Never a dull, and rarely a civil moment at the Peach County Board of Education. As hinted in a previous post, BOE attorney Jerry Lumley has in fact resigned.
My colleague Jake Jacobs reported in the Macon Telegraph Sunday that Lumley ” ‘just got kind of tired of having to deal with (school board member) Jody (Usry),’ ” in addition to having too many other commitments. Lumley also said Usry “likes controversy and ‘puts a negative spin on anything the board tries to do. I’m just tired of it.’ ” It might be true that Usry likes controversy, but there’s plenty of controversy going around, no matter who’s on the board.
Usry responded ” ‘I hope our next attorney has a better sense of his roles and responsibilities, and works for the school district rather than as a protector of individual persons, as this board looks to the future and strives to let go of the recent ugly past.’ ”
Lumley didn’t have a good word for brand new Superintendent of Schools Susan Clark, either. ” ‘She has a high opinion of herself,’ ” Lumley told The Telegraph.
Lumley also called Citizens for Better Education ” ‘spoiled kids’ ” who throw temper tantrums if they dont’ get their way. He lamented ” ‘a continuous lack of civility’ “on the group’s part.
CBE spokesman and County Comissioner Roy Lewis countered: “There’s plenty of frustration to go around, and it’s caused me and others many sleepless nights the past year.”
Lumley was on the ball about one thing: lack of civility, and it continues. All the sources gave us in the Telegraph article was more tit for tat. All parties convinced they’re right. And to top it off, a knock on Dr. Clark just as she begins what any fair observer can see will be a difficult job.
It ain’t over til it’s over, and it ain’t over.
Out of my Mind Blog 