Anyone know the new Lowndes County Schools superintendent Shawn Haralson? He appears to be ducking me. I don’t really know if he is or not, but I don’t know what else to call it.

I’ve emailed him twice using the email form on the Lowndes County Schools website. No reply. I then contacted Board of Education members and a high ranking administrator in the school system. I was asked to contact the new Superintendent’s assistant and request an appointment. I emailed her using the school system’s website. No reply. I guess the next step is to call and be sent to voicemail 4 times. I’ll call Monday morning, but I’m not too optimistic about getting a reply at this point.

But you guys know me. I don’t give up easily.

If anyone runs into Shawn, let him know these are the topics I wish to talk to him about.

1. Lowndes School System’s $60 million surplus. What are we going to do with the money?

2. Why is the school system proposing a small millage rate reduction that results in a tax increase of 3.2% (yes, you read that right. A millage reduction that results in tax increase due to the explosion in the price of homes). Why not make the reduction that results in NO tax increase since you have a $60 million surplus?

3. Why doesn’t the school system send a one time rebate check to all Lowndes County tax payers since there is such a large $60 million surplus? The State of Georgia did it. Why can’t Lowndes County Schools do it?

4. I would like to suggest forming a school system planning committee made up of educators, administrators, parents, and residents of Lowndes County to do a feasibility study of building a second high school in the County.

5. Is there a financial report available that details all programs and/or projects that have been or will be funded by CARES Act or any other federal covid stimulus funds?

As you can see, there’s quite a list of items that I would like to discuss with the new superintendent. I would have preferred giving him this list directly instead of posting it here, but he won’t meet with me.

When Wes Taylor was superintendent, he met with me several times so I could ask him questions to help me understand why the school system made the decisions they made. It was a great open door policy. Does the new superintendent now have a closed door policy towards meeting with the public? I have no idea and am giving him the benefit of the doubt, but I’ve reached out to him 3 times now and still no reply.

Hey Shawn, come on dude. Give me a call.