Opinions

Dear editor,
From the beginning of selecting a superintendent for the Dodge County School system, we have set a standard for hiring a superintendent for the Dodge school system. We first elected one by voting by the Dodge County voters. Then the idea came up that the board should appoint the superintendent and the individual who is appointed as superintendent should have a six years certification and experience in education.
To make a long story short, let us start with the hiring of Mr. Griffin, Mrs. Williams and Mr. Colbert. After Mr. Colbert, the board agreed to hire an individual and went outside and hired Dr. May who did a good job. Then someone said we should not have gone outside to hire a superintendent when we have more qualified educators within the school system so we did not change the standard of hiring the superintendent of Dodge County. We then hired from within our school system, which was Dr. Rogers who also did a great job. Next the board hired a local superintendent who was a home product of Dodge County High School, Dr. M. Dennis who did an outstanding job. Now we have come to the point that the board of education has taken a step back or changed the policy on hiring a new superintendent. The board has said that we are not accepting any outside applications and the choice would be within the school system which was Dr. Long, Dr. Davis and Mr. Hilliard.
This brings us to my main point. Before we hired Dr. May, we let Mrs. Dennis serve as INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT for over one year. Mr. Hilliard retired or resigned and the board appointed Dr. Davis as INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT. He was just like Mrs. Dennis in that he is a local educator and he has worked his way up though the school system and done a good job. So why couldn’t the board of education give Dr. Davis a chance to serve at LEAST one year as INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT. He is a doctor (Dr. Elvis Davis). WE guess you say it is not the time for a MINORITY SUPERINTENDENT when he has more experience than the superintendent that the board hired. We would like to know who is controlling the hiring of the SUPERINTENDENT for Dodge County Board of Education? It is someone outside of the board giving the orders?
Within our school system, we have MALE and FEMALE with the experience of doctor and also individuals who have a degree in administration such as a T-6 or a doctoral degree and also have experience in the classroom and in administration. Dr. Davis has services in all of these areas.
One more thing. Why doesn’t the Dodge County Board of Education have an ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT in place so the board wouldn’t have to go outside of the school system to hire a SUPERINTENDENT every time. If we had an assistant superintendent in place, we would have this problem solved. We always assign a principal from a school to the board of education as a coordinator or busy man/woman instead of making then an ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT for a half or full year. This would be the right thing to do for our STUDENTS because he or she would already have the experience and understand the Dodge County School System.
John Battle

Dear editor,
It was recently revealed that the Dodge County school system has had nine superintendents in the past twelve years. Now let that sink in. Nine in twelve years causes one to ponder on the problems with the school system. Is the job that hard? Is the board making bad decisions? What about the work environment? This comes on the heels of the hiring of the new head football coach/athletic director that had past problems that allegedly led to his firing at two different schools. This new hire apparently was carrying more baggage than Delta Airlines on an international flight. All these decisions were made behind closed doors in secrecy. You start getting the feeling that the problems originate with the board (we thought there were only three Stooges).
When you speak to the citizens of Dodge County concerning how politicians operate, you always get a response such as “this is Dodge County you know” or “that’s the way things are done in Dodge County”. George magazine published an article in March 1998 listing the ten most corrupt city governments in the United States. Not surprising to most of the longtime residents of Dodge County as well as other middle Georgia cities, Eastman, Georgia was listed along with Washington, D.C., Miami, Florida and Las Vegas, Nevada. (I still recall the snickering from people living as far away as Salt Lake City, Utah when I told them I lived in Dodge County). We would hope that after 20 plus years things would have improved. Back then Dodge County and Eastman made the national news due to corruption with our county officials along with numerous voting infractions. Are we seeing a return to those days? Has the voter buying moved from the voting booth to the boardroom meetings? Do we as citizens of Dodge County want to endure that experience again? I know I don’t enjoy being the laughing stock of the nation. Hopefully you don’t either.
I remember an ad that was on TV some years back where a person sticks his head out the window and yells “I’m mad as h--- and I’m not going to take it anymore!” Maybe its time for the citizens of Dodge County to tell our elected officials that “we’re mad as h--- and we’re not going to take it anymore!” We need to tell each board member that WE THE PEOPLE elected you and we DEMAND you do the job you were elected for or you RESIGN. Let them know that their job is to look out for the students of Dodge County (education and safety) and spend taxpayer money wisely. Their job is not to make sure their friends and relatives are hired. Ask any board member “do you have family members working in the school system?” Do you honestly believe the board in charge of hiring, firing and promoting school personnel do this in an unbiased manner? I see on my 2019 estimated taxes that we are paying the same mil rate for school taxes, which take up more than half of my total. If the Board of Education (BOE) can afford to pay two athletic directors and two head football coaches for over two months, their budget is too high. Don’t you think we should see a reduction in school tax mil rate for 2019? It is past time to hold our elected officials accountable.
Come on citizens of Dodge, let’s take this county back. By the way, I wrote to the Board of Education and to our state representative regarding my concerns on actions taken by the BOE and all have chosen to ignore me.
Robert L. Belflower

Dear editor,
Regarding this ongoing news cycle of “border crises” with illegal immigrants, who is really to blame here with this crisis? 
By now most of the world has seen or heard of the mass detention of those trying to enter the United States illegally. They can see or hear of the austere conditions there, whether it be from this infernal summer heat that south Texas has or the detention center itself without adequate and suitable space for the hordes of people that have been amassed in the United States illegally. They can see and hear of the miserable conditions there, yet they keep coming and bringing their children with them. Why do they hope to be received with open arms when it is clear they won’t be? 
I personally think the parents are to blame for bringing themselves and their children and trying to enter illegally.
Blame those no account democrat politicians who are using them for their own greed.
The situation at the border is deplorable but is also is avoidable.
Do not blame those that are enforcing our laws. Instead, blame those who are responsible, especially those who are hoping to gain a plurality of democrat votes or make headlines at the expense of the would-be immigrant.
Folks, these are not your grandfather’s democrats anymore. The democrats today are an abomination and anathema to God himself! These democrats openly flaunt defiance of our creator in His laws and will stop at nothing to tear down this country! For them to finally get a better start at the gate is to get an illegal immigrant in this country for that all-important coveted vote.
If you want to keep this country what it was intended to be by our founding fathers and what is endowed by our Heavenly Father, send these wetbacks back to the Rio Grande and especially vote those anti Christ democrat politicians out of office.
TSGT. Joseph Bryan, U.S.A.F. Ret 

Dear editor,
I love children because God created them through a man and a woman through holy matrimony. They must be trained by parents and other adults by setting the right example before them.
Children’s lives have become like the wind, they can’t see it, can’t feel it and don’t know where it’s going. Maybe that’s why so many children are acting like I am tired of living and I am afraid to die.
Of the many things our younger generation needs. It’s an inward feeling manifested through their outward actions. It’s a sound one can make without saying a word. It can be ones’ best friend or their worst enemy. It will draw people close to you or repel them away. It’s never too late to do the right thing.
“Our most merciful and holy father, grant us the vision to see beyond today and guild for the future, a deeper love for our youth and a better understanding of their problems. Direct us toward their solutions. Instill into young Americans a love you have for their country, a spirit of unselfish service and a sense of loyalty, self-reliance and responsibilities. Guide us and direct our efforts as we labor to train our youth for tomorrows responsibilities and leadership.” Amen
Johnny L. Blacke, MGS (R)

Dear editor,
Recent news about massive flooding in Oklahoma, Arkansas and central Texas and the destruction caused by unprecedented tornadoes across the country should be effective rebuttals to the climate-change deniers.
Weather changes are bringing on great destruction affecting millions of people and yet deniers won’t face the huge problems brought on by human activities harmful to our fragile earth.  Case in point, my bride and I were tubing down the Comal River in the hill country between New Braunfels and San Antonio in 1996 post honeymoon. The water was littered with soda cans, beer cans, potato chip bags and, of course, a few meth heads and drunks passing us by with their illegal wares in hand. Since that time, the river has heightened in the trash level thereby magnifying this ongoing problem, which is ten times worse than reported by local news.
Sadly, we are leaving our children and grandchildren an earth with rising sea levels, uncontrollable pollution and ever-increasing destructive weather patterns.
Even my once sleepy town of Eastman, where I grew up and attended Dodge County High class of 1965, has the same growing pains of yankees, foreigners and sojourns moving in and bringing crime and pollution.  
We need to act as responsible adults and address climate change and confront these feckless individuals who trash our country now before it is too late.
TSGT. Joseph L Bryan, U.S.A.F. Ret