Clayton Association Says Citizens Partly to Blame

By Odette Yousef

Atlanta, GA – Yesterday, leaders of a countywide homeowners group told Clayton County residents they were partly to blame for their schools' troubles. The Clayton County Wide Homeowners Association said weak civic participation helped to endanger the system's accreditation.

More than one hundreds, many whom were not members, but just concerned citizens, came to the meeting. Synamon Baldwin, co-founder of the association, told them this:

BALDWIN: The homeowners, taxpayers, citizens share a responsibility for the dilemma that we find ourselves in right now. And that's because we have not held those who we elected accountable, we've not attended meetings, we've not gotten involved in our schools the way we should.

Baldwin urged residents to attend PTA meetings, school board meetings, and to thoroughly research future school board candidates.

She wants to let current school board members finish out their terms. Not all in the audience agreed with that point. Many are pushing for recalls or resignations.