Following the Media – 1/6/11

The crazy continues…

For whatever reason, Elections Coordinator Mark Goins is sticking to his guns on the whole, City Council must approve any School Board referendum, when there’s plenty of settled law that says otherwise. If the City Council had to approve things like this, they would have taken over the schools some time ago, which, I believe they have been told they can’t. Logic test failed.

There’s a little bit of a pissing contest emerging between the Mayors and the Shelby County Commission. I think its pretty clear to everyone but Mark Goins that they don’t have much of a say on any of this, so stand down fellas. Its fine to use your bully pulpit to try to keep the issue from exploding into some new kind of crazy, but the last thing we need is a pissing contest.

Shelby County Schools attorneys have basically told the body to get ready for a transition. Whether they’ll do this or not is another thing entirely. They seem so bought in to the idea of maintaining the status quo, confusing the issue, and ratcheting up the rhetoric that any attempt at crafting a transition plan would be looked at with skepticism.

The truth of the matter is the December 20th vote was as much a vote of no confidence against the Shelby County Schools as anything else. Coming up with a transition plan in this environment is going to be difficult, to say the least.

It’s going to get more difficult to follow all this, with all the different actors involved. My advice, take just about everything you read from the media with a grain of salt and a deep breath. All they can do is report what they hear, and what they’re hearing is coming from so many directions, I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re not getting a little confused themselves.

Wendi C. Thomas: Voters must be led to a decision on schools
Hostile Surrender
Goins’ Invoking of Long-Gone “Board of Commissioners” Shifts Initiative to SCS in Showdown
MCS to get $4M in federal residency grants
Commission To Memphis, Shelby County Mayors: We Made Decisions
Herenton’s School Consolidation Plan in Hands of Shelby County Commission
Giannini Promises to Expedite a Referendum Date if City Council Passes Resolution
MEA calls ‘mass meeting’ against charter surrender
Not clear if Council must vote on school charter
The charter issue by the numbers
SCS board member David Reaves – 1, Gum – 0
Taking sides on the MCS charter surrender – Thanks for the mention
Shelby schools cleared for legal action to derail merger, but options nearing end of line
Memphis city council attorney says council vote not needed in charter surrender
A Stand-Up Schools Vote
Plan for ‘inevitable’ merger, Shelby County school leaders told
Attorney Hired by County Urges School Merger Preparations
Chism: Mayors Overstepped Authority
City Council Attorney Allan Wade Disagrees on School Charter Vote
Schools Merger May Be “Inevitable,” Expert Says
Thomas: Friday press conference for charter surrender proponents
Thomas: SCS board says let us pray
Martavius Jones on School Charter Legal Battle
Schools Merger Expert Urges Less Panic More Transition Planning
Petition could put charter surrender fight in voters’ hands
Council Attorney Says State Election Officer’s Ruling “Erroneous”
Lawyer Tells Shelby County School Board Merging City And County Schools Might Be Inevitable
Memphis City School Board Meets With Attorney Behind Closed Doors
MCS Bands, Sports May Suffer in Merge


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