The two candidates for open Post 5 on the Oconee County Board of Education offered differing views about issues facing the Board from the beginning of their separate 45-minute long video interviews.
Katie Green and Brock Toole both said they wanted to be on the Board to provide service to the community.
But Green said she could make that contribution because of her experience as an educator at a variety of levels and in different educational settings outside Oconee County, while Toole said he would bring to the Board his detailed knowledge gained as a former administrator within Oconee County Schools.
Green, who is the Democratic Party nominee, said she feels there is evidence the current Board is too deferential to School Superintendent Jason Branch, that the Board has been overly reactive in reaching the decision to install school resource officers, and that the Board has not been transparent enough in dealing with its budgets.
Toole, who is the Republican Party nominee, was reluctant to answer the question about the Board’s deference to Branch, said the Board has been proactive in dealing with school safety issues, and that he understood the need to withhold detailed budget information until the budget is approved.
Green closed the interview by emphasizing that she would “offer a fresh face and a fresh set of ideas” if elected to the Board, while Toole said he would not hesitate to disagree until the Board made its decision, at which time he would join the majority “because that’s what Boards do.”
The two agreed to sit for the video interviews as a way of reaching out to voters before early voting starts on Tuesday.
Adam Hammond, the Republican Party nominee for Post 4 on the Board of Education, and Sheri Ward Long, running as a Democrat for that slot, as well as Republican Michael Ransom, unopposed for Post 1 Board Chair, also gave separate interviews.
Interview Format
I invited all five of the candidates on the ballot for the three open School Board posts to participate in the video interviews, and all agreed immediately.
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| Green 9/28/2024 |
All had identified themselves and responded to questions from the audience in a candidate forum before the May party primaries, but none had responded to questions about some of the issues that have emerged in recent months.
I reserved one of the study rooms at the Oconee County Library in Wire Park in Watkinsville and interviewed Ransom on Sept. 21, Greene, Hammond, and Toole on Sept. 28, and Long on Sept. 29.
I asked the same 25 questions, in the same order, of the candidates for Post 4 and 5.
I asked Ransom some of the same questions, but I also focused more on the referendum on the ballot on Nov. 5.
Ransom currently holds Post 5 on the Board and chose to run for Post 1, being vacated with the retirement of current Board Chair Kim Argo.
Tim Burgess, who currently holds Post 4, is not seeking re-election.
I published a summary of the interviews with Hammond and Long and uploaded videos of the interviews on Tuesday (Oct. 8).
Long qualified to run as a Democrat without party recruitment and is running without party support, while Green was recruited by the local Democratic Party and is running with party support. Neither had opposition in the May primary.
Hammond, Toole, and Ransom all had competition in the Republican Party primary.
I did not ask any of the candidates about their party affiliations, though Green did discuss her decision to run as a Democrat at the end of her interview.
Summary Format
My goal is doing these interviews was to create a video record for others to watch in their entirety. All of the videos for the Post 4 and 5 candidates are on my Vimeo site. The Ransom video and story will be uploaded before early voting starts on Tuesday.
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| Toole 9/28/2024 |
Below I have provided each of the questions asked, in the order I asked them of each of the four candidates for Posts 4 and 5.
I also provided very brief summaries of the responses of each of the candidates.
When I shortened the answers, as I did often, I inserted ellipses (three dots) to indicate that a section of the answer had been removed. Where no ellipses appear at the front or back of the transcribed responses, nothing has been removed.
I am presenting those responses of the candidates in alphabetical order, though the Republicans will appear before the Democrats on the ballot.
At the end of the interview, I offered the candidates a chance to respond to questions I had not asked.
I used two cameras, both on the table in front of me, for redundancy, but the video below is from only one of the cameras.
Only the candidate and I were in the room for the interview.
Questions And Responses
1. Why do you want to be a member of the Oconee County Board of Education?
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| Becker 9/28/2024 |
Green
I was looking for a way to give back to the community...So when there were various positions that needed people to run for them this one definitely called my name because I felt like I had plenty of experience in education...and be an important part of what goes on in Oconee County.
Toole
This is my home. I care about what happens in my home town. Being my past experience as assistant superintendent for Oconee County School system, I think I’ve got a lot of knowledge and service that I can offer to the Board. Whether it’s my children or my friend’s children, or anybody’s children for that matter, I’m just excited to do what I can to help further a great education here in Oconee county...
2.What special skills or talents or perspectives do you think you can bring to the Board?
Green
...I’m an anthropologist. My bachelor’s and master’s degrees are in anthropology...It is a little more second nature for me to see things from other people’s perspective...But mainly I bring a lot of education experience. I have a Ph.D. in science education...and I taught middle school full-time for 12 years...I taught high school before as well...I’ve taught almost anybody that you can think of...
Toole
By being assistant superintendent for over four years, I have a very close, working operational knowledge of the system. And that’s all aspects of it...I sat in the meetings. I know what happens. I know every inch of every school we have...I built relationships with most of the teachers. With most of the administrators...I believe taking that operational knowledge to the Board will be a valuable asset for our county.
3. What problems, if any, do you see the Board facing at present?
Green
It seems like the biggest problem these days is kind of a lack of trust on behalf of the people...There seems to be a lot of distrust that the Board and Superintendent have the best interests of the student in mind and the best interests of the citizens of Oconee County especially. I think that the lack of communication and the lack of transparency has fueled that...Oconee County does a fantastic job of serving the top students who are driven, who are college bound, who are self motivated, but maybe it doesn’t offer quite as many opportunities to students who need a little extra help...
Toole
I think problems, I like to call them opportunities. They arise constantly. The one that is everybody’s mind right now, of course, with the Apalachee shooting is the SRO, the resource officers...And I believe the Board got it right...They had done a lot of different things over the years safety wise to prepare for that moment, but the one thing that wasn’t was SROs. I think that changed a lot of people’s minds about the need for SROs when that happened so close to home. It let everybody know, these things can happen anywhere. And I was really proud of the Board for getting out in front of it...
4. How would you address those problems?
Green
The first problem, the transparency problem, I would really just like to see a lot more communication between the Board and the people in the community...I’d like to see more community events, more Town Hall events...The second one, I think that I would like to know more about what schools are doing...Maybe there is a lot happening and we just don’t know about it...
Toole
Head on...I’m a very tactfully blunt individual. I think I’d hit it like I do everything else. Head on.
5. There is much concern in the community about school safety. The Board has authorized Superintendent Jason Branch to work with Sheriff James Hale to develop “a memorandum of agreement that would provide a comprehensive law enforcement presence at all 12 of our schools.” What would you like to see included in that agreement?
Green
...I would like to see school resource officer, which would be sheriff’s deputies or Watkinsville Police Department employees, people who have undergone training through the police academy for this sort of position...I think that we shouldn’t rely only on trained police officers to be security in our schools. But we also could rely on other security professionals...And then I think there really needs to be a big mental health component...
Toole
I think the resource officers must be a good fit for the school. I think it takes a special person. It takes somebody who is trained in law enforcement but also is very extremely empathetic and can be somewhat of a mentor to the children...The way I understand it, these officers will be at the school nine months out of the year. That’s their primary job...They are dealing with our youth. So I think it has to be a very, very good vetting process...
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| Green 9/28/2024 |
6. The Board has been asked to install school resource officers in the past and declined to do so. Do you think the Board has been adequately proactive in dealing with school safety to this point, or do you feel it has been overly reactive? Please explain your answer.
Green
...I think it is really easy to feel like this will never happen to us because if you start thinking every day that this might happen to you, it makes educating a lot more difficult...I think right now the decision that they made was very reactive...I’m glad they made a decision. I’m glad they are working with Sheriff Hale...and I hope that they’ll be more proactive in the future.
Toole
I think it has been very proactive. The only thing is not having the SROs...I believe that with what happened at Apalachee changed a lot of people’s minds...They meet with the Sheriff’s Office regularly. That is something I used to do...To put Centegix in there I thought was a good move...I think we can always get better...If given the opportunity, I would love to be involved in that, because I think safety is our upmost importance.
7. Voters not only will be selecting School Board members on Nov. 5, but they also will be voting on a referendum the Board has placed on the ballot relating to how the Board selects its chair. Since voters approved a referendum in 1964, Oconee County voters have selected the chair of the Board of Education. Post 1 is designated as Board Chair on the ballot. If the referendum on the Nov. 5 ballot passes, it will change that, negating the election of Michael Ransom, who is running unopposed for Board Chair in November, and allowing the Board in January to pick its own chair. In 1964 voters also approved a procedure for replacement of Board members when there is a resignation. The Board itself picks the replacement, regardless of how much of the four-year term remains. That ability to fill vacancies includes the chair. Current Board Chair Kim Argo was selected by the Board to replace Tom Odom, who stepped down less than a year into his four-year term. The November ballot items would require Oconee County to follow the state constitution for replacements when an opening occurs. Basically, an election would be held if much of the term remains. Voters will not get to vote on these two changes independently. As the legislators wrote the item, and the Board approved it, it is all or nothing: Allow the Board to elect its chair or leave things as they stand, meaning the Board can elect its chair when a vacancy occurs and fill all vacancies without elections. What is your position on this referendum? Do you support its passage or oppose its passage? Why do you have that preference?
Green
I would feel more comfortable with the referendum if it was split into two different ones...I personally don’t have a lot of concerns about the first part of the referendum. To me, who would know better who would be the lead of a committee than the committee. It wouldn’t bother me if the committee picked its own lead...The appointing part seems a little more problematic to me...I’ll probably vote for the referendum...
Toole
If everybody votes on it, I think that is the right way to do it. That is what the community wants, and it is done by majority. I can’t speak for the actual Board of Education, because I’ve never sat on that, but I have sat on a lot of boards in my time. I’ve always seen those boards pick their chair...I don’t really have a problem with the actual Board picking a chair...I don’t have a problem either way...
8. Board Chair Kim Argo ruled Oconee Enterprise co-publishers Amanda and Michael Prochaska out of order when they tried to address the Board at its Aug. 12 meeting. The two tried to speak after public comment had been closed to correct information that has been presented earlier in the meeting by CFO Peter Adams and to respond to the critical comments that Board Member Tim Burgess had made about the paper. Had you been on the Board, would you have asked Board Chair Argo to allow Amanda and Michael Prochaska to speak?
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| Becker 9/28/2024 |
Green
I would have. I was at that meeting. I was there for the entire thing. I felt like the way that some of the Oconee County Schools employees and Mr. Burgess spoke about the Prochaskas in their absence was unfair...
Toole
...I know Michael works here in the county, but I believe there is a rule that says if you are not an Oconee County resident you can’t speak at the Board...So unless that’s changed, no, that shouldn’t happen...Based on the current rules, no...
9. Quite separate from what you would have done at the Aug. 12 meeting, do you feel that owners of businesses in Oconee County, should be allowed to address the Board whether or not they live in Oconee County?
Green
I do.
Toole
Personally, I don’t have a problem with business owners addressing the Board...If a rule is not changed to allow them, which takes a majority vote of three yeses above the two nos to make that change, that is the only way that can happen...
10. Someone cut the video and then subsequently the audio for the live stream of this exchange. When the video was uploaded, all parts of the exchange were cut, leaving an unidentified four-minute gap in the video. The minutes of the meeting also made no mention of the attempt by the Prochaskas to speak. Oconee County Schools Communications Director Steven Colquitt justified this action this way: “The simultaneous broadcast and archived video are provided as a courtesy, in conjunction with the legally required minutes, to accurately document the business of the Board of Education and its meetings. Disruptions and distractions not germane to the proceedings will be excluded from both versions.” What is your reaction to this statement of policy?
Green
First of all, the idea that what they had to say was not germane to the Board meeting is absurd...The idea that they post this extra video as a courtesy...to me that is part of the mistrust of the Board and the District and the Admin and the District to act as if its just a courtesy to us to be able to know what goes on at a public school School Board meeting...
Toole
“Two things. I wasn’t the one that made that policy and I wasn’t the one who gave you that answer. I can tell you this, me personally, if you are going to video, video. If you are not going to video, don’t video. I don’t know why that decision was made...I’m also not going to sit here and second guess what the school system did or didn’t do because I wasn’t privy to that information...
11. The Board, both in this year’s budget and in last year’s budget, listed $50,000 as the projected income from investments. Yet last year it received $2.7 million in investment revenue, and it has received $354,515 already this year. Citizens have asked for an explanation of this budgeting, but no one on the Board has responded. Citizens both this year and last year, in budget hearings, asked for line item budgets before the budgets were approved. They have been referred to budgets from the year earlier instead. What is your explanation for this type of response from the Board to citizen requests for detailed budget information?
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| Toole 9/28/2024 |
Green
I have tried to understand the lack of information that’s been given. And without their explanations, all I can do is guess, especially when they are asked in front of everybody during a meeting, they don’t know the answer...I’ve been at multiple Board meeting where this has been asked over and over and nobody seems to be able to explain it.
Toole
I used to look at the budgets, line by line. I can explain the budgets...The budgeting process is hard. You may have 20 different versions trying to go from one to the end. So once the budget is approved, that’s when it should probably be shown. I actually agree with that...On the actual $50,000, to me, listening to what you said now, it seems like it was a lowball number...I don’t know the reason behind that...
12. Would you propose any changes in Board behavior regarding budget information in the future?
Green
...I would propose that they release the line item budget...To only be able to see general ideas of what percent of the budget is spent on instruction versus operations versus transportation...that’s the kind of thing that I would hope could be answered or at least a clue could be provided through releasing a more detailed budget...
Toole
I believe budgets should be put out. Absolutely. Once the budget is completed, now. I’m in favor of that. I think the budget needs to be completed, voted on, approved...I think the budget is so intricate. It is a large budget. There is a lot of line items. So I think there is some understanding in there that has to go on. In other words, if you are going to put something out...there has to be education of that process...
13. Do you think the Board should hold regular town hall style meetings?
Green
Absolutely. I think that would really help the community.
Toole
I am in favor of Town Hall meetings personally...I would be in favor of Town Halls if set up correctly. I don’t think it should be a free-for-all...It has to have order...It’s a way for people to come in and vent their frustrations. That’s OK. But they have to do it the right way...
14. What do you think is the proper relationship between the Board and the Superintendent?
Green
The proper relationship is that the Board tells the superintendent what should be happening in Oconee County Schools and then the superintendent makes that happen through his or her relationship with the administration of the school district and also the school.
Toole
I believe that the Board should be the governing body for the superintendent.
15. Do you think the Board at present is overly deferential to Superintendent Jason Branch?
Green
In my experience going to meetings, it is hard to see that they wouldn’t be because of the way that the votes are shared. It is obvious that everybody knows what they are going to vote for before they come and do it before people...There is never very much talk between Board members and certainly not between Board members and the superintendent so I think that leads to this idea that maybe the superintendent is telling them what to do instead of them being in direction of him...
Toole
I’m not sure exactly what you mean there. I am going to need a little more specific on that one, because I think there is so many things that the Board and Jason have to do together. Jason’s the head of the school system, not the head of the Board...Nobody knows what’s going on behind that closed door, so I don’t know if they’re deferential or not...
16. Back in June, Superintendent Branch said the Georgia School Board Association asked the Board to affirm a couple of documents on Board Norms and Protocols. One of those documents greatly restricted the ability of Board members to obtain information from the superintendent. The superintendent can request that the Board approve any request made by an individual Board member. If you had been on the Board at that time, would you have voted to reaffirm those restrictions? And why?
Green
That just seems questionable to me. If we are electing Board members and the Board members supervise the superintendent, why would the superintendent not answer any Board member?...I would have voted to not have that restriction as part of the protocol.
Toole
I’m not familiar with the restrictions...That’s the first I’ve heard of that. Shame on me, but I was not familiar with that...I believe anybody should be able to ask anything...It is so hard for me to say what I would or wouldn’t do without knowing all of the information...
17. How much influence do you feel the Georgia School Board Association should have over what is done by the Oconee County Board of Education?
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| Green 9/28/2024 |
Green
...I think that there should be a certain amount of independence for the Oconee County School Board to do things in the way that they think need to be done for this particular community...
Toole
...I think there is a lot of good that comes from the Georgia School Board Association. I don’t think that everything that comes from them probably is...It has to be weighed...
18. Do you feel the Georgia School Board Association at present has too much influence over what is done by the Oconee County Board of Education?
Green
Not that I know of. Not that I’m aware of.
Toole
I think they have influence...It is hard to quantify too much...They have influence, I will tell you that. Absolutely.
19. At the Republican Party meeting last month, several of those present said it is a conflict of interest for a Board member if her or his spouse works for Oconee County Schools. Do you agree with that argument? Please explain your answer.
Green
...To me, while not speaking about anybody in particular, to me its an obvious conflict of interest if you’re voting on anything that involves what your spouse or child or parent or sibling, what their paycheck looks like...
Toole
It is not a conflict of interest...If people think that I’m running for the School Board to give my wife a raise, that’s not the case...By the law, it’s not a conflict of interest. We checked that prior to me running for the Board...
20. Over the years, there has been discussion of increasing the salary of Board members. This would take legislative action and voter approval. At present, Board members receive $1,800 per year. That compares with Board of Commissioner salaries, that range, for the part-time commissioners, between $33,989 per year and $39,332, based on years of service. Should the salaries of the members of the Board of Education be increased, and, if so, what would you consider to be an appropriate annual salary for Board members?
Green
I would need to do a lot of research before I could comment on a specific appropriate salary. From what I understand, people who want to be on school boards do it because they want to serve the community not because they want to make extra money...
Toole
...I’m not doing this for the money...If the community feels good enough to vote on that, then I’m OK with that...
21. The two most important governing bodies in the county are the Board of Education and the Board of Commissioners. From what you have observed, how well are these two Boards working together?
Green
I don’t ever see very much evidence that the Boards are working together...
Toole
Better, now...One of the things that I do and I believe that I do well. I’ve always been a glue that’s able to bring people together...I believe there is work to be done there...I have seen in the past where it wasn’t a barrel of roses...It seems to me it has been getting better as of late.
22. Would you do anything special to change that relationship?
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| Toole 9/28/2024 |
Green
I would need to know a lot more about the exact duties of the county commissioners in order to say exactly what I would do. But I would think certainly more conversation and more communication between the two boards would be something that could only benefit the community. So I would start with that.
Toole
I’d talk to them. It’s that simple. You can’t get past disagreements if you don’t communicate. I’d listen to them. I’d listen to what their issues are. Their opportunities...Everybody wants to do what is right for this city and county. We live here. We love this place...
23. What do you think are the biggest challenges that Oconee County Schools will face in the next four years–the length of a Board term?
Green
I think the biggest issue with the schools is, as I said, making sure they are giving the opportunities to every kid in the way that the child needs. Making sure that we’re offering art to kids who come to school every day because of art. Making sure that we’re offering CTAE (Career, Technical and Agricultural Education) courses to kids who come to school every day because of those various classes...
Toole
I think technological advances are going to be a big deal and whether you’re using them too much, not using them enough. What’s that right balance...I think we’ll have a lot of people retired over the next four years...I think we’ll be doing some pretty big hiring decisions. Finances are always going to be what’s on the Board’s shoulder...Safety is absolutely going to be on the top of the list...I think testing, rankings, that kind of stuff will continue to be there...
24. What would you do as a Board member to help Oconee County Schools address those challenges?
Green
I think that I would probably start by talking to the principals, to the admin of each school and finding out more about exactly what they are offering to students...I would start with information gathering.
Toole
I think you find out what the community wants...If the community wants a baccalaureate type school, that’s what you need to do. But just because you do that doesn’t mean that you let your FFA or CTAEs fall by he wayside...
25. Are there things that I didn’t cover that you would like to address in this interview?
Green
I just would like to emphasize that my experience in a school every day greatly helps me understand the perspectives of various positions in Oconee County Schools...I think that I offer a fresh face and a fresh set of ideas...I want to say that, yes, I am running as a Democrat. I am a Democrat. I’m a principles over party sort of Democrat. What I want to do is insure that there is a good relationship between the Board and the citizens of this county...And I want to insure that we’re doing the best that we can for every single student...
Toole
Mine’s just more of a statement. If given the opportunity to lead here and be on the Board, that’s something I would honor and cherish and strive just to do my best...I’ve never been afraid to disagree with anybody. I’m OK with that. Once the decision’s made, I may walk out lockstep, and I’m going to support it too because that’s what Boards do when majority votes happen. You have to support the decision that was made. I’m really excited if given the opportunity to get on the Board...
Video
The first interview below with Green was started about 10:15 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28.
The second interview, with Toole, was recorded starting at 1 p.m. on Sept. 28.
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