Mayor Shirley Franklin: Dr. Hall’s victories outnumber her defeats
In her “Blogging While Blue,” blog, former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin thanks outgoing APS school chief Beverly Hall for improving schools during her 12-year tenure, saying, “She leaves the school district significantly better than she found it.”
Among Franklin’s other comments:
As the imminent departure of Atlanta Public School Superintendent Beverly Hall draws near and I reflect on her 12-year tenure here, I am reminded of my early years in Atlanta. There is no question that Beverly Hall invited and embraced a broad coalition of community input and support that has greatly benefited Atlanta students. Today there are some 400 partners who support APS, that input has been significant in the progress of the district.
During Dr. Hall’s tenure as superintendent there have been notable improvements in APS. First among them is her invitation to the broader community to partner with the schools. She knew she would need the business community, parents, public officials, non-profit organizations and civic groups to tackle the challenges that the schools faced. Many contributed to the success of Atlanta’s students over the last 12 years.
Some highlights:
· A district record $129 million in college scholarships earned by graduates in 2010, which is up from $9 million in 2000
· $160 million invested in APS by national and local philanthropic groups
· An approximate 30 point increase in district wide graduation rate
· A total of $1 billion invested in constructing and renovating state-of-the-art schools; Atlanta Public Schools has built 17 new schools and renovated more than 60 others, thanks to taxpayer support
As Beverly Hall prepares to leave, I think when she came to Atlanta she also saw the potential of what could be accomplished in a city that was committed to working together. She knew she couldn’t do it alone and she reached out to the entire community. It is also fair to say that she has seen victory and defeat. Despite the serious challenges during the last two years, in my opinion the victories far outnumber the defeats.
–From Maureen Downey,for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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111 comments Add your comment
Another APS Teacher
June 24th, 2011
9:35 am
I feel like I’m in the Twilight Zone. How can any sane individual praise Beverly Hall by now? And, by the way, we now know those graduation rates are fraudulent.
Tonya C.
June 24th, 2011
9:37 am
What Another APS Teacher said. I want a pair of the rose-colored glasses she’s wearing.
Dr. Craig Spinks/ Augusta
June 24th, 2011
9:40 am
What percentage of the APS graduates who received college scholarships in the years of Dr. Hall’s superintendency through 2005 have received bachelor’s degrees?
Lee
June 24th, 2011
9:48 am
Translation: The captain made sure the deck chairs were properly arranged and the brass was polished. The Titanic looked real good on her voyage to the abyss.
James
June 24th, 2011
9:55 am
What a load of tripe. I’m sure Al Capone was good to his dog.
Glenn Dowell, Ed.D.
June 24th, 2011
9:57 am
Boo-o-o-o to you, Shirley Franklin……..
You and Hall have a lot in common-both of you have the ability to manipulate the media into believing that you have done something important for Atlanta, when in reality, whatever you have done has been for your own self-aggrandizement.
Hall and her cabal of miscreants have further ruined the reputation of our great city. Around academic circles I hear that for Hall “CRCT” meant (C)reating (R)esults (C)heating (on) (T)ests. For the record, Franklin, Hall’s reign of terror on Newark, before coming to Atlanta, also further ruined that city’s school system.
You should just keep quite, Franklin and remain just a former Mayor.
Dr NO
June 24th, 2011
10:14 am
Franklin condones Cupcake which yet again confirms what a crook Franklin is herself. All we need now is for Bill Campbell to shout the praises of Cupcake Hall from his jail cell.
“Let the circle be unbroken, by and by Lord by and by.”
BTW…Where is Franklin these days and how are those Homeless donation boxes working. Did she ever receive her “kickbacks?”
A Conservative Voice
June 24th, 2011
10:16 am
@Glenn Dowell, Ed.D.
June 24th, 2011
9:57 am
Boo-o-o-o to you, Shirley Franklin……..
You should just keep quite, Franklin and remain just a former Mayor.
Well said Glenn Dowell, and I might add, one in a long, long line of sorry, sorry mayors. Shirley, we’d like to forget you…..please shut up and let us
ATL
June 24th, 2011
10:17 am
You didn’t make me proud Shirley, you are just like Hall, full of @#$%t! You lived with a gangsta crook at your house who was married to your daughter who did not serve a day in jail. Not to mention your corrupt chief of police pennington.
There is nothing you can tell us about criminals. I don’t wear rose colored glasses in this city.
Maureen Downey
June 24th, 2011
10:17 am
@Dr. No.
Bill Campbell has been out of jail since 2008.
APS
June 24th, 2011
10:26 am
Hey, Shirley didn’t even like Hall when she worked across the street. Couldn’t stand the sight of her and would not come over to 130 unless she had too. Because Hall was getting all the accolades and had change the school charter to prevent the mayor and city hall from touching the “money” at APS. Which worked really well cause the city started to have financial problems.
So Shirley is a joke!
justjanny
June 24th, 2011
10:30 am
again, only hateful people will respond…former mayor franklin was only trying to point out that some good came from dr. hall’s tenure…where were all of you for the past 10 years? probably singing her praises. such hypocrites or more to the point, you only wish to defame atlanta from your suburban comfort zone
Independent
June 24th, 2011
10:34 am
So how would Shirley Franklin know if Beverly Hall had done a good job or not. A lot of the statistics quoted are in great doubt due to questionable practices. Some are indicative of how much money was thrown at the problems, not how much success came out of that investment. Of that $129 million dollars in college scolarships, how many of those recipients graduated college versus the $9 million in 2000?
tim
June 24th, 2011
10:37 am
Shirley Franklin must be smokin crack with Bill Campbell again. She’s as shameful as Bev Hall.
@justjanny…..SOME good came from Dr Hall?? It should have been overwelming ALL good.
I’m soo hateful from my suburban comfort zone…..blah blah blah.
Maureen Downey
June 24th, 2011
10:39 am
@Independent, I don’t think any school system can reliably tell us how many of their k-12 graduates finished college. I know there are some individual high schools that try to keep up with what happens to their graduates, but it depends on the willingness of the grads to respond to surveys or e-mails.
Maureen
I'm a Taxpayer
June 24th, 2011
10:42 am
Mayor Franklin is right. It’s unbelievable that this woman’s enormous record as the long-time, results-oriented leader of the school system is being distorted.
For people who were here back in 1999 and 2000, we know what it was like to see that only half of students — ONLY 50%/ 1 OUT OF EVERY 2 — were meeting state standards. THAT WAS A TRAVESTY.
Thelma Malone, the former prez of the Atlanta PTAs, put it best. She said there were more kids on the corner than there were in the classroom.
And what else? The kids were packed into voc ed classes — like cosmetology and auto mechanics.
But when Dr. Hall came, she shook up the system. And she did so in a way that was intelligent, that was based on proven methods that were working in other urban systems across America, and that brought in huge help from civic and foundation groups.
And we all know that when you shake up any system, folks who don’t want to change or lose their power get mad.
Mayor Franklin is right to praise Dr. Hall. She’s knows a person of integrity and passion for children when she sees one.
How dare we look to blame the superintendent for what some full-grown individuals may have chosen to do behind closed doors in the classroom?
Atlanta is losing a jewel. And if the AJC doesn’t stop devoting so much ink to researching the personal finances of superintendent candidates or asking loaded questions (such as does anyone know these people?), then all of the candidates will drop out. They’ve got to be thinking that this place — the city of Atlanta — is crazy!
And Atlanta’s schools will be back where they were before the Olympics — a rotating door of superintendents, lack of instructional focus, little foundation support, low achievement, low scholarship dollars.
OUR STUDENTS HAVE COME A LONG WAY. Let’s find out what comes out of the investigation. Let’s pick up the pieces. Let’s build on the foundation of high expectations and high achievement that’s been built over the last 12 years!!!!
oldtimer
June 24th, 2011
10:50 am
It appears she could have lied, destryed evidence, and otherwise commited various felonies……No good outweighs that and how do we know the good she did wasn’t fixed. Her reputation probably will never be repaired.
Dr. John Trotter
June 24th, 2011
10:54 am
I presume that one of the reasons that Dr. Dowell and I have been friends for nearly 25 years is that neither one of us like to sugar coat what we say. I tip my hat to Glenn Dowell for having the temerity to stand up to the practices of the Beverly Hall Administration when he worked on Trinity Avenue. In the short run, prophets like Dr. Dowell suffer greatly but in the long run, the truth wins out. From what I have observed and read, Beverly Hall tried to shut up Dr. Dowell (a gargantuan undertaking indeed! Ha!) and recommended the termination of his employment with the City Schools. But, this insipid termination was apparently carried out illegally…without the very rudiments of due process carried out. Dr. Dowell fought this injustice, as we knew that he would. A settlement was reached. Dr. Dowell was enabled to retire early from the City Schools. He is enjoying life with his children and grandchildren and many friends, continuing to work with students via The Youth Empowerment Project (YEP) of which he is Executive Director, hosting many parties and get-togethers at his beautiful home (one of which I attend last month, partaking of some succulent barbeque), and traveling the Great State of Georgia in his black Bentley. Life is good for Dr. Dowell.
I agree that Beverly Hall has been a disaster in Atlanta, as she apparently was in Newark, New Jersey as well. It is what it is…a dismal period in the history of this storied school system (1999 – 2011). This will be seen as the Hall of Darkness that APS entered, but APS survived, though tattered almost beyond recognition. I take this time to speak up for Dr. Dowell and all others (including several on this blog) who harnessed the courage in their spirits to speak out when they saw injustice.
We wish Godspeed to Beverly Hall, her Cabinet, and her Chamber and business supporters. We must have a charitable spirit even toward our enemies and hold no ill will toward any. Nevertheless, the good citizens of Atlanta and surrounding areas simply and plaintively request, “Give us back our school system and let smiles return to our faces.”
Dr NO
June 24th, 2011
10:55 am
“you only wish to defame atlanta from your suburban comfort zone”
Atlanta city govt leaders do that. We in the burbs dont have to wish for anything. It is however quite entertaining and makes for great laughter!!
I’m a Taxpayer
June 24th, 2011
10:42 am
Any you! You are quite delusional. Good luck with All That!
Silver Seven
June 24th, 2011
10:58 am
“In her “Blogging While Blue,” blog, former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin thanks outgoing APS school chief Beverly Hall for improving schools during her 12-year tenure,…”
That is unbelievable. “Blogging While Stupid” is more like it.
JB
June 24th, 2011
11:11 am
First, improvements in performance are spurious due to the cheating scandal. Second, the remaining stats are either out of context or could be attributed to other influences. College scholarships? Is that b/c students performed better or b/c there ar more scholarships available/standards are lower?
$160M in philanthropy? Compared to what? Because we need it more than higher performing districts? 10% increase in graduations rate? Possibley attributable to gentrification and relocation of housing projects to other districts. $1B in spending? Well much ofthat was “invested” turning under-enrolled schools in low income neighborhoods into state-of-the-art academies in low-income neighborhoods. Guess what? They are still under-enrolled and educating those students cost 3-4 times the Georgia average. Give me a break!
I'm a Taxpayer
June 24th, 2011
11:12 am
I speak with the facts. The facts show that atlanta public schools from 1999 to today is a much stronger, higher achieving organization.
Problems? No doubt. But real progress … most certainly.
chillywilly
June 24th, 2011
11:25 am
Shirley Franklin left the City of Atlanta in WORST shape than she found it, just like Beverly Hall left APS in WORST shape than she found it. The facts (cheating, manipulated data, retaliation against employees, etc) speak for themselves.
I agree with Dr. Trotter with regard to Dr. Glenn Dowell. Dr. Dowell was a jewel for APS. He was one of the best things to ever happen to APS, but this devil of a woman, Beverly Hall, used her influence to get him out of the school system. The man is brilliant and could have done many more great things for APS & its students had it not been for the mean spirited, corrupt administration of Beverly Hall.
Shirley Franklin, you’re bigger fool than I thought you were.
Ole Guy
June 24th, 2011
11:34 am
Here goes the world of political correctness…”Well, she DID bad things, but hey, she loved animals and played the violin, so we really ought not place too much of a poor legacy burden upon her shoulders”…what nonesense, particularly coming from an ostensibly unbiased news media.
Ms. Downey, I suggest you view a few re-runs of the 50s-era show Dragnet…”THE FACT, MA’M, JUST THE FACTS”.
justjanny
June 24th, 2011
11:34 am
Yup! I was right…only the hateful people responded. And on and on we go…these poor children in the APS district couldn’t do anything right!
Double Zero Eight
June 24th, 2011
11:35 am
Shirley,
There is a reason for the saying “silence is golden”.
You may want to recant your statement when the final
report comes out.
Another APS Teacher
June 24th, 2011
11:41 am
janny- I’m not aware that anyone here is talking about the poor children of APS. We’re talking about the superintendent.
Glenn Dowell, Ed.D.
June 24th, 2011
11:44 am
Taxpayer………
Are you saying that even if the phenomenal achievement benchmarks of APS under Hall are fraudulent, the public and taxpayers should reward her with accolades and money? This woman and “company” have created a negative impression of Atlanta Public Schools that will take years to change. The victims: Atlanta’s children.
William Casey
June 24th, 2011
11:46 am
Every single one of Ms. Hall’s accomplishments as listed by former Mayor Franklin has a “hole of logic” in it big enough to drive a Mack truck through. It’s not worth my time to illuminate them.
Local School Leader
June 24th, 2011
11:49 am
For any one child who has suffered, the likeness is synonymous to death, deprivation and intellectual thievery. The Mayor, another failed politician, has no clue of the detriment to children AND OTHERS. When much is given, much is expected. She (Beverly Hall) was given a District, and any accolades must be directed to the data which caused (Her Accolades) the same. The essence of her (Beverly Hall or Shirley Franklin) presence is founded in the reality of children, not socio-political comrades. She created a school culture of demise towards children and any adult who attempted to point it out. Shame on any and all who would praise intellectual social gangsters! Let’s focus on saving the children and those who support the same!
Glenn Dowell, Ed.D.
June 24th, 2011
11:53 am
Dr. Trotter……….
You too, have been right on the money with Hall. The woman and her team of villains need to retire to a prison. Governor Deal has some good ideas about utilizing prisoners to assist farmers. Perhaps Hall, if indicted and arrested could kind of get closer to the earth, so to speak.
Local School Leader
June 24th, 2011
11:54 am
For any one child who has suffered, the likeness is synonymous to death, deprivation and intellectual thievery. The Mayor, another failed politician, has no clue of the detriment to children AND OTHERS. When much is given, much is expected. She (Beverly Hall) was given a District, and any accolades must be directed to the data which caused (Her Accolades) the same. The essence of her (Beverly Hall or Shirley Franklin) presence is founded in the reality of children, not socio-political comrades. She created a school culture of demise towards children and any adult who attempted to point it out. Shame on any and all who would praise intellectual social gangsters! Let’s focus on saving the children and those who support the same!
Dr NO
June 24th, 2011
11:55 am
justjanny
June 24th, 2011
11:34 am
Yup…either agree with the bogus and bs reports, speeches, rambling speeches of praise OR be labeled a racist or bigot or hater. And this very thing is why APS, Dekalb and Clayton are where they are. Keep in mind it doesnt really affect me. Its you the citizen of these areas it affects and all name calling, blustering, “glory to Gods” and blaming whitey wont solve your problem.
So, good luck with all of that and enjoy!
Darko
June 24th, 2011
11:57 am
Both Franklin and Hall hung around too long. At first, it seemed each had done a remarkable job of turning the organization they led around. But soon, it was discovered that both had not really dealt with the serious issues, just created a smokescreen others were all too willing to play along with. In the end, both will have left their positions in disgrace instead of with the lofty goals they had for their next stepping stone upwards. I’m sure Franklin saw herself as a US Senator some day, no idea where Hall saw herself.
Two School Systems(Gold Coast and the Rest)
June 24th, 2011
11:59 am
For this city to be the Black Mecca, I am ashamed of B. Hall and S. Franklin. You so called leaders have allowed segregation all over again. How can a system such as this have schools that are 99% one race without a diverse teaching staff? The gold coast. The goldcoast schools need to be desegregated. Hall has done nothing but to give them brand new everything. Hall through a lot of great teachers under the bus. Now it is my hope that you and your cronies reap what you sow! I guess Shirley and the gang will invite you to join Spelman’s staff too. Corrupt brings in corrupt. I speak for the little people and the silent majority, Where are the real black leaders in Atl? They are all silent and getting kickbacks…. the Andy Youngs, Lowery, Kings, etc. What a sad day for my people.
biffalobuff
June 24th, 2011
12:00 pm
To I’m a Taxpayer,
The problem is that the “facts” as you call them have been distorted beyond belief. The reality is that Beverly Hall’s “successes” (for which she was widely praised and handsomely compensated) were based on statistics that were derived from cheating so widespread, systematic and statistically improbable that she could not possibly have been unaware of it. What appears to have followed is a cover-up and a culture of fear conducted on a scale that would have made Richard Nixon proud.
Local School Leader
June 24th, 2011
12:01 pm
@ Dr. Trotter…
Since i’ve been serving as a local Principal, I’ve learned to respect and admire your focus and concern for student success and leader efficacy. We need to talk! I’m bedazzled by such public ignorance when it comes to educating urban children…
I repeat:
For any one child who has suffered, the likeness is synonymous to death, deprivation and intellectual thievery. The Mayor, another failed politician, has no clue of the detriment to children AND OTHERS. When much is given, much is expected. She (Beverly Hall) was given a District, and any accolades must be directed to the data which caused (Her Accolades) the same. The essence of her (Beverly Hall or Shirley Franklin) presence is founded in the reality of children, not socio-political comrades. She created a school culture of demise towards children and any adult who attempted to point it out. Shame on any and all who would praise intellectual social gangsters! Let’s focus on saving the children and those who support the same!
Patrick Malone
June 24th, 2011
12:01 pm
How many of those “victories” we won honestly and how many by cheating?
Glenn Dowell, Ed.D.
June 24th, 2011
12:04 pm
TAXPAYER……(OUR STUDENTS HAVE COME A LONG WAY)
You are right. They now know from their leaders that lying, cheating, and stealing can also catapult them to success.
Dana Blankenhorn
June 24th, 2011
12:17 pm
There’s a lot of political hostage-taking going on in this thread, and very little intellectual honesty.
My kids had their whole careers under Dr. Hall. She sought to increase achievement among poor kids in order to make the whole look better in the early grades. The gains she made there were not wholly fraudulent, but the law’s requirement that progress be continuous caused pressures that led directly to the scandal — it’s easier to get 80% of where you can go than it is to get the final 20% of improvement kids are capable of.
That’s simple fact, and it’s true in suburban districts and in private schools as well. Private schools (and charter schools) can bury their failures by kicking kids out. Public schools can’t do that readily in the elementary grades.
What happened under Dr. Hall on the secondary level was that “smart” kids (and those with pushy parents) got the chance to get an excellent education in magnet programs while the average (or non-pushy parent kids) got such a poor education many dropped out, which made the averages look better.
Dr. Hall wasn’t the whole problem here. Much of the problem lay in the No Child Left Behind law. A bigger cause was the unrealistic expectations of parents who think you don’t have to spend money on education to achieve excellence.
Glenn Dowell, Ed.D.
June 24th, 2011
12:18 pm
Class-Action Suits……….
I hear that several respected law firms have investigators snooping around APS awaiting the results of the cheating investigation. The intent from what I hear is to persuade parents in schools where cheating was verified, to become a part of a class-action lawsuit against APS for the potential harm done to their children related to the scandal.
I hope that this (rumor at this moment) is true.
Dr. John Trotter
June 24th, 2011
12:28 pm
@ Local School Leaders: Thanks for your kind words. I try. You may contact via my personal blog >>>
http://www.georgiateachersspeakout.com
or via the MACE website >>>
http://www.theteachersadvocate.com
The MACE email address is teachersadvocate@bellsouth.net.
The Law of the Large Numbers is inexorable…like the Law of Gravity. Anyone imposter coming along and promising significant jumps in standardized test scores is a charlatan. I hope that the Atlanta School Board keeps this in mind when selecting another superintendent. All sharp jumps in test scores have proven to be fraudulent and/or highly questionable (Duncan in Chicago, Rhee in Washington, D. C., Paige in Houston, et al.).
APS parent
June 24th, 2011
12:33 pm
I was struck by Ms. Franklin’s claim that the amount of college scholarships earned by APS graduates has risen from $9 million in 2000, to $129 million in 2010. Quite a whopping increase. What is the source of these figures, I wonder?
I decided to do a little math of my own on this. APS has a total of about 49,800 students, including about 11,800 students in APS high schools for both the 2009-10 and 2010-11 school years according to APS’ own recent demographic study. Dividing 11,800 by four (for the four years of high school) comes out to 2,950. So there were potentially 2,950 APS high school graduates in 2010 — although I’m sure the senior class was somewhat smaller due to dropouts, and I doubt everyone graduated. Being generous, I’d estimate APS had 2,650 high school graduates in 2010.
I do not know the exact percentage of APS 2010 high school graduates that attended college, but some quick internet research indicates the national percentage might be around 68%. That seems high to me, but I’ll go with it. So if 68% of APS’ 2,650 high school grads went to college, that’s about 1,800. Some quick internet research also indicates that the percentage of college students earning scholarships is 8% to 12%. That seems low to me, so I’ll round it up to 20%. So if 20% of APS’ 1,800 students going to college in 2010 got scholarships, that would be 360 students. Finally, internet research indicates the average college scholarship amount to be $3,000. So 360 scholarhip students times $3,000 equals $1,080,000. Even if the average scholarship amount were much larger, say $10,000, then 360 times $10,000 only equals $3.6 million. A rather far cry short of $129 million.
Even if you multiplied the $3.6 million by four, assuming the scholarship student kept the scholarship for four years, that yields only $14.4 million. Still way short of $129 million.
So maybe it’s the HOPE scholarship that drives the numbers up, I thought. But I find that the average Hope scholarship award in Georgia in 2010 was $2,850. I could not find the percentage of Georgia college students who get the Hope scholarship (anyone have this?). But even assuming a pretty high percentage — 68% — then 68% of APS’ 1800 college bound students in 2010 is 1,224, multiplied by $2,850 equals almost $3.5 million. We’re still miles short of Ms. Franklin’s $129 million figure.
So I’d be interested to see the source and the data for this figure. At least by my math, it appears completely implausible. Ms. Franklin?
Two School Systems(Gold Coast and the Rest)
June 24th, 2011
12:40 pm
I say, the APS Board should select Dr. Trotter as its next Superintendant. Dr. Trotter is wise and full of wisdom.
Dr. Trotter, what is your perspective on the two lone candiates for Supt. in Atlanta. Consequently, none of them are male. 
Beverly Hall threw all the real men with a backbone under the bus, as she and her Amazon comrads through the children under the bus and raided the pantry. Beverly Hall, Baltimore City needs a Superintendant!
Burroughston Broch
June 24th, 2011
12:47 pm
All commenters should post on Shirley Franklin’s blog: http://www.bloggingwhileblue.blogspot.com.
Dr. P
June 24th, 2011
12:49 pm
I came to work at APS during Dr. Hall’s tenure as a result of a teacher walking out mid term. I stayed for approximately 5 mos. Never, in all my life could I have imagined that our people would be doing such a grave disservice to our children. When I made genuine efforts to remediate and assist the struggling students I encountered, I was told to “just pass them along,” because “someone has to pick up our garbage and hand us our fries at Mickey D’s,” among other things. Needless to say, I was flabbergasted.
Additionally, I was treated terribly. With Ph.D. in hand, and having previously taught at the collegiate level for over 10 years, I was asked to take a qualifying (Praxis) exam, which would enable me to be retroactively paid the appropriate salary. Upon completion, I was informed that I would not be paid any more than 6.75 p/hr, b/c “we will NEVER certify you–if you came in as a substitute, you will leave as one.” I was baffled by this, since I was told otherwise upon my recruitment, AND in spite of the fact that I was considered one of the best, by students & colleagues alike–in other words, there were no performance concerns.
I left deeply disheartened. I just can’t understand how educators and administrators could ever allow themselves to become so corrupt and show no regard whatsoever for the students. I moved on, because I am able to, I am well educated and sufficiently personally empowered. But what about the kids? Many whom I came into contact with were barely able to write simple essays and they were graduating seniors. Some of these students were from prominent families and felt that those connections would suffice. Others were encouraged to pursue paths that would lead them straight to the above referenced positions at fast food restaurants, AND NOT IN MGMT!
I could go on, but suffice it to say, that I commend Dr. Dowell and others who stood up, spoke up and have peace within as a result. I only stayed inside for a moment, but it was beyond horrific. I pray for healing in the political and educational community of Atlanta.
Maureen Downey
June 24th, 2011
12:53 pm
@APS Parent, I do know that APS has had a record number of Gates Millennium scholar under Hall’s tenure. Those students receive not only their undergraduate costs but also graduate degree costs in areas of computer science, education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public health or science. I would imagine the value of a Gates award is far above the average scholarship.
Maureen
Meliwa
June 24th, 2011
12:58 pm
Isn’t this ‘let’s look at the bright side’ gobbledygook sort of like saying Josef Stalin’s rescue of Russia from the Tsars makes up for the oppression of his own people, forced occupation of neighboring countries, internment in Siberian ‘education camps’ for not being proper Communists, jailing political prisioners, and making tens of thousands of his enemies ‘disappear’?
I’m so glad Mayor Franklin can conveniently ignore the implications that all of Dr. Beverly Hall’s so-called accomplishments with the APS and the attendant growth of the city of Atlanta into a coporate Mecca good for families may have been based on complete and uttler lies. Unfortunately the behavior of Dr. Hall for the past couple of years has to make us look back at everything and see if any of it was real or not. I have a sneaking suspicion none of it was true, we’re going to pay the price for decades to come, and Shirley Franklin is simply going to continue to play the smoke and mirrors game to cover up her own duplicity in this matter–after all, it was Shirley Franklin’s Atlanta who benefitted from the lies Beverly Hall apparently told.
godoggo
June 24th, 2011
1:08 pm
This is what is great about the “Internet”…….you have the ability of finding out information that has to be disproved once it is state “online”. It also allows the general public and most importantly the taxpayers (mainly “Buckhead” the 8th wealthiest zip code in the US, and the Coratid artery of ATL) to know the truth. Stories are no longer dismissed by here-say, or may haves…….people, mainly politicians and gov’ts have to live above reproach, because “the truth definitely won’t set you FREE”.
I’ll just say, the reason this article was written is Beverly Hall must have called in “a marker” from Shirley for when she is tried and convicted of her actions……are you with me ?
We cannot be right all the time, or make the best decisions…….but wrong is wrong, lieing is lieing, and fraud is fraud…..but this was about children……you just can’t do that. These kids will now have to live, and wonder what could have been if the APS and Super would have just been honest and GOTTEN the assets (i’d be 1st in line to help tutor if needed) to help these innocent victims, instead of commit fraud.
It’s a shame…….Bernie Madoff committed fraud and stole from adults, and greedy individuals. BH and her cronies…..stole much of the future from children. Which do you feel is worst ?
Surely, this blog will be closed and hidden soon today…..never to be archived.
Holler if ya hear me ?
APS parent
June 24th, 2011
1:10 pm
@Maureen, thanks for the response about the Gates Millenium scholarships. Those sound like great scholarships which would be well above an average scholarship amount. But still, based on my math and numbers set forth in my previous post, APS grads in 2010 would have had to have received over $100 million in Gates or other additional scholarships for Ms. Franklin’s numbers to make sense. Something still seems way out of line with her $129 million in 2010 claim.