Mayor Wiseman, praised Susan Tomlinson’s qualifications, but vetoed her based upon her race. Wiseman cited the 32% white population of the district versus the 80% white representation on the board with Tomlinson’s appointment.
One note about Alderman Perkins’ candidate for the seat, Dr. Walter Conley. Under Dr. Conley’s watch as superintendent, the Oktibbeha School Dsitrict was taken over by the Mississippi Department of Education for poor performance.
I would prefer a “racially monolithic” board (Wiseman’s phrase from his veto), than adding someone who has already led a school district to DOE take-over.
Full text of veto from Mayor Parker Wiseman:
School Board Veto0001.pdf
Next question, will the BOA override with the same 5 votes who put Tomlinson there to begin with?
Leroy says call him the “Swami”, cause Leroy called this one right!
Leroy says Parker Wiseman now has the “Dunce Hat” on for the rest of his term.
Leroy says if folks had wanted to apply, they would have done so the first time. Leroy says Mayor “Wet Behind the Ears” has gone koo-koo.
The mayor just shot himself in the foot big time.
Anyone else smell smoke in Starkville? I’m pretty sure that boy is burnin’ bridges.
Based on Parker’s logic, I would say that women are under represented on the school board because 50% of the student population are female. The information he provides in the veto state that the school district is made of Asian, Hispanic, and Native American students. Yet none of this races are represented on the current school board. If he wants the school board to be diverse, let’s make it reflect all the students in the district.
While I did not vote for him, I had revised my opinion of Wiseman, thinking he had a vision for Starkville. Now we are back to the divisiveness of the past. Why don’t we select the most qualified person and not worry about race or gender. (Thanks, MSUDad.)
Question about Dr. Conley: Would MSU hire a coach who was 0-12 just because he was African-American?
I’ve got four words for you. At. Risk. Of. Failing. Don’t our children deserve quality in who makes the decisions about their education?
Ms. Sistrunk had some incredible comments in this morning’s Starkville Daily News. I am extremely disappointed that our mayor would practice discrimination against a woman, simply because of her color.
I wonder how Mayor Wiseman would feel if he had not been allowed to become mayor since the majority of people living in Starkville are not the same race he is? The position of mayor is 100% represented by one who is white.
I am also disappointed that my own alderman supports this position.
Over the past few months, we have started to see the negatives of electing a governing body that is, in reality, nothing more than a bunch of kids playing dress-up. This is, perhaps, the strongest example.
It is entirely too easy and too simplistic to say this is just about her color. The fact is we have a predominantly African American student population. Trying to get school board members that reflect the diversity of our school system is a worthy endeavor. We must improve the students’ commitment to education, to graduation and to the community. I suspect the Mayor is looking for someone that can address these issues and have some local credibility with our students, that does not necessarily mean it is Dr. Conley. It just means we should consider diversity in the selection. A new search is not without merit. It is really unfortunate that Ann Carr could not serve. She would have been an excellent board member.
Bethany, I agree with you. I think it took a lot of courage for the Mayor to make this decision. While I am not supportive of Dr. Conley, I do believe every effort should be made to have a school board that reflects the student population. I think it would be a good thing for the Board of Alderman to open the application process up again and go back through the process of selecting a school board member.
I think research shows us that minority and low income students are different than white students in every aspect when it comes to education. I think the Mayor is trying to make sure minority students have people on the board who understands the struggles of minority and low income students with it comes to making decisions about curriculum, teachers to hire, and other ways to improve the education success rate for minority and low income students.
While I am a big advocate for having more females in positions of power, I don’t think you can compare the struggles of female students to those of minority students. All the education data show that female students are exceeding expectations. The are graduating high school at a higher rate than any other group. The are more likely to be at the top of the class. And they are graduating college at a higher rate than any other group.
While many of you have been looking for a reason to hate our current Mayor, I don’t think his desire to look out for minority and low income students is a reason to hate him.
While I don’t personally know Sharon Tomlinson, I am sure you would be a good school board member. I just don’t know if she can truly understand the struggles of our minority and low income students as well as someone from that community.
Carol Johnson= Ben N – We can take care of our own problems in Starkville without your input from Chicago. Let the mayor defend himself without you holding his hand.
Actually the IP look-up for “Carol Johnson” is Washington, DC. Traces all the way to a health care management facility in Arlington, VA. At least he could have gotten Tomlinson’s name right……
SNEditor….what is the purpose of doing an ip lookup on a poster? just asking
This is Ben Needham and it seems I have been accused of posting on StarkvilleNow under a fake name. I want to be clear with everyone reading StarkvilleNow that I have not posted under the name Carol Johnson.
While I do live and work in Washington, DC, I am not part of any healthcare group or any other organization in Arlington, VA. Also, I am currently working in Texas meeting with a client. If the editor would look up my IP address I am sure it will show that.
I think this situation only highlights the fact that StarkvilleNow should have people register to post on the website. I am sure that will cut down on people using fake names and make people own the comments they are putting on the website.
Education is too important to just leave to just anyone. The community depend on excellence in education to be the driving force for the sustainability of our economy and move us forward. Lack of educational preparation will lessen our chances of future economic growth here.
Right now the Oktibbeha County School District might be on the edge of being taken over by the state again based on the scores the schools have achieved. The last time I checked the number of dollars spent per pupil was somewhat equal. I will have to admit that this was several years again, but even at that time the county schools were failing. We have discussed it, and discussed it. The county school board is composed of only one white, and the balance is African Americans. The superintendent is African American. We have failed to educate the children in the county schools, and that fact is well documented. I’m not sitting here saying that I have all the facts, but something needs to be done, and more of the same does not seem to be the answer.
We sit in Starkville debating the appointment of a school board member who in my opinion has met the qualifications to sit on that board. She understands the needs of public education in Starkville. She has been involved in the school evidenced by her volunteer efforts. I could care less if she was purple or red. I just want the best people in place to make decision regarding our children’s education. Of the candidates who were submitted to the SSD, Susan Tomlinson appears to me to be the best fit for the board. I urge the Board of Aldermen, and our mayor to come together and rally behind Mrs. Tomlinson’s appointment.
Maybe this is a political olive branch to the black community. The mayor knows the Board has the votes to override, so he gets to make the gesture knowing that Ms. Tomlinson will probably keep the appointment, meanwhile shoring up support for re-election. A very divisive move for the community, but pretty standard political fare. Do not forget Mayor Wiseman gets advise from his father Dr. Wiseman who is the Director of “Mississippi’s think tank”, the John C. Stennis Institute of Government. Isn’t politics grand?
Rufus-Keeping your political base intact is so important to an elected official. My thoughts exactly.
The most important thing to an elected official is to winning the next election. Mississippi elected officials have never forgotten this #1 fact of life.
“I think this situation only highlights the fact that StarkvilleNow should have people register to post on the website. I am sure that will cut down on people using fake names and make people own the comments they are putting on the website.”
What a joke!
After Wiseman and Needham orchestrated an attack on other mayoral candidates using a number of fake names here on SN a year ago, they now call for a new era of transparency.
Big city politics at its best…
MLK said he longed for a day when people would be judged NOT on the color of their skin but on the content of their character. Parker Wisemans actions are totally contradictory to what Dr. King advocated for. In his senseless attempt to promote diversity, Parker has actually turned back race relations in Starkville by judging Mrs. Tomlinson based on her race and not upon her character, credentials and experience.
The position was properly advertised and applications were received from those candidates with enough interest to put their name forward. Although the AG’s opinion ruled out the candidate who would have been both the most diverse and most qualified, the fact is Mrs. Tomlinson WAS the best candidate from the remaining pool of applicants. She should be allowed to serve, and Wiseman’s veto should be overridden.
Leroy says looky here at big bad Ben Needham coming on-line attempt’n to rescue his peep PW. Leroy says what fools gonna believe Ben’s not Carol? Leroy says Ben Needham is crawfishin cause he got caught with his drawers ’round his ankles on this one.
Leroy says this Veto has B.N. stamped all over it, and PW has BN pulling the puppet strings. Leroy says Ben should stick to his DC Acorn’n type job and leave lil ol’ Starkville alone, cause we don’t need another puppeteer pulling the mayors strings down here.
Leroy, you are killing me! Haven’t laughed so much at a poster in a while. But, you speak the truth!
Leroy say his aim is to please. Leroy aks peeps to laugh with him and not at him
Leroy says we’re gonna be laughin lots over next 3 years to keep from cryin over how bad this new guvmnt is. Leroy wishes we could recall some cats from the hall.