Parents Voice Concerns over Sale of Georgia Washington Middle

Parents and concerned citizens showed up at Georgia Washington Middle School gym ready to let the board know they were not happy.

“Just coming here to be pacified. That’s what you are doing just pacifying us,” said one parent to the board.

“I just think its ridiculous. I have been here a long time. I live in Pike Road. But if Pike Road has a 11 million dollars to buy Georgia Washington Middle School, then most certainly they can build one,” said concerned citizen Valerie Tatum.

Parents talked about the 516 students having to be routed to other schools and the longer bus routes and travel times to pick their kids up.
They are also concerned about losing the history of the school, along with the business deal.

“You never sell a capital asset to balance an operating budget unless there are extreme circumstances. Maybe if it would do something over 10-20 years, but this is just a one year patch,” said Jon Broadway.
“Then when you multiply it by the community that has been affected….the Civil Rights Act of 1964 clearing states that if you have disparate impacts on a community that involves public money, then you are in violation of the Civil Rights Act of ’64.”

In the end, it’s up to the board to make the final decision.

“I hope we have all listened and we will take their concerns into consideration before the final deal is done,” said board president Robert Porterfield.

The next hearing is set for Thursday, Nov. 2nd at 6 p.m. at the Professional Service Center on South Union Street.