Citizen group upset about hiring of new Clayton Co. superintendent

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — A group of citizens held a rally outside the Clayton County School Board headquarters to protest the board's decision to permanently hire its interim superintendent. They are also upset the board ignored the results of its own survey.
 
"Listen to the voice of the people," Jeffrey Benoit, with the Clayton County National Action Network, said during the rally.
 
Several groups said the board disregarded the voice of the people when it comes to Superintendent Luvenia Jackson.
 
First, they wanted to let it be known they have nothing against the superintendent.
 
"It has to deal with the fact that we are asking to get the best individual for our bucks," parent Anthony Williams said.
 
The citizens are not happy that the board removed Jackson's interim tag and named her permanent superintendent without doing a national, regional or local search.
 
They are especially disturbed that the board ignored its own survey, which found that a majority of citizens wanted a national search.
 
The vote to permanently hire Jackson was 5 to 4.
 
"The problem we have with that the 5 to 4 vote again totally ignored the will of the people," C. Synamon Baldwin, of the Clayton County NAACP, said.
 
Board President Pam Adamson has said in the past that it saves the district money not to do a national search. And she said Jackson was doing a great job and was loved by everyone.
 
The citizens said being loved by everyone isn't a qualification for the job.
 
"The people have spoken as I often hear, but nobody is listening," Benoit said.
 
The survey does indicate there was significant support for naming Jackson as superintendent.
 
The concerned citizens attended the board's meeting to tell the board why that shouldn't happen without a national search.

WSBTV