Parents continue to protest against the school board as it battles through a host of issues in Georgia
By JAMIE KENNEDY
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COBB COUNTY, Georgia (WGCL) — A special executive session for Thursday was called by the Cobb County Board of Education and parents once again were protesting outside on several issues embroiling the school district.
“There’s gotta be a change,” said Brianne Vaskovardzic, a mother with three kids in Cobb schools.
“I think it is overwhelming for parents,” said Michael Garza, a Cobb parent of one. “There’s so much information coming in from the outside, information that’s not helpful to parents. We’re kind of ground zero somewhat, we’re in the national media for all the wrong reasons.”
The school district is currently facing lawsuits around its COVID school policies.
“The accommodations are simply what the CDC has suggested as being the appropriate guidelines to implement at schools,” said attorney Allison Vrolijk, who is representing for Cobb parents. “Masking, social distancing, things like that, and the school district has denied them these accommodations.”
Board members were notified on Monday of the executive session that can focus on land issues, student discipline hearings, and legal matters.
“It looks like it’s a legal issue from the district,” said Dr. Jaha Howard, a Cobb schools board member. “And we discuss legal matters every board meeting, however there’s something that must be time sensitive that was best not to wait until our normal meeting next Thursday.”
Parents outside the building said too much misinformation is being spread by some on the board.
The board’s vice chairman David Banks set parents off this week with an email that talked about COVID vaccine deaths and the government intentionally killing its citizens.
“When you have someone in a position of authority on a school board saying literal falsehoods, things that have been widely disproved, it’s just mind blowing and you feel helpless,” Vaskovardzic said.
The recent spate of anti-Semitism language drawn on school walls another issue parents spoke of here today.
“There are a lot of issues around racism that need fixing in Cobb schools,” Vaskovardzic said.
The district in a statement said as Supt. Ragsdale said during the September Board meeting, “The district does not and will not tolerate hate in any form. Following an investigation, the administration has brought disciplinary charges against those responsible. The matter is proceeding to the disciplinary tribunal process required by Georgia law.”
Senior Rabbi Larry Sernovitz of Temple Kol Emeth said he has been having continuing talks with both the school board and the school district, which have been positive. A possible resolution around anti-Semitism is being considered at board level. Rabbi Sernovitz is hopeful there will be an announcement soon.
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