School Board Members Doubt Sale of Georgia Washington Middle School

Montgomery County School Board member Mary Briers is speaking out about the sale of Georgia Washington Middle School to the Town of Pike Road.  She was one of four “yes” votes at a board meeting last Tuesday, but now she’s having second thoughts.

“I think that it would be ridiculous for us to sell to Pike Road when we have needs of our own students,” Briers said over the phone.

Briers says she didn’t initially realize that Pike Road would have nine years to make payments.  For that reason, she doesn’t think the impact on students would be worth it because they would have to be shifted to other schools.

Board Member Melissa Snowden oversees Georgia Washington’s district and has been hearing from parents non-stop since the vote.  She says she only voted for the sale for the feasibility study being done on the school system looking at enrollment, capacity and consolidation opportunities.  The board is expected to make a final decision on the sale after the study is complete.

“We need more money and you know that’s why we’re considering this, we could use the money,” Snowden shared.

Financial issues have been no secret, it’s one of the reasons for the ongoing state intervention into Montgomery Public Schools.  Snowden says decisions and hires by former State Superintendent Michael Sentance only hurt the district more and that this sale could help alleviate some of that financial stress but it could also have lasting impacts across the entire district.

Time is ticking for the school board, the decision has to be made by November 9th.