Former Hall Supporters Mum on Ex-Schools Chief Indictment

On March 3^rd, 2010, Gary Price, told WABE about the purpose of an independent commission to overseer an APS investigation.

Price claimed that day the commission was meeting for the first time and “who’s focus is on responding to the results of the work done by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement on the CRCT tests from 2009.”

But in an email obtained by WABE, on a late Friday evening, February 26^th, 2010, Atlanta Chamber of Commerce president Sam Williams contacted the APS board detailing the make-up of the soon-to-be formed commission, “we will let the facts from this investigation guide us in our support of Dr. Hall and the next steps the Atlanta Public Schools system needs to take,” said Williams.

It goes on to list others that would serve on the commission including Gary Price as the chair.

Some notables included John Rice from General Electric, Curley Dossman of the Georgia Pacific Foundation, Spelman president Dr. Beverly Tatum and from Coca-Cola Ingrid Saunders Jones.

After the commission released its findings, Gary Price told WABE it was, “equally important that the work that was done not only meets the requirements that the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement put out, because there was a minimum set of requirements they put out at the beginning of this process, I think it actually exceeds those requirements.”

But it didn’t and the governor called the report woefully inadequate.

Excluding John Rice who’s out of the country, WABE contacted all of the members of the Blue Ribbon Commission.

No one would agree to an interview.

Gary Price declined to be interviewed, but through a spokesperson said he was looking forward to our story.

Below is the statement from Sam Williams regarding Atlanta Public Schools:

“For decades, the business community has been involved in education because we must have a homegrown workforce with the skills needed in today’s economy.  Our focus continues to be on supporting Erroll Davis, the APS board, Mayor Reed, Governor Deal and other leaders in their unwavering commitment to what matters most – our children and their academic success.”

Sam A. Williams

President

Metro Atlanta Chamber

2010 Atlanta Public Schools Blue Ribbon Commission Members

Gary Price – Pricewaterhouse Coopers (Chairman)

LaChandra Butler-Burks – Atlanta Board of Education

Jack Capers – King & Spalding

Curley Dossman – Georgia Pacific Foundation

Ponder Harrison – Allegiant Air and APS Parent

Gail Hayes – Annie E. Casey Foundation

Milton Jones –  Integrated Capital Strategies

Ingrid Saunders Jones – Coca-Cola Company

Susan Pease Langford – Peck, Shaffer & Williams LLP

Dennis Lockhart – Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta

Helene Lollis – Pathbuilders Inc.

Thelma Malone – Atlanta Council of PTAs

Penelope McPhee – Arthur M. Blank Foundation

John Rice – General Electric

Dr. Beverly Tatum – Spelman College