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ON THE PORCH by Will Davis
'Evil to the core’
At least one Monroe County resident was very upset after this
newspaper reported last week that the school system had hired
a substitute teacher who had been convicted of trying to sexually
molest children.
And no, she |Tm going to assume it’s a she] wasn’t angry that
a molester was allowed to spend all day in a classroom with the
same age boys that he tried to corrupt at a previous gig. Oh no,
this person made her way to the Reporter’s Vent section at www.
mymcr.net to tell you the REAL problem:
‘Monroe County citizens you better get smart, and see Will
Davis is trying to destroy our good schools just to sell his paper.
His paper business is a dying business and he has to stir the pot
and keep turmoil going to make his living. Monroe Countians you
need to defend our wonderful schools.”
Hmmm. I’m confused.
So as a small-town editor in a “dying business”, I have it within
my power to destroy a school system with a $39 million annual
budget, 600 employees and 4,000 students? Interesting.
The insightful Vent raised another question for me as well: Why
would I want to destroy a school system that happens to be edu
cating two of my children, soon to be joined by a third? Does that
make sense?
And another thing: How would she propose that our readers
defend the school system? Certainly most of them already know
the successes of the school system. This newspaper chronicles its
academic and athletic successes on a weekly basis. As for the sub
stitute who was hired, what is there to defend? There is no accusa
tion, there is merely a fact. The system hired a child molester. It’s
indefensible.
But fear not, she was only beginning to vent:
‘The subsitute [sic] is gone end of story! How about go complain
to the legislature instead of bashing the board and the superinten
dents. This is just Will Davis and his teenage drama crap.”
Well now she has a point. It does seem that, now-retired Bibb
County Judge Philip Brown made a big mistake when he let this
man plead guilty as a first-offender. The prosecutor in the case,
Dorothy Hull, said she never recommends first-offender treatment,
for child molesters. It allows the offense to roll off their records,
meaning they can, you know, be hired as substitute teachers
again.
What’s worse, as you can read in this week’s follow-up story
starting on the front, page, the substitute’s probation officer found
voluminous amounts of pornography on his phone and in his vehi
cle in 2015. Yet. Bibb County Judge Howard Simms still refused to
revoke the man’s first-offender status, merely ordering him back
to sexual offender classes (it. worked so well the first time). Two
months later, his probation was over and the law considered him
never to have done anything wrong.
So let’s give our Venter credit: The legislature should change the
first-offender law so that. it. cannot, be applied to molestation cases.
Alas, she wasn’t, done:
“Will Davis if you think our schools and our school staff are so
bad take your kids somewhere else and move. You are evil to the
core and we don’t, need you in our town. I’m sure this won’t make
the vent. but. it. will get to you.”
I don’t suppose you’ll be sending a Christmas card this year?
Well, it seems to be her position that, if I really liked Monroe
County schools, I would find out we had hired a child molester
and keep it. to myself. OK And contrary to this assertion, we
bought, the Reporter and I moved my family here 11 years ago in
part, because I do think we have a
good school system. That’s all the
more reason to call it to account
when it makes a bad decision. As to
your suggestion I am evil to the core,
I am reminded of when The London
Times newspaper in the late 19th
century wrote to the leading authors
of the day with the question: “What’s
wrong with the world today?”
The legendary London editor G.K
Chesterton responded simply,
‘Dear Sir,
I am.
Yours, G.K Chesterton.”
Human nature is fallen, and I
am no different. The brilliant French
thinker Blaine Pascal liked to note
that, if the thoughts of any man were
projected onto a screen, there’s not. one who wouldn’t, deserve 1,000
hangings. It. goes for me, and it goes for you too, Madame Venter.
However, I do have a savior, Jesus Christ., who forgives me even
the evil that, goes to my core. I hope you do as well.
It continued:
“Will Davis, you are the single worst thing that has ever hap
pened to Forsyth. You live to ruin lives and you leave a path of
destruction in your wake. PLEASE LEAVE.”
Well she has a point., since General William Tecumseh Sherman
never made it this far south. And, if she’s seen my place at. the
table after a good meal at. El Tejado, “path of destruction” is prob
ably the appropriate description. On she went:
“Will Davis needs to pack his bags and leave.”
Y)u said that, already!
Finally:
“I am ashamed to say Will Davis is a member of my church
congregation. I hope you feel the eyes piercing you tomorrow and
decide to leave our church.”
I doubt, it..
f
"ST
IT
3.
is published every week by The Monroe County Reporter Inc.
Will Davis, President • Robert M. Williams Jr., Vice President
Cheryl S. Williams, Secretary-Treasurer
OUR STAFF
Will Davis
Publisher/Editor
publisher@mymcr.net
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News Editor
forsyth@mymcr.net
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Advertising Manager
ads@mymcr.net
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Business Manager
business@mymcr.net
Diane Glidewell
Community Editor
news@mymcr.net
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Creative Director
graphics@mymcr.net
Official Organ of Monroe County and the City of Forsyth
50 N. Jackson St. • Forsyth, GA 31029
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Publication No. USPS 997-840
Declare among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard;
publish, and conceal not; Jeremiah 50:2
2016 and 2017 winner: Editorial Page excellence
2016 winner: Sports Photography excellence
2016 winner: News Photography excellence
2016 winner: Front Page excellence
2017 winner: Best Humor Column - On the Porch
4A
& EDITORIALS
PEACH STATE POLITICS by Kyle Wingfield
Let's fully fund our charter schools
T his is shaping up as a
pretty decent, legislative
session on a number of
fronts. There’s even a
chance we’ll see the first,
full steps forward on school choice
in a few years.
The House this past week
approved higher funding for public
charter schools approved by the
state, which has lan-
guished well below
the state average for
years. I’m told the
House and Senate
are also nearing a
compromise to raise
the cap on the state’s
popular tax-credit,
scholarship program.
A third bill which
would estab
lish Education
Scholarship Accounts
(ESAs) allowing stu
dents to use the state
portion of funds allo
cated for their schooling for differ
ent purposes, from private school
tuition to homeschooling materi
als, has advanced out of committee
and deserves a vote before the full
House.
In each case opponents have
raised the same objection we’ve
heard over the past several years:
Why do any of these things while
the state is still imposing some
$167 million in “austerity cuts” on
local school systems?
It’s a question worth answering.
Just not as the opponents might
think.
First, recall what the “austerity
cuts” are: the difference between
what the state spends on k-12
schools, and what the outdated
Quality Basic Education (QBE)
formula says it should spend. In
next year’s budget, Gov. Nathan
Deal has proposed almost $9.5
billion in QBE funding. The “aus
terity cuts” represent less than 2
percent of that total.
But wait, there’s more: Local
and federal funding make up
about half of all k-12 spending in
Georgia. That means the $167 mil
lion shortfall represents
less than nine-tenths of
1 percent of all spend
ing. Are we supposed
to believe schools can’t
get the job done because
they’re only 99.1 per
cent funded?
Let’s also review some
of the things lawmak
ers have done in recent
years instead of elimi
nating the “austerity
cuts.” Last year, they
spent $160 million —
or almost the same
amount — on raises
for teachers. Over the past two
sessions, they have added almost
$600 million — or about twice as
much — to shore up the teacher
pension system. That’s on top of
the $1 billion increase in QBE
funding over the past three years
alone. State spending on public
schools is rising by hundreds of
millions of dollars every single
year as it is.
Now, consider these school-choice
bills in that context.
First of all, state charter schools
are public schools, just like local
k-12 schools. The state is no less
obligated to educate charter stu
dents than their counterparts in
traditional public schools, but it
currently funds them as if it is.
What’s more, that particular bill
and its funding were proposed
after the governor released his
k-12 budget, meaning any addi
tional dollars (approximately $17
million) charters receive don’t
come out of local systems’ pockets.
In the case of tax-credit, scholar
ships, the amount currently allot
ted ($58 million per year) isn’t the
difference between having auster
ity cuts and not having them. Nor
is the amount said to be under
consideration for the future, which
is in the neighborhood of $100 mil
lion. But beyond that, a student
who uses a tax-credit, scholarship
also isn’t educated in a public
school, with the cost that entails.
Similar logic applies to ESAs.
House Bill 482 requires students
to attend a public school for at
least a year before qualifying for
an ESA, unless they face one of
a handful of circumstances (such
as being bullied or being in foster
care). So these students would be
educated in a public school, at a
higher cost, otherwise. And the bill
limits enrollment to one-quarter
of 1 percent in year one, rising no
more than one-quarter of a per
centage point per year after that.
It would take 20 years before even
5 percent of students could receive
an ESA.
Taken together, House members
are well-justified sending HB 482
to the Senate, where all those
Republicans running for higher
office should be eager to approve a
bill strongly favored by GOP pri
mary voters. Let’s get this done.
Kyle Wingfield writes for The
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the
Monroe County Reporter and other
newspapers. Reach him and read
more at www.bit.ly/KyleWingfield.
JUST THE WAY IT IS by Sloan Oliver
Mass killers slipped past law enforcement
A nother month, another
mass shooting, and
again, the media, the
Democrats, and liber
als blame everyone for
the shooting except, the person who
actually did the shooting. Regardless
of the issue, there is no discussion
or debate because Democrats and
liberals don’t want, a
debate. They want, to
lecture everyone. If
you don’t agree with
their lecture points,
you’re called names,
accused of hating
children, and accused
of supporting gun
violence. Last, week,
watching CNN’s
“unbiased” Gun
Violence town hall,
it. was evident, that,
the media, and their
liberal pawns, have zero objectivity
in regards to gun violence. The leftist,
cabal’s argument, is: guns are bad,
get. rid of all guns, the NRA supports
guns, and therefore, the NRA and its
supporters are bad. If you disagree,
they shout, you down to shut, you up.
Their form of debate is to “name call”
in order to diminish the opposition.
Since you “hate children” or “support,
gun violence”, you’re too ignorant, to
debate and thus they don’t..
JUST LIKE every tragedy, the
Democrats are not letting this
school shooting go to waste. They
are executing their “gun control”
playbook which includes “common
sense” gun control (i.e., they want
to confiscate guns), abolishing the
2nd Amendment, blaming the NRA
and the gun industry, and blam
ing Republicans and conservatives
calling them hateful, “dingers” (to
guns), NRA lackeys, “right wing”
wackos, etc. Again, the leftist cabal
blames everyone but themselves
and the shooter.
THE TWO most recent mass
shootings were: the recent school
shooting in Florida (17 dead), and
the November 2017 Texas church
shooting (26 dead). Each of these
shootings felt like a gut punch. The
videos, the chaos, the tears, and
the funerals are heart-wrenching.
These killings hurt.; they’re devas
tating to the country. We all want
to “do something.” But. what can be
done?
TURNS OUT, the country has
laws, regulations, and policies that,
might have or could have prevented
some of these killings. The Florida
school killer was known to law
enforcement. Over the previous two
years, he had been reported to the
sheriff and police on numerous occa
sions for harassing and threatening
fellow students. On his Facebook
page, he threatened to shoot up
a school, and he posted photos of
numerous weapons. Additionally,
there were two tips called
into the FBI hotline, as
recently as last month,
warning that, he was
threatening to shoot up a
school. Despite all those
“red flags” and warnings,
nothing was done either
by the police, sheriff, or
the FBI. He was able
to purchase numerous
weapons and allowed
to stroll into the school
and kill 17 people. This
is similar to the Orlando
nightclub killer (48 dead) who was
known to authorities but nothing
was done. Why have a “see some
thing, say something” policy if it
means nothing?
THE ACTIONS of (or lack of)
by the sheriff and FBI, prior to
the school shooting, were grossly
negligent. However, their negligent
actions were nothing compared to
the actions of the sheriff’s depart
ment. during the actual shooting.
Turns out, a Broward County dep
uty sheriff was on school property
the entire time of the shooting, and
HE DID NOTHING. For more than
four long minutes, while the killer
roamed the hallways killing inno
cent students, the armed deputy
cowered behind a wall outside the
school and never entered to confront
the killer. Then, three other armed
officers arrived and the four of them
remained outside while the shoot
ings continued. The actions of those
law officers were cowardly, disgust
ing, and despicable. Their job is to
protect citizens - especially chil
dren, yet they did nothing. Sheriff
Israel, the county sheriff, knew his
deputies sat outside while the killer
continued shooting students yet he
had the audacity to blame the NRA
and legal gun owners for this mas
sacre. The media has been just as
dishonest as the sheriff in that, the
media has been doing their best to
blame the NRA and guns for all the
shootings.
NEXT CONSIDER that the
Texas church shooter should not
have been able to buy a weapon.
Several years prior, the killer was
kicked out of the Air Force for
two domestic violence convictions
(DVC). He received a bad conduct
discharge and was sentenced to a
year in prison. The DVC and prison
should have prevented him from
purchasing a weapon but the Air
Force failed to enter the information
into the national database. Without
that, derogatory information in the
national database, the killer was
able to pass a background check
and purchased an AR-15. Again,
this is similar to the Charleston,
S.C. church shooter who should not
have been able to purchase a gun
but a clerical error kept derogatory
information from being entered in
the national database. Why have
laws to conduct background checks
if the laws are ignored or broken?
WHEN DISCUSSING these
shootings, we must deal with real
ity. The reality is that laws are
broken and ignored, and human
error occurs. Also, like it or not, we
have hundreds of millions of guns
in this country. Guns are here to
stay; they aren’t going anywhere.
They cannot be wished away or
negated by “gun-free zones.” So,
based on reality, what can be done?
Ever wonder why these killers don’t
shoot up police stations? Could it
be that police stations are full of
armed people? Using that, analogy,
might the presence of guns prevent
killings at other locations — such
as schools? Obviously, the answer
is yes. As a society, let’s figure out
ways to get armed and trained
police, ex-military, and teachers into
our schools to protect our children.
Wishing that, we didn’t have to arm
teachers will not prevent future
shootings. We must deal with “real
ity” as it is today. And the reality is
that good guys with guns stop bad
guys with guns.
FINALLY, THE SHOOTER IS
RESPONSIBLE for these kill
ings, not the NRA, not the gun,
not Congress — the shooter. If you
really must blame someone, other
than the shooter, blame Democrats
for implementing idiotic “gun-free
zones” which prevents law abiding
citizens from defending themselves
against evil.
WEEKLY Quote: “The right of the
people to keep and bear Arms, shall
not be infringed.” 2nd Amendment.
Sloan Oliver is a retired Army offi
cer. He lives in Bolingbroke with his
wife Sandra. Email at sloanoliver@
earthlink.net.
OLIVER