Forum Discusses Macon-Bibb Consolidation, "Macon Miracle" | News

Members of the Martin Luther King Commission held a symposium Monday evening, discussing the issue of consolidation.

"We find that consolidation becomes a question in the South when certain numbers of African Americans reach a certain threshold that becomes threatening to other people who have always been in power," says Councilman Henry Ficklin on consolidation.

Ficklin was a panelist for the discussion and says he's opposed to the idea.

The group talked about the pros and cons that would come along with consolidation.

A lot of the focus was on the idea that fewer people would be making bigger decisions for a larger group.

State Representative James Beverly says he's not for or against the idea.

"There's some big, big big issues, right? You have to have proportional representation," he says. "You gotta do that first. You have to deal with, 'How do we create economic opportunities for the whole community if we're going to do this thing?' How do you make people feel like, you know what, these guys were actually very deliberate about it, does it make sense for me to actually vote for it or not? And those considerations are tough."

Beverly says he thinks they'll get a bill out this legislative session.

He says if they get everything done structurally in time, it could be voted on in the July primaries.

The group also focused discussion around the education system and Superintendent Dallemand's strategic plan.

Bibb County teacher, Kimberlyn Carter said, "Only 24 out of 41 of our school systems schools made adequate yearly progress, or AYP as you hear it. Do you want anything adequate?"

Carter says Macon's school system needs a miracle.

She says kids getting by with just adequate performance isn't enough.

She says those changes in the learning system start with the teachers.

"Unlike most professions, sometimes we're not tweaked as much as other professions are," Carter says. "And so one of the things that I love about the program is this idea that all teachers can be professionally developed to the maximum of their potential to deliver the best education to every student."

Carter calls the strategic plan a "living document" and says it is always evolving.

She says the school district is open to listening to the community's comments about the "Macon Miracle."