who was also a cheer and gymnastics coach for many years, Smith has been a contributor to the Dekalb School Watch blog and other public forums in her support for the children all over the county, not just in her own district. She has made considerable effort to mend fences between the warring sides of Lakeside vs. Tucker which were very heated during the most recent battle over city lines. And, she gave up her teaching position to work in Fulton County specifically so that she could become a more outspoken advocate for the children and call out the poor governance practices she witnessed.
We are not specifically opposed to Dr. Karen Carter and the job she has done, but we are unclear as to where she stands on the cell tower issue. We have presented a resolution to refrain from using cell towers as a revenue stream and provided quality evidence to show the board that the money in other markets has only been used as a slush fund to further corrupt practices. While members like Mayfield and Orson as well as the Superintendent have reached out to us and others who oppose the towers to help us with learning where things stand in the process of permits and contracts, we have not heard from McMahan or Carter. Oselette appears to only be campaigning in a very limited area with a highly political tilt. For these reasons, we are in favor of Ella "Coach" Smith as the best candidate from a perspective of healing this district and remaining in firm opposition to the placement of towers at our schools. Many of the schools on the list for cell towers were based in and around this specific area of the county.
We also do not specifically oppose Jim McMahan, but have concerns over his poor attendance record on the current board. He has made good voting decisions and did speak with us on more than one occasion to tell us that he supported our efforts to keep cell towers off school grounds. McMahan would not be a poor choice for the cell tower issue, however, we are concerned over his association with the Tucker Parent Council and some behind the scenes changes to staffing at some Tucker schools that may have been an effort to assist the Lakeside City Alliance. The city issue would have split Tucker nearly in half and has been a very destructive element in this district. We believe that anyone who is involved in this battle for city borders should not also be simultaneously involved in school related groups when their efforts in one area may be counter productive to their responsibilities in the other. The children must always come first.
District 5: Pia “Chaz Afzal” Bhatt, Jesse “Jay” Cunningham, R. Alexander Fitzhugh, incumbent Thad Mayfield, Vickie B. Turner
(Incumbent Thad Mayfield is a current appointed board member. Jesse "Jay" Cunningham is a former board member who was removed by the Governor.)
Thad Mayfield has been a very detailed and effective board member since his appointment. He has listened to the concerns of GTCO-ATL and we believe he would be the best choice for District 5. We favor Thad Mayfield for several reasons, but on the issue of cell towers, we believe that he has researched the issue, listened to the complaints and would likely vote against the practice of using towers for a revenue stream or slush fund.
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| Parents at MLK High School in DeKalb showed up to oppose cell towers and meet with their then-board member Jay Cunningham back in 2011. |
District 6: Bridgeman Bolger and incumbent Melvin Johnson
(Incumbent Melvin Johnson is a current board member who was elected.)
Between the two candidates, we favor Bridgeman Bolger for this race. We recently learned that Bolger worked for Rep. Karla Drenner, who fought a very good fight in the state House of Representatives in an effort to completely ban cell towers from our school grounds. Bolger has reached out to GTCO-ATL to make an introduction, which we appreciate. He understands the cell tower issue and has also worked through his position with the Young Democrats of DeKalb to ensure federal funds for the refugee resettlement communities are getting to the right places, including the schools that are expected to educate these children, many of whom do not know any English.
While we do not have any specific issues with Dr. Melvin Johnson, the incumbent and current chairman of the school board, we are aware that he has a somewhat controversial past. He was a long time employee with the school system and some of his opponents believe he worked for the system during the timeframe that saw a huge increase in administration while schools were being forced to close or run with minimal staff and support.
District 7: Kim Ault, Lee V. Dukes and incumbent Joyce Morley
(Incumbent Dr. Joyce Morley was appointed by the Governor.)
It is with heavy heart that we are reminded of the passing of former board member Donna Edler. Ms. Edler was a friend to GTCO-ATL and one of the only two board members to vote against the cell towers initially (although eventually all except Dr. Eugene Walker stated that they would vote differently if they had the choice to do over again). Ms. Edler died from cancer and was a true fighter until the very end, never letting her illness get in the way of her efforts to provide a better school system for the children in DeKalb County. Edler's children are still in the DeKalb County School System and our condolences go out to them as well as her husband.
This is another difficult choice and GTCO-ATL is not completely in favor or opposed to any of these candidates, lacking sufficient information. However, we are aware that parent Kim Ault has been at the forefront of many efforts to bring the former board members and their poor governance practices into the light. We believe she would be an honest representative who has her own children in the system and has sufficient knowledge of where we have been in order to serve her district well.
However, we slightly favor Dr. Joyce Morley as she has done a fair job during her appointment to the board. She has taken her position seriously and seems to be very committed to continuing the good work that the current appointed board has done so far. For this reason, GTCO-ATL favors Dr. Joyce Morley.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Superintendent Thurmond Discusses Cell Towers and Refugees
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Location of FCC permit for Smoke Rise Elementary
School cell tower. Permit approval still needed
by DeKalb County for Special Land Use. Commissioner Stan
Watson said the issue is on hold but he may
gain new details sometime this Summer.
|
(Smoke Rise Homeowner’s Association speaker cont. from Brockett / Tucker Parent Council meeting. Held on April 23, 2013) For full transcript and video, click here: http://factchecker.stanjester.com/recorded-meetings/michael-thurmond/04232013-tpc/
(Last 20 minutes of meeting)
Thurmond: I’m familiar with that neighborhood. That’s my neighborhood!
Smoke Rise Homeowner Association Member: I feel guilty for bringing this up. I know you guys are doing a good job and you have a lot on your plates right now.
But… cell towers. I was tasked by the Homeowners’ Association to do some research on this area. Now, I realize that there may not be a lot of definitive evidence, but there has been a lot of circumstantial evidence and we haven’t had a lot of time to figure out all the ways these cell towers will affect small children.
I know you need the money, I understand that. But I am concerned in the expediency by which they are being placed and lack of involvement with the parents. I found out about 8 months after they had been voted on. At the very least we want due diligence. These are small children and I ask that you take a look at it.
Thurmond: Okay, I’ll tell you where we stand with cell towers. Two boards ago, the board voted to enter this agreement on 5 or 9, multiple schools. It landed on my desk. Just from my perspective. Conversation from the DeKalb County Commissioners. They are very concerned about this and involved.
Board Member Marshall Orson: We are trying to find a path that might address this issue without getting us sued.
Mr. Wilkens (DCSD Operations): These contracts were entered in 2011. We held public meetings. Current status is that there are no cell towers on school properties. A lot of the same concerns were raised that are at schools now. The process is that it is in the committee level and it is at the county level. As far as the towers, they do exist on many school properties, even in Gwinnett County. So, that information or discussion needs to be an understanding that is a part of your process as well.
Orson: we are very mindful of the situation. Do I want a cell tower on my property? I am parent. No, I don’t want one on my school property and no one else’s? It was a bad decision by a different board.
Thurmond: Focus on the county commissioners.
Q from Audience: So are you saying that there is a current contract that was approved without anybody knowing?
Smokerise Homeowner Association: I heard that Burrell Ellis does the signing. Because I know that the commissioners penned a letter to the CEO saying that they did not want the cell towers.
Get the Cell Out - Atlanta (GTCO-ATL): Just to clarify, Every one of the commissioners has penned a joint letter saying that they don’t want the cell towers.
Smokerise Homeowner Association: Yep.
GTCO-ATL: The initiative is that we were told by Lakeside that they believed their cell phone coverage wasn’t good enough. We were told this in a meeting with Paul Womack, that we have on video and recorded for anyone to see. But, the contracts were fudged. We just got a contract recently (through Open Records Request to the School System) that was supposedly signed for Lakeside.
Before that, they were the only ones who didn’t have a contract because their property was donated. So, again, are we talking about the contracts that were out there or are you saying that there is something new that is coming up? Because, and I encourage everyone to go out and take a look at exactly where the cell towers are going up, and with the Lakeside city hood that they are planning, and everyone can say that it has nothing to do with the schools, but it does one hundred percent. If you look, you will see that wherever the affluent communities are, there are no cell towers. Take a look. I guarantee you. The cell towers are right around, pocketed, placed strategically, right around the city’s proposed borders.
Audience Member: Wow.
GTCO-ATL: And, as far as the refugee thing goes… if you look at the maps, every single city that’s out there right now writes them off. No one claims them. But, they are out there. And I know. Because I see them daily.
And, beyond that… as far as funding goes, are they being divided up throughout the county as far as who is paying for all that? I mean, because our schools are Title I because we live right here. I don’t live in a Title I neighborhood but my daughter would have to go to a Title I school because of the influx. Does that mean that there is no way around that? Brockett will just always be a Title I because of that? There’s nothing we can do about it? Because that will hurt our property values.
Are we having to bear the burden of educating all these students? The taxpayers? It isn’t just that we are Title I, it is that we will always be Title I because our property values will just continue to go down.
(Side Comment: You don’t gain higher income families when they see Title I on a report about your community. It will bring in more Title I families, not fewer. It isn't fair to expect taxpayers to continue paying a high dollar on their property tax bill for a service they do not need in their community - a Title I curriculum school. A school should not be something that is actually working against you in terms of being a property owner. Otherwise, why do we pay for it with our property taxes?)
Q from Audience to GTCO-ATL: We have refugees?
GTCO-ATL: Yes.
Q: Here? In DeKalb County? At this school?
Thurmond: It is what it is.
GTCO-ATL:: But you just said a little while ago, didn't you? You said we can expect to be getting a lot more of them?
Thurmond: Well, maybe. I mean (laughs), I mean I haven’t talked to the state department about it or anything like that. (laughter in audience.) But, what he is saying and this reinforces what I was saying is that you have to keep thinking about what kind of outside influences will be coming in that might affect the kind of school you want to have. Refugees are coming here. They are all over DeKalb County.
GTCO-ATL:: But, are we getting any reimbursement for that? Does the burden fall on all of the taxpayers? Because here we are talking about how we should do all this with our schools to accommodate the refugees but what is being done by the state to accommodate them? Don’t they get funds for that? Aren't they the ones who are bringing them here? I mean, we have to put up with all this extra traffic, all the buses, tearing our roads apart. There should be something for the community that is taking on the burden to make sure it doesn't suffer.
Thurmond: There is some federal funding for children who speak English as a second language.
GTCO-ATL:: And we cut the translators, too.
Thurmond: Yeah, that was not a good move. That was really not a good move at all.
Tucker High School’s Principal: Mr. Thurmond, my concerns are greater than just “are they coming to Tucker High School.” My concern is for the kids. You've got kids that are 18, 19 years old. We've got students right now in high school that are 19 years old. We've got some students in 9th grade that are 20 years old. And, we've got some that are still kids. And, it’s kinda unfair to put that kid in that situation. It’s unfair to put a school in that kinda situation.
Here’s what happens: Number one: you got kids who are frustrated because they can’t master the content. But at 19 years old they can get a job. So, guess what they do? They drop out of school.
Then they relate that back to the high school. They say, “Whoa, look at your low graduation rates and you got low test scores.“ But, we know why those test scores are low.
So, we're putting those kids in the situation where they can’t be successful in this school district.
Now, my thing is we gotta give those kids some kinda place where they can be successful. We get so focused on what’s going on, that we tend to forget, now why are we here? What’s the focus? We’re here to help people. We’re here to give them a better life. Those kids, they’re great kids. They’re sweet kids. They don’t deserve to be stuck in the 9th grade with a bunch of younger kids and then we can’t do anything except sit and watch them drop out. So, as a school system, district, what have you, we've gotta come to grips that we got some problems with those kids. We gotta come to an understanding that whether it is Tucker, Clarkston, Lakeside, wherever. We've got to help these kids be successful.
Thurmond: Absolutely. And that’s the principal of the year. Ya’ll give him a hand. (Audience claps for the Tucker Principal but he continues to look directly at Superintendent Thurmond without smiling or changing his expression. He is waiting for an answer. He doesn't get one.)
Thurmond (changing subject): Great news! On Monday I will be in Rockdale County at the Rockdale Career Camp. I have met with the commissioner of technical education. I met with Mr. Don Jackson who is the President of DeKalb Piedmont College. We have been offered an opportunity to apply for a $3 million grant to apply for a career academy here in DeKalb County. (applause) That goes to what you were saying. 20% will apply to go to a four year college. A smaller percent will graduate. We have to create more pathways to success.
Okay, putting on my Labor Commissioner hat for a moment. Young people like you just described will have career paths to other forms of viable labor that can lead to an even higher income than some careers that require a college degree. So, if we can get these kids into some kind of school to work program, we can still impact them at an early age.
Q from Audience: According to the state of Georgia, every child will be educated for college. How can you have a technical school when the state will only acknowledge college preparedness in terms of curriculum in Common Core?
Thurmond: Yeah, but it is College and Career preparatory is the way I think they got it worded. Students in DeKalb County can be dual enrolled in the DeKalb Technical College, alright?
Listen, the young folk, the high tech folks, it’s not just a four year at a regular school.
Look up allied health professionals.com. After I get back from Rockdale, I will give ya’ll more then.
Audience Parent: I just wanted to say that I know it has been a mission for you, and that you have focused on increased communication and we appreciate that and the increased visibility. We can see that and we appreciate it.
Tucker Parent Council Leader: Way to stay focused. With regard to the refuges, is there some way that we can focus legislatively? Is there a way that we can apply for more funding to work with the state so that they will buy-in that this is not just a DeKalb issue. It is a state issue?
Thurmond: Now, don’t quote me on this, but I believe I heard recently that there are something like 57 members the current state congressional district who graduated from a school in DeKalb County. So, I think you have a very likely audience there.
I need you to do this for me. I know we have a long way to go. But, if you will admit that we have made some progress toward SACS, in terms of restoring accreditation. If you can admit that we have started the long process and have made some headway. We have a long way to go.
Tucker Parent Council Leader In terms of the overcrowding situation: can we do anything like a K- 6 funding that will give relief to the schools? It doesn't do us any good to advocate for it if the school board or the legislature isn't on board with it.
Thurmond: You need to show to your legislature that you are involved in the process of wanting better education for all the students in DeKalb, North, South, East and West.
*******************
For more information about the refugees who are living in Clarkston, CLICK HERE.
*******************
UPDATE: After this conversation regarding the refugees and who is paying for them, Superintendent Thurmond shocked the general public by "finding" approximately $9 million in additional funding that was being kept off the books. Some of it was reportedly from the after school contributions of parents who have children in clubs who do not participate in the after school program. Here's word about where the rest of the untapped funds originated from:
http://neighbornewspapers.com/view/full_story/22521586/article-DeKalb-school-board-finds--9-million-in-additional-funds?
So, are these two issues related? Tell us in the comments.
Please leave respectful comments below:
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Cell Phone Tower Bill Fails to Crossover in GA
THANK YOU to Get the Cell Out Followers!
You Helped Defeat This Cell Tower Bill!
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| The controversial cell tower bill sponsored by Don Parsons (R - Cobb County) which looked like it was headed to the House floor was stalled thanks to the emails received by legislators from their constituents late week! We thank the followers of Get the Cell Out - ATL who helped in this effort to prevent this attempt to dodge local control of cell tower siting and proper permitting procedures! |
By Paul Yates, FOX 5 reporter
A bill centered on cell phone towers failed to advance by Crossover Day at the Georgia state Capitol.
Demand for more cell tower capacity continues to grow and placement of the towers continues to cause battles.
The proposed legislation would have given counties and cities a 150-day deadline to act on new cell tower applications.
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| Click photo of our cell tower map to watch the FOX video of this story! To see a map like this for the cell towers near your home or school, go to: www.antennasearch.com. |
But after winning easy committee approval, the bill stalled. It did not get to the House floor By Crossover Day -- the deadline for most bills to pass the house or senate -- and have a chance for final approval.
Todd Edwards represents county commissioners at the Capitol.
"We want to thank the General Assembly for recognizing the continued meaningful importance of counties and Georgia communities and the cell tower siting process," Edwards.
Local governments warned that the measure would diminish their ability to regulate cell tower locations.
"Should there be any impediments unnecessarily – impediments at the county level -- I think we can work with our members and the wireless communities to address them," Edwards said.
But Parsons says local government delays have the effect of curtailing expanded service to consumers.
"It's very important and I wish that we could have gotten it done this year, but it's something that we'll be working on very hard next year," Parsons said.
Under legislative rules, the bill could still be attached to another measure as an amendment but the odds are against that being done successfully.
To the Students of DeKalb County
To the students of DeKalb County,
You have seen and heard a lot lately about your schools, haven't you? You've watched as Superintendents, Principals, PTA Parents, Teachers, Reporters, Counselors, Community Leaders, Religious Leaders and adults from all over have been making comments about the education you have been receiving. Some say it isn't good enough. Some say you deserve better. Some want to move you around, put you on a bus, separate you from your friends and then test you on a bunch of stuff that probably sounds pretty meaningless right now. Then, a federal judge was called in to hear the school board argument for why they should continue to decide how to best spend our money so it can best help you. And, you may have missed this part, so we're breaking it down for you right now.
He said in his own legal sort of way that you are more important than any of the adults you have heard talking or seen on TV lately. He said that your education is more important to the state than the jobs of the people who are fighting to keep control over our money.
We don't know if you understand what that means, but here's what it means to us... there is chaos and disorder in life whenever there are changes on the horizon. There will be unrest and disagreements and battle lines drawn even among friends. But the sides that are fighting are the ones who believe things were better the way they used to be and those who say they are better the way they are now.But looking only at the past or only at what we have now is ignoring one important part of life: the future. That's the part that is unpredictable. That's the part that's also the most exciting. That's the part that is, ultimately, up to you. You may not have a say right now about what has been going on with the school system. But, you will have total control of your life once you graduate. And all this fighting will seem pretty lame. The folks who are talking the big talk ... They don't really know what you will do, where you will go or how you will use the information you have learned by sitting through school and by watching and listening to them. And that scares them.
The educational landscape is not about the past or the present. It is about turning out quality adults who will be the leaders, workers, parents and taxpayers of tomorrow. The future belongs to you, not them. Don't let the things they say affect who you will one day become. You are in the driver's seat. Where do you want to go? You are the one who needs an education to survive. So, figure out how to get it and don't let anything stand in your way, even if the roadblocks are put there by people with good intentions. You know what it will take for you to really learn, excel and succeed. If you don't, then it is up to you to figure it out. Carve your own path. You don't need any of the stuff you are hearing in the news to hold you back. You also don't need anything different to propel you forward. What you need is to set your mind to the fact that learning is the most important thing you can do now to ensure you will have a happy life.
If you want happiness, then find a way to learn.
We have faith in you, but no one can make you learn. That part is up to you.
Thank you for reading our website, learning about the dangers associated with cell towers. We hope you also learned about the destructive power of greed and that there are people who are willing to stand up for other people, and children, because they know it is right. We hope you have seen how people on opposite sides of the same issue might both be wrong. And, in the fight to stop the cell towers, we hope you learned that people who are willing to work together on the side of what is right can accomplish amazing things.
Your education may be something you hear a lot of people talking about these days, but what it really comes down to in the end is you. The future belongs to you. Make the most of it and don't let anything stand in your way. We can't wait to see all the amazing things you will do.
Sincerely,
Get the Cell Out - ATL
Keep reading our website: www.GETtheCELLoutATL.org and you can like us on Facebook, too!
https://www.facebook.com/Get.the.Cell.Out.ATL
Monday, February 18, 2013
Citizens Taking Action in School Board Crisis
From WSB-TV and reported in the Atlanta Journal:
Residents of DeKalb County gathered Saturday at a realty company in Decatur to discuss findings in the report on DeKalb County's School Board issued by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) in December.
SACS has placed the district on Probation. A panel of community leaders also presented highlights from a Grand Jury investigation into school system finances. Three grand juries have called upon the District Attorney to convene a special panel that would delve further into their concerns.
Viola Davis, the event's organizer and a Patch contributor, has established a new group called Restore DeKalb, intended to return the county's school system to one that is focused on the children first, and accreditation second. That is in contrast to the stated mission of the new Interim Superintendent Michael Thurmond who has vowed to make accreditation his number one priority.
The meeting appeared to be a success in reaching stakeholders from all parts of the county who wanted to learn more about the dire circumstances they are facing, but some expressed disappointment that there were not more people in attendance.
"I know you all vote," stated one panel member who rose to address the crowd of close to 100, "but if you know someone who doesn't vote, please talk to them. Tell them about what is going on. We have to get more people to show up at the polls so we can vote for more responsible leadership. Our rights will only help us if we are willing to use them."
This Thursday, the state Board of Education will continue a hearing with DeKalb's board members. Once it has concluded, the BOE will have 15 days to make a formal, written recommendation to Governor Nathan Deal to remove or keep the board. Deal will then determine if he will follow the recommendation. The decision had many attendees voicing concerns about whom the Governor might appoint and what that decision might mean for the future of the schools.
Willie Pringle, a parent at Southwest DeKalb High School, has been speaking out in his community and at local school board meetings for years. He stated that the board has had plenty of time to make changes but have put their own needs and desire for money first. He believes Cheryl Atkinson has helped uncover a lot of problems and the board now wants to use her as their scapegoat to blame instead of owning up to how they contributed to those problems.
Betsy Parks, a resident of the Lakeside High School district, attended the two-hour meeting along with others from her area. She felt the system was in such bad shape that she removed her child first and then help spearhead efforts to remove the entire board from their positions. Parks is only a few signatures away on a petition she started that asks for the board's removal. She plans to deliver the final 1,500 signatures and comments to the state board on Wednesday.
One former system employee - who wanted to be known only as Barbara - admitted to knowing where missing funds mentioned by SACS are probably located. She disagreed with Pringle's accusations against the board and thought Dr. Atkinson was to blame.
To that, Davis replied, "until I see with my own eyes a principal who can hold up a brand new textbook and say 'look, we've found them. We have the books here,' then I still say the board has to go. If they can't show us the books or find the money, they are a part of the problem and they have to go."
For more about Restore DeKalb and the mission of Davis, Pringle and others who want the children to be the top priority, visit the group's upcomimg website. Davis is also a leader who has worked with Get the Cell Out - Atlanta and the Unhappy Taxpayer and Voters, two groups established to demand higher accountability from elected officials in DeKalb County.
To view the live webcast of the state hearing on Thursday, Feb. 21 at 8 a.m., click here. To add your name to the online petition, click here.
Parents Taking Action in School Board Crisis
Attendees at a weekend meeting want to focus on children first, accreditation second.
Residents of DeKalb County gathered Saturday at a realty company in Decatur to discuss findings in the report on DeKalb County's School Board issued by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) in December.
SACS has placed the district on Probation. A panel of community leaders also presented highlights from a Grand Jury investigation into school system finances. Three grand juries have called upon the District Attorney to convene a special panel that would delve further into their concerns.
Viola Davis, the event's organizer and a Patch contributor, has established a new group called Restore DeKalb, intended to return the county's school system to one that is focused on the children first, and accreditation second. That is in contrast to the stated mission of the new Interim Superintendent Michael Thurmond who has vowed to make accreditation his number one priority.
The meeting appeared to be a success in reaching stakeholders from all parts of the county who wanted to learn more about the dire circumstances they are facing, but some expressed disappointment that there were not more people in attendance.
"I know you all vote," stated one panel member who rose to address the crowd of close to 100, "but if you know someone who doesn't vote, please talk to them. Tell them about what is going on. We have to get more people to show up at the polls so we can vote for more responsible leadership. Our rights will only help us if we are willing to use them."
This Thursday, the state Board of Education will continue a hearing with DeKalb's board members. Once it has concluded, the BOE will have 15 days to make a formal, written recommendation to Governor Nathan Deal to remove or keep the board. Deal will then determine if he will follow the recommendation. The decision had many attendees voicing concerns about whom the Governor might appoint and what that decision might mean for the future of the schools.
Willie Pringle, a parent at Southwest DeKalb High School, has been speaking out in his community and at local school board meetings for years. He stated that the board has had plenty of time to make changes but have put their own needs and desire for money first. He believes Cheryl Atkinson has helped uncover a lot of problems and the board now wants to use her as their scapegoat to blame instead of owning up to how they contributed to those problems.
Betsy Parks, a resident of the Lakeside High School district, attended the two-hour meeting along with others from her area. She felt the system was in such bad shape that she removed her child first and then help spearhead efforts to remove the entire board from their positions. Parks is only a few signatures away on a petition she started that asks for the board's removal. She plans to deliver the final 1,500 signatures and comments to the state board on Wednesday.
One former system employee - who wanted to be known only as Barbara - admitted to knowing where missing funds mentioned by SACS are probably located. She disagreed with Pringle's accusations against the board and thought Dr. Atkinson was to blame.
To that, Davis replied, "until I see with my own eyes a principal who can hold up a brand new textbook and say 'look, we've found them. We have the books here,' then I still say the board has to go. If they can't show us the books or find the money, they are a part of the problem and they have to go."
For more about Restore DeKalb and the mission of Davis, Pringle and others who want the children to be the top priority, visit the group's upcomimg website. Davis is also a leader who has worked with Get the Cell Out - Atlanta and the Unhappy Taxpayer and Voters, two groups established to demand higher accountability from elected officials in DeKalb County.
To view the live webcast of the state hearing on Thursday, Feb. 21 at 8 a.m., click here. To add your name to the online petition, click here.
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