JMcCray,
Thank you for your endorsement, and I am ready to serve. I would like to encourage everyone to to get out and exercise your right to vote on July 15th. You can also vote early July 7-11th if you like. This election year is very important for the future of Bryan County schools so we can't sit back and let a small handful of voters decide the future. We owe it to the children of Bryan County to give them our best.

I have an idea that some of the "old guard" will be making a big push these final few days to rally their supporters to the polls. We might even see an early release of the "Good News for Bryan County Schools" skillfully timed to hit the streets just prior to the 15th. If I'm right, I'm sure this last ditch effort to sway voters will thank the parents, pledge commitment, a brighter future, and express excitement about the upcoming 2008-2009 school year. Well, I don't have a paper (funded by the tax payers)at my disposal to use as a campaign medium for job security, and will give the claims and promises made the proper weight given the election year overtones.

I am glad to see many of my ideas, concerns and issues appearing in the mail outs and hand outs of Ms. Coleman and Ms. Piper. I take their "latching on" as a sign of the effectiveness of my leadership and willingness to bring parent concerns to the public arena and the effect it has had.

There are reasons that the "old guard" doesn't want Jeff or I on the board and I think you have captured them quite well in your blog.

Jeff and I both need our supporters to be heard at the polls. Thanks for your support.
Charlie Johnson

Charlie,
Maybe I misjudged you when I said you were a windbag. My apologies! I sure misjudged Joe Pecenka when I thought he wanted change! He voted for the same old, same old. When is his term up? He'd better watch how he handles the remaining time, because we don't forget these things. Yep, the Good News About Bryan County arrived in my mailbox today. Blah, blah, blah.

Sunny, Joe's term is up Dec. 31, 2010. Yes, it looks like his neighbor -- and longtime family friend -- Mrs. Meeks has lured him to the dark side. Guess Sallie will have at least one mouthpiece still in place after Frances FINALLY steps aside.

The Good News about Bryan County Schools is that they have been and continue to be good schools. This did not happen by chance. The genuine care and concern for the best interest of Bryan County students by the superintendent, the board members, principals and teachers have lead our school system to where it is today. I am by no means saying that there is not room for improvement or change. We are all vying for a position on a board that has been built by the ones who served before us. I see no reason to refer to Dr. Brewer nor Mrs. Meeks as old crones. They have dedicated many years to something they believe in. I heard no mention of Mr. Mock, who by the way was not in attendance at the forum, and who is also elderly and retiring. From some of the rhetoric being voiced, one would almost see this as a sexist campaign; the men against the women. I think with age comes wisdom. From youth comes vision, fresh ideas and enthusiasm. This is what a school board should be made up of; young and old, male and female, black and white,(by the way who does represent the black population of Bryan County), rich and poor. It should be representative of the community in which the members are serving. To JMcCray, I was not at the forum to impress just you. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I know I cannot please everyone. Perhaps I wasn't impressive with a stack of notes from which I read the same boring rules, guidelines, documented info, etc. I had such a stack in my notebook, but I chose to answer my questions from my heart and with mental preparedness. I wanted to appear sincere and capable to think and respond on my own. Change seems to be the momentum this year's elections from the county level to national level. People are tired of the same old blah, blah, blah, and empty promises and it doesn't matter if it is coming from the lips of a woman or a man. I may have appeared to you to have been uninformed or unprepared in answering the questions. I was, however honest and straightforward.

Ms. Lane,
Let me offer that this in no way is a sexist campaign or a campaign of race, or rich and poor. Let's all retain some class and dignity and not inject reckless, inflammatory ideas and remarks. Thanks, and it was a pleasure meeting you Thursday night.

Charlie Johnson

I apologise, I was not trying to inject anything racist or inflammatory into the race. But I fail to see the class or dignity in calling experienced, dedicated people "old crones","old guard" or potential board members "mouth pieces" for Dr. Brewer. Come on. We have to give credit where credit is due, even though we may not always agree with the decisions these people have made. Mrs. Meeks and Mr. Mock have been re-elected by the people to their seats for years. Dr. Brewer's contract has been renewed by the board for years. If these people are so terrible, why were they allowed to stay in office so long? I can assure you I am not a mouth piece for anyone. I am my own person and have my own voice. I have my own agenda for seeking this seat and it is not a personal one for the sole purpose of keeping or getting rid of Dr. Brewer. My agenda is to represent the people of District 2 fairly, with dignity and respect while keeping the best interest of all Bryan County students in mind.