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Andy A

Beach Fanatic
Feb 28, 2007
4,389
1,738
Blue Mountain Beach
I do not have any children in the Walton County school system. I am interested in education at all levels. I consider this a travesty by the school administration if what I have read is true. It is time for the school board to take charge and Walton County to find a way to select rather than elect a school superintendent.
 

Leader of the Banned

Beach Fanatic
Apr 23, 2013
4,095
6,092
I don't think a person should automatically be black listed, even with that kind of record. I could not go so far as to say I wouldn't want her teaching my kids in absence of any more information. I can remember having a teacher who sometimes fell asleep in class who I wouldn't want teaching my kids. I can remember a teacher with the distinct smell of alcohol who I wouldn't want teaching my kids. I can remember having a teacher who was all strung out on valium who I wouldn't want teaching my kids. On the other hand, the dope smoking vampire dude was an outstanding math teacher. Like I said, it depends on the person. A lot of teachers are ticking time bombs getting away with all kinds of things and maybe they will get caught mid career and the bottom will drop out from under them. Some people simply aren't literally fully grown until they hit about age 25. Maybe she's learned a good hard lesson,then again maybe not, but I certainly couldn't base such an assessment simply on her record.
 

j p nettles

Banned
Jul 1, 2012
380
63
76
Ebro
Instead of debating this on social media, parents of students at SWHS should contact the school and the district offices with their concerns, asking for an official explanation and making a complaint if necessary. From what I am hearing, there is lots of chatter but SWHS parents aren't calling the school with their concerns. I am not sure if any of the posters on this thread or the posters commenting on the Walton Sun article or on Drunken Brawlers have kids at SWHS, but if they are spending their time armchair quarterbacking it on FB, they should have the time to contact the school and ask for answers from the source.
I would like to see the district and the school at least issue some sort of public statement with the facts of the situation and how they plan to deal with it.

I no longer have children in school in Walton County but my son is a 2010 honors graduate of South Walton High school. As a taxpayer and concerned citizen, I'm very interested in education and the way our schools are run.

Here are the facts. Many excellent teachers have been dismissed over the last several years apparently with no explanation other than to hire entry level teachers to cut payroll costs. This young woman was hired by South Walton High School. Mrs. Anderson recommended her with board approval. (I read the minutes). She has a criminal record that is documented. She was reprimanded by the DOE. Obviously the process for screening instructional personnel is flawed.

As far as this being debated on "social media". That appears to be the only way incompetence among out elected officials reaches the public. After my wife was "non renewed" I sent literally hundreds of e-mails and went to board meetings and asked questions. The stock answer was "the law doesn't require an explanation" so don't expect an explanation from the board or the superintendent.

It's common knowledge that the school board does nothing but approve the superintendents recommendations blindly. The only explanation here is for them to say "we screwed up big time". The board should grow some guts and demand the superintendent's resignation and actually operate as a school board.
 

happy2Bme

Beach Fanatic
Sep 24, 2007
879
1,243
Sowal
The moral of the story: don't do the crime (in Walton County), if you aren't willing to pay for it in spades (lesson learned, or not)....... As a parent with three kids in the Walton County school system, I agree with most everyone's concerns, but would hate to be the individual in question (lesson learned, or not). She is being electronically tarred and feathered.
 

j p nettles

Banned
Jul 1, 2012
380
63
76
Ebro
It's curious that someone who has posted on this very site more than 17,000 times would question whether or not it's appropriate to discuss this kind of thing on "social media".And I'm not Tarring and feathering the teacher. I'm expressing outrage as to why she slipped through the cracks. What if a registered sex offender got a job teaching in our county?
 

happy2Bme

Beach Fanatic
Sep 24, 2007
879
1,243
Sowal
DUI and cocaine use are a sign of extremely poor judgment and self-abuse (by which, sometimes puts others at risk); sex offenses are simply predatory. So comparing the two is like comparing apples to aardvarks. Again, I get your outrage at "the man" (or woman in this case), and agree with the sentiment. Internally, though, I was lamenting that I hope I never screw up such that it makes it to the electronic court of public opinion. SOWAL commentary is usually akin to sharks at a feeding frenzy.
 

Jdarg

SoWal Expert
Feb 15, 2005
18,068
1,973
Wow you need to back down a bit. I am not questioning the appropriateness of the debate on social media, just pointing out that we won't be getting answers by asking for them here. I have talked to parents with students at SWHS and they want to know what is going on. I told them to do the same thing I did myself this morning- ask the school and DeFuniak to issue a public statement with the facts and what happens moving forward. I emailed both the SWHS and Carlene Anderson.

Yes meggiemom, I have seen the arrest records, hence my post. I am concerned also. Did you read my post? Have you contacted anybody at the school or district with your concerns?

Again, we can share ideas, post info, and debate all day long in the cyber community, but without direct contact to the entities that are responsible, nothing will be accomplished in terms of us gaining real information.
 

meggiemom

Beach Lover
Jun 24, 2012
222
22
Walton
DUI and cocaine use are a sign of extremely poor judgment and self-abuse (by which, sometimes puts others at risk); sex offenses are simply predatory. So comparing the two is like comparing apples to aardvarks. Again, I get your outrage at "the man" (or woman in this case), and agree with the sentiment. Internally, though, I was lamenting that I hope I never screw up such that it makes it to the electronic court of public opinion. SOWAL commentary is usually akin to sharks at a feeding frenzy.
Didn't I read that one of the arrests was for attacking a police officer and resisting arrest? That's not "self abuse". That would tell me that a person might be prone to violence. Thankfully I don't have kids in high school at the present time but I do have younger children who will be in school in the future. And I've never been able to get an answer from my representative on the board for anything.
 
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Leader of the Banned

Beach Fanatic
Apr 23, 2013
4,095
6,092
I think it's really wrong to initiate a physical altercation with anyone at any time. That said, I think many of us if not most of us had that capacity when we were in our early 20s. I'm not saying most of us acted on it, so it is definitely something to be concerned with, but it is a disposition that tends to go away with age. You can't compare that with being a sex offender. That's hardly a simple sign of youthful indiscretion, rage, passion, you name it. It's deeply rooted flaw which probably never goes away. To me it's a real show stopper. I don't know if I would trust this person to teach my kids, but I can't just brand her based on her record and message board heresay. If she does end up teaching and the students give her hell, then it points to a deeply flawed upbringing on the part of their parents.
 

Jdarg

SoWal Expert
Feb 15, 2005
18,068
1,973
Moving forward, I hope that there is enough of an investigation to discover how this all happened and how to prevent such occurrences in the future. My interest doesn't lie with skewering the teacher, but how the system worked, or didn't, in this case.

On the bright side, I have heard from parents whose kids are having a great year, and this incident is not necessarily high on their radar, as their experience at SWHS, like many families, is positive, their kids are doing well and are happy. I wish everyone knew the stories of the excellent teachers, the bright, high-achieving students, the dedicated athletes, and the caring parents at that school. Unfortunately, the positive news is not as interesting.
 
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