C.E.A.S.E. will hold a Press Conference on Thursday, December 9th at 2 PM at the Comfort Inn in Big Stone Gap.
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C.E.A.S.E. will hold a Press Conference on Thursday, December 9th at 2 PM at the Comfort Inn in Big Stone Gap.
What is C.E.A.S.E. ???
Citizens for Equal and Accessible Student Education.
I take it this is an anti-consolidation group? What is not equal about having all students in the same new buildings with all the same course and extracurricular offerings?
lol...this **** is amusing
the 2-1 in a dumb idea, if you can build two schools why not on opposite ends to reduce travel time and school size, but this is getting ridiculous.
CEASE? jeez lulz
when you start taking yourself so seriously, you look like those crazy people from Appy at the SB meetings.
but oh well, its just funny that BSG People who made fun of Appalachia people for so long because of their stance are now taking the same exact stance.
like i said i believe the 2n1 is a bad idea, it makes no sense to me. put one school near Wise and put one in our area, whether its in BSG or Appy i dont care.
but calling press conferences and all this??
just tell people and quit overstating your own importance.
So, what came out of this press conference?
It's on the news right now, talking about this group and what they're doing. Didn't know they have written Cuccinelli trying to get his crazy ass to interfere, didn't mention anything about the meeting.
Obviously the 2-1 isn't the best idea/model, but honestly I don't have any sympathy for anyone *****ing about it. Why? Well every other model has been proposed and a lot of these same people have *****ed about it and shot it down. And the new ones up in arms about it now, weren't vocal enough when the logical models were put out there and you let the crazies drown you out. Now a plan finally get's approved, it's not a good one, but no one is to blame but yourself and lining up with those same nuts we hear every meeting takes a big hit on your credibility.
The location is the only problem with this, there's new schools and that's the biggest part of this, the only important part. I really don't care if they both were modeled with one on top of the other, they're new schools and I can't complain because I sat back and watched the nuts on the boards(the Rivers and Cornett types) and the Marlene Bush's in the crowd to drown out common sense and logic...so this is what we get, what I get, what we deserve.
So is Norton getting in on this?Quote:
Originally Posted by R13
Haven't a clue, couldn't really care less though, they probably should. Not going to hear any *****ing from me if they do.
Just FYI, Rivers is saying that the Qscb funds have all been put on a deferrment by the governor. In other words, no funds are available. Wouldn't that throw a monkey wrench in the SB's plans if this is true. The meeting is going on now.
I read the release from the Attorney General and don't see how Mr. Rivers has determined this.
Apparently, this wasn't from the release from the AG, it was a letter he apparently received from QSCB saying that the governor had deferred all funds. I didn't see the letter, but he did say that at the meeting tonight. He then stated that with this infromation, he did not see how the county could afford the consolidation, among other things.
Virginia attorney general says Wise School Board decides consolidation | TriCities.com
BIG STONE GAP, Va. -- Both sides in the longstanding debate over school consolidation in Wise County claimed a victory Thursday with the release of an opinion by Virginia Attorney Gen. Ken Cuccinelli.
?It is my opinion that a school board is solely responsible for the decision whether and how to consolidate schools,? Cuccinelli said in his written opinion, ?and a county board of supervisors may not instruct the school board to consolidate schools or how to consolidate schools.?
However, the attorney general further explained that a board of supervisors is free to express its desire for how certain funds should be spent, for example by endorsing a particular plan of consolidation. But, Cuccinelli wrote, such recommendations have no binding effect on the school board.
?We were right,? John Schoolcraft, chairman of the group calling itself CEASE, said Thursday after the opinion was made public.
But Jeff Perry, superintendent for Wise County schools, said the opinion, if anything, backs up the school board?s position.
?We are moving forward within our constitutional and statutory powers,? Perry said of the school system.
Cuccinelli was asked to offer an opinion on the consolidation authority by a local delegate, whose request came from a group of Wise County residents. The specific question was whether a county board of supervisors can instruct a school board on how to consolidate its schools. That is a chief concern for members of CEASE, or Citizens for Equal and Accessible Student Education.
Wise County?s current school consolidation plan ? already approved by both the school board and the board of supervisors ? would consolidate five very old high schools into two new, adjacent schools on a single site with some shared facilities. The plan is to build the $69 million complex in a central location within the county, and convert the newer St. Paul High School into a K-12 school with St. Paul Elementary rather than include it in the high school consolidation plan.
At a meeting held Thursday by CEASE, Schoolcraft said the attorney general?s decision has given more credibility to the group?s cause. Now, the group is raising questions not only about the supervisors? resolution, but about the legitimacy of the county?s application for federal Qualified School Construction Bonds for the project.
?They have to have a new resolution,? Schoolcraft said of the supervisors, who traded some guarantees on Appalachia Elementary School for a deciding vote on the consolidation project. ?If it started with something illegal over here as the first thing ... it?s like a stack of dominoes.?
Schoolcraft argues that the county board must pass another resolution that deals strictly with funding and doesn?t get into details of how the money should be used. Otherwise, he said, his group will have to consider taking the case to court.
Perry has said he wants to break ground on the project this spring, with the schools completed and ready to open for the fall of 2013. On Thursday, he said, the school system will move forward on the project.
?That won?t prohibit any group from filing suit,? Perry said, ?but I don?t think any of those suits would have standing or merit.?
Perry said he also takes issue with claims made by CEASE that the bond application contained errors. The information is documented and the qualifications are met, he said, so the county should be ?good to go? on the bonds.
J.H. Rivers, chairman of the Wise County Board of Supervisors, said the board did overstep its authority in passing a funding resolution that specified details of the consolidation plan and details related to Appalachia Elementary.
Rivers, who supported a plan to instead put three schools on separate sites, is opposed to the two-school, one-site plan. He said he plans to wait for advice from the board?s attorney before commenting further.
I just hope they can tie it up for 11 months so we can make some changes on the boards. It's a pretty pathetic situation right now.
Which board?Quote:
Originally Posted by pvfan
Not saying this to be a butthole to the folks in Wise County but the whole mess has made Wise County the laughing stock of our Region and possibly the state.
At first I thought the 2 in 1 site was stupid but it kinda makes sense too. One of these days with all the consolidations taking place throughout the state Wise may need just one school and the two on one idea would make that happen easily. But then again it may never happen.
I agree, but for one, we don't have an up to date highway infrastructure to accomodate the amount of traffic required for such a plan, nor do we have the tax base to support the current plan. I, for one, don't want to depend on the power plant in St. Paul to carry this plan forward, especially since it hasn't generated the first watt of electricity yet. Remember, Dominion has completed one in Northern Virginia and it still has not generated any power.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason
Next, nobody, and I mean nobody, can garantee the final cost of this project to come in completed at 69 million. Dr. Perry has stated that fact several times that he has that garantee.
I agree that we need to consolidate, but at what cost to the taxpayers of Wise county? Our citizens are aging and we are fast becoming an area for retired or fixed income people. Most of our youth are moving away and going to more urban areas in search of better paying jobs and careers.
You can't forget another factor either. If this plan is followed through, how many students in the county will opt to go to neighboring county school systems instead of going to these new schools? The parents of these children seem to be pretty determined to not let their children attend a consolidated school in Wise, no matter what.
Like I said, I am all for consolidation, but I do believe there is a better plan. CEASE wants a school in the western part of the county. Would they be willing to let it be builte in Appalachia instead of Big Stone? Would Wise be willing to let a school be built in Pound instead? Or better yet, would Wise or Pound be willing to let both schools be built at a site near Big Stone or near Coeburn? Think about it. This mess will never be settled, even after elections.
BothQuote:
Originally Posted by 1inStripes
Cornett, Thompson, Mullins, Bates and Greear on the SB, and Luntsford, Shortt, Rivers, Adkins, and Bates on the BOS need to go. We need some new, young faces on both Boards. Shortt is running scared because of his wife's job, Luntsford is getting ready to "bolt" and go the beaches of South Carolina. Rivers? What can I say....I know...Flip-Flop. Adkins, his only interest is how much money he can make off the construction. Bates, he is a "yes man" on everything for Wise and a "No man" on anything else.
Cornett probably doesn't know how to think without her husband's instructions on how to vote, Thompson, he is just down-right creepy and on a power trip. Greear(illegallly) appointed, Mullins, probably wants to do the right thing, but is afraid to, Bates, just plain old "needs to go". He has no real interest in doing the right thing, just as long as what gets done is done in his district.
I really want consolidation to happen, but at what point do we all have to say, "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH ALREADY!!"
Let Walter Crouse, Harold Greear, and Marlene Bush in on the boards. That will make things real interesting.:mooning:
After reading the opinion handed down by the Attorney General in full, it is in my opinion that Dr. Perry is wrong in saying any legal action would hold no water. The opinion states: "Accordingly, it is my opinion that a school board is solely responsible for the decision whether and how to consolidate schools, and a county board of supervisors may not instruct the school board to consolidate schools or how to consolidate schools."
It also states: "A board of supervisors, nonetheless, is free to express its desire
concerning how certain funds should be spent. Therefore, the Board in this instance can recommend the adoption of a particular plan for school consolidation. Such recommendations, however, "have no controlling effect upon the school board, because the ultimate responsibility for a plan of school
consolidation rests with the school board."
While Dr. Perry, the board of supervisors and other 2-1 supporters will point to the second quote I listed as their "out", it is of my belief that it is not. Why? Fred Lundsford has openly stated and is on record at a public meeting saying the only way he would vote to fund 2-1 is if the school board built the elementary school in Appalachia a new gymnasium. To me, this is mandating how money is spent, which according to the Commonwealth of Virginia's Attorney General is illegal. Only time will tell and I'm not a judge but what I listed are the facts and direct quotes from a high ranking official in this state. It would seem to me that board of supervisors would need to find some sort of loophole or way around what Lundsford said. In this case, it isn't some backroom deal either; those comments were said at public board of supervisors meeting.
The School Board also said the only way Appy was going to get a gym is to closs Appalachia High School. All I have to say to all the towns in Wise County is cut out the lights the party's over or pack your bags cause we are moving. Your fighting a battle that can't be won.
dawg------------it ain't over til it's over. where's your fight? dawgs don't give up!
Quote:
"Accordingly, it is my opinion that a school board is solely responsible for the decision whether and how to consolidate schools, and a county board of supervisors may not instruct the school board to consolidate schools or how to consolidate schools."
It also states: "A board of supervisors, nonetheless, is free to express its desire
concerning how certain funds should be spent. Therefore, the Board in this instance can recommend the adoption of a particular plan for school consolidation. Such recommendations, however, "have no controlling effect upon the school board, because the ultimate responsibility for a plan of school
consolidation rests with the school board."
This would be the key to it, he said it is his OPINION nowhere did he say anything about there being any kind of law against anything that has happened or any law against what Luntsford said. Just because he is the AG doesn't mean that his "opinion" holds any more weight than anyone else's unless there is a law to back it.....then it isn't opinion but a statement of fact.
So, instead, they'll send 'em to a consolidated school in lee, or a consolidated school in D'son?Quote:
Originally Posted by centennialdawg
I agree that it will be up to a judge to decide. The AG was just stating what the LAW is. He didn't say they broke any laws. Now, if you choose to believe that Fred Lundsford didn't mandate how the money was to be spent that is your opinion. I however believe the man doesn't vote to fund 2-1 without the stipulation in it that says Appalachia gets a gym and I don't see how any sensible thinking person could think he would. I also don't see how any sensible person could ascertain that the board of supervisors mandating how a school board operates is not illegal. If you want to disagree with those opinions, feel free. FWIW, I think it goes to court and the judge ignores Lundsford comments just to end this entire mess.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheBeast
No, the people of Big Stone Gap and Appalachia will send their kids to John I. Burton. What a lot of people seem to forget or ignore is the fact that students by a wide margin who live on the Lee/Wise county border that are closer to PV go to PV while many students in St. Paul go to Castlewood. By and large, people are not going to pass one public school to attend another unless the benefits are substantial and I don't see that being the case in a 2-1 scenario.Quote:
Originally Posted by VHSLhelper
Why would people from BSG and Appy pass up a good school at Norton (run by a school board that cares about kids) to go to this mess? Norton stands to get a large increase in state funding. Might be just one school and a school carcass on one site!
Norton will get involved with this mess, they have no choice. They are being offered too much of an incentive not to enter into it.Quote:
Originally Posted by BAMA MAN
Quote:
Originally Posted by pvfan
I didn't read the whole thing and was just going off of the quotes posted. As such what I said would stand because he didn't say, "the laws states".......he said "it is my opinion". What Luntsford said was that he wouldn't vote for any plan that didn't include a gym for Appy primary. So they could stick that rider onto any of the proposed options 2-1, 3-1, 3-3 whatever and he would vote for it.
Do you mean many SP students would go to CW or that they do now? Just a little FWI at least 50-60% of SP's current enrollment live in Russell County and should be going to CW anyway.Quote:
while many students in St. Paul go to Castlewood
All the people I talk to in Norton are totally against coming in with wise county. They have a good school system and will gain students which= more state funding. All Norton has to do is sit back and laugh at this mess. State funds are coming! Why get in a MESS ?
The only people in Norton looking to get involved is Ron McCall, he done has his back door deals going on, but 4 other boards members are against it. One has told me personally that County is only looking to take on 45% of our debt and about a 1/3 of the school system staff, so why would we even gt involved in that at all no win for citizens of Norton.
What's so funny is that Big Stones rep on the school board voted to close PV and all the other schools and it was Appy and Pounds rep who voted against it. It was BSG 2 reps who started this whole mess a few years ago when they voted to shut Appy Pound and St. Paul. It was only when PV was going to close was when one changed her vote. She has flipped flopped on issues like her husband.
You are working under the assumption that the board of supervisors and school board work in the same fashion that Congress and the Senate do. I personally do not believe that to be true. As for the Saint Paul, Castlewood school attendance issue, numerous students attend both schools that should attend the other.Quote:
Originally Posted by TheBeast
I know I read that Norton is still undecided, but why would they merge, too? What's the benefit to them, esp. if they'd get more state $ by staying indy and adding some transfers?
And can ANYBODY say for sure what the deal is for Fall, 2011 right now?
Will Appy be open? Will they play football?
Same for Pound & Coeburn, please.
All Wise County High Schools except St'Paul will be opened for another 2 years then closed. Football contracts have already been signed for the 2 years. To break these contracts each school would have to pay the teams scheduled 500.00 to break it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BAMA MAN
I have no clue what Norton will end up doing HOWEVER it will be interesting how transfers will be handeled since the extra money provided by the state will not cover the full per student cost of the new students so eather City resadents will pick up the tab or JIB will charge tuition.....I think Burton will go the tuition route which will affect many peoples dission
I agree I THINK the schools will stay as is for at least the next 2 years after that who knowsQuote:
Originally Posted by dawgman
What extra student costs are you talking about counts?