The REVOTE...

Here is the article from today's Minden Press Herald about the revote last night. You can find it online at http://www.nwlanews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=23470&Itemid=1.

=========================

School Board denies revote
Written by Jeri Bloxom
Tuesday, 22 March 2011

=========================

Parents and community members spoke to the Webster Parish School Board (WPSB) last night, urging them to reconsider the school assignments for the towns of Sarepta, Shongaloo, Cotton Valley and Springhill.

However, the WPSB did not yield, voting eight to four to ignore their request.

“Springhill Junior and Senior High School can no longer claim a safe environment that it once could,” said Nellie Sherrill, a community member who is concerned about the safety of students transferring to Springhill from Sarepta, Shongaloo and Cotton Valley.

Sherrill cited reasons such as rampant fighting in restrooms and classrooms, vulgar language and disrespect to teachers and peers, and “students bringing cameras into restrooms while forcing other students to do things that are despicable and humiliating and then publishing the acts on You Tube.”

“When people with inside information tell you that you don’t want your children or grandchildren to go to Springhill High, it gets my attention and I know it would get yours, too,” she said.

Responding to Sherrill’s disturbing comments about the condition of safety and discipline at the Springhill Jr/Sr High, board member Jerry Lott, District 11, said he would like to see a thorough investigation by a committee, with support of central office personnel, done within the next 30 days so the issues could be formally addressed.

Jackie Lewis, who headed the petition asking board members to revote the consolidation of north Webster Parish, urged board members to give the same courtesy to the north end of the parish as they gave to the Minden communities.

“As a parent of a child in Minden schools, I was given a voice when asked to choose between two options for the schools in Minden,” she said. “As a parent of a child in Sarepta, I waited for a similar letter to come, but it never arrived.”
Lewis said the mileage students in the north would be bused with the adopted plan would be similar to Minden students being bused to Doyline.

“You wouldn’t vote to do that, it doesn’t make any sense,” she said. “So why do it to the communities of Sarepta, Shonagloo and Cotton Valley?”

Don Shirley, Minister of First Baptist Church in Cotton Valley who wrote to the school board and the district attorney regarding legalities of action taken by the board, also spoke.

“I apologize to you as a board for jumping to conclusions about the manner in which you are governed,” he said. “I was wrong to think that many of the policies you created were for me or any other citizen to hold you to account. They are for you to hold yourselves to account and for you to conduct your own business.”

After hearing the request of speakers, it was explained to the board by their attorney that they would be voting on revisiting the decision made for the north end of the parish alone and that if the vote did pass, action could only be taken on the schools of Springhill, Cotton Valley, Shongaloo and Sarepta.

WPSB superintendent W.W. “Butch” Williams told board members that financially the savings would be “a wash.” The adopted plan for the north end of the parish saved roughly the same amount of money as the central office proposal for the area.

In the end, the WPSB voted eight to four in favor of maintaining their previous action to have Springhill be the singular high school for the four communities.

Voting in favor to reconsider previous action:

Ouida Gardner – District 5

Bruce Williams – District 4

Charles Strong – District 3

Robert Holloway – District 6

Voting to uphold previous action:

Linda Kinsey – District 7

Frankie Mitchell – Distsrict 9

Ronnie Broughton – District 8

Penny Long – District 12

Johnnye Kennon – District 10

Malachi Ridgel – District 2

Jerry Lott – District 11

Brandon Edens – District 1.

Inspiration for tonight....

"We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate." -- Thomas Jefferson


On the morning before our great meeting at the Webster Parish School Board, I would like to remind each and every one of you that it is very important for you to be in attendance tonight. We have done everything within our power to let our voices be heard, and many of those supporting our cause have bravely placed their names upon the agenda of tonight's meeting and will stand, fearlessly, to speak on our behalf. Let us all be there in support, and let us all bring our yard signs. (No metal stakes, please.)

No matter what happens, know that we have fought with grit and determination. We have stood strong and united, coming together in a way that our little communities never have before, and I am proud that our voices are all in unison. Congratulations on a job well done. You have defied the odds by standing strong together. You have accomplished what they said could not be done-- you have all worked together, and hand in hand tonight we will march into that School Board meeting and give it all that we've got.

We have all been participants. We have taught our children to fight for what they believe in, and that, my friends, is what this country is all about.

See you tonight!

Jacquelyn Lewis

BRING YOUR YARD SIGNS!

Tomorrow night is the BIG Webster Parish School Board meeting in Minden. BRING YOUR SIGNS, without the metal stakes, and we will silently hold them in the meeting and let our voices be heard in unison. Many of us have been placed on the agenda to speak for our cause, so come to support us and let the School Board know that we would like for them to hear out side of the debate.

Come early, as seats will be limited and we expect a VERY full house.

Sincerely,

Jacquelyn Tripp Lewis

YARD SIGNS AT SHORT STOP

Our new batch of yard signs are in, and we've placed them at Short Stop Convenience Store in Sarepta. They are $5 each.

Also, the big school board meeting will be Monday night at the Webster Parish School Board Central Office in Minden, Louisiana. Many of us have been placed upon the agenda to speak at the meeting, so make sure to come out and support our cause.

If you are in the Minden area and would like a sign, call Jackie Lewis at 382-8979.

COLLECTION CAN for YARD SIGNS at SHORT STOP!

We have permission to place a collection can (for our Yard Sign fund) at Short Stop in Sarepta! THE COLLECTION CAN WILL BE THERE BY NOON TODAY! Stop by and give donations. 100% of the collected funds will go to the purchase of more signs, as many of you have asked for signs and we are already out of our first order of 250.

Here is what we need:

250 signs = $936
We have collected $255 so far. Lets get this money as quickly as possible, because it takes 4 - 5 days for the signs to be printed.

WPSB Meeting on the 21st!

For those of you that haven't heard, there is a meeting of the Webster Parish School Board on the 21st of this month. Those wishing to be placed on the agenda must submit a letter explaining their request by Friday, March 11th.

OUT OF SIGNS ALREADY / WPSB Audits

We've sold out of our first printing of yard signs. We need money ASAP to order new signs, so get your donations together from your area and then give me a call at 318.382.8979 or email me at lewisfamily1908@bellsouth.net.

In other news, one of our supporters just forwarded me the link to our WPSB audits. Find the audits at:

http://app1.lla.state.la.us/publicreports.nsf/14a72ff0383364c086256ee8006a233a/$SearchForm?SearchView