UPDATE! Huntsville City Schools BOE to the taxpayers of District 1, "Your name is Toby", I mean, Mae Jemison

It is official Johnson and Butler will merge and become Mae Jemison High

BREAKING NEWS!  IN THEIR HASTE TO TREAT JOJ SUPPORTERS LIKE SLAVES THE HCS BOE VIOLATED THEIR OWN POLICY.

Last night the Huntsville City School Board of Education violated their own policy on the Selection of School, Facility, and/or Property Name (Policy 2.9, presented September 5, 2013) by concluding the process and voting on the new names approximately three weeks before they were allowed to do so.

You won't read it on al.com,  or see it on TV, but the Huntsville City Schools BOE stooped to a new low last night.   We all knew the fix was in and the BOE  had made up their minds(sic) to rename J.O. Johnson High School. We also learned Butler High School was rezoned from District 5 to District about "7 months ago", still not sure when the board voted to close J.O.Johnson and S.R. Butler, but I wish we had known before they made us sit through two long presentations about how wonderful the schools are.

It was painful to watch democracy, fairness, and justice, die last night. I went to bed last night  and woke up this morning with that same sick feeling I had after the not guilty verdict in the  George Zimmerman trial.

First, they stacked the agenda with long presentations, and seats were saved for teachers/employees prior to the public being allowed to enter the board room.  Second, citizens were told to write down their questions on cards to be given to the board members and they would decide which ones were to be read or answered.  Citizens were not allowed to ask questions of the BOE.  A handpicked Pastor was "asked" and allowed to speak, however Reverend Mark Johnson, nephew of J.O. Johnson left because the BOE kept changing the rules and he thought he wasn't going to be allowed to speak.

BOE member Dr. Jeannie Robinson, who represents Grissom High School, took it upon herself to scold the J.O. Johnson taxpayers about what they should and should not focus on. 

There were dozens of Johnson supporters in attendance, and District 3 Representative Jennie Robinson said if the people who have put a lot of focus opposing the name change of Johnson when it moves to a new building, would put the same effort into all the school's needs, the school would be stronger.
The comment drew snide looks and comments from some of the Johnson supporters.
One woman said, "Why does she got to put her foot in her mouth."

Grissom High School gets to keep it's name after overwhelming public support, J.O.Johnson  High School does not get to keep it's name after overwhelming public support.  Wardynski listened to any number of councilman and officials who called to inform him he was making  a gargantuan mistake regarding Lee High School, but he's ignoring the councilman and officials who call to inform him he's making a gargantuan mistake regarding J.O. Johnson.  Go figure.

Casey you have to break the mold and prove you're not afraid of minorities, democrats, liberals, aclu types and the entire entitlement crowd! Do that, and you'll be doing the job you were hired to do! Oh yeah, not to mention striking down all racial transfers. And that includes allowing not allowing whites to racially transfer either. If you don't like where your child goes to school, move to where they can be zoned into a school of your preference, that's what I had to do!

Mission Accomplished.

BTW, The city will pay the school system $8 million to acquire the current Grissom and Johnson campuses once the new schools are built. Last week, Madison County Commissioner Phil Riddick unveiled plans to turn the old Grissom into a public library, community theater, police precinct and city parks and recreation facility for southeast Huntsville.

The city will acquire the current J.O. Johnson off Winchester Road, which may be converted into a public safety facility and training center for police, firefighters and National Guard members.

Oh, and there are plans to build a new low income housing project on Winchester Road, which student won't be allowed to transfer from because Mae Jemison is not on the failing school list.  

"This city belongs to us, the people. It doesn’t belong to the Huntsville Times. It doesn’t belong to the Huntsville Board of Education. It doesn’t belong to Dr. Wardynski. It belongs to us."  ~Geek Pavaler