Davis did indicate that he would be happy to meet with the group but on the advice
Smokey Barn News
Thursday December 18, 2014
Robertson County, Tenn.
NAACP Demands Change In Robertson County
On the steps of the historic Robertson County Courthouse Tuesday, NAACP officials held a press conference demanding that the Robertson County Board of Education desegregate their schools in accordance with a law already on the books by approving a plan offered by U.S. Department of Justice.
NAACP President Gloria Sweet-Love said her organization would help parents to ensure their children receive quality education. “We are here today because school children in Robertson County are being deprived of equal education opportunities,” she began.
She continued her opening remarks saying, “Today, 60 years after passing Brown vs. the Board of Education, black and brown children in Robertson County, and I dare say white children as well, are still going to segregated schools where the buildings and other resources provided are separate and definitely not equal.”
Sweet-Love, along with other NAACP officials addressed the small crowd of mostly media representatives gathered outside the county courthouse and vowed to continue their efforts until they are satisfied that wrongs had been made right.
The group held their press conference in support of a Department of Justice letter that said in part, “The District has not satisfied its legal obligations to desegregate its schools and eliminate the vestiges of the dual system in student assignment. The District has engaged in a pattern of student assignment decisions over decades that have not furthered desegregation and in many instances serve to maintain or re-establish the dual system.” (Full Letter Here)
The Department Of Justice findings concluded that the Robertson County School district, “”has engaged in a longstanding pattern of decisions that have hindered, rather than furthered, the desegregation of schools,” including building seven almost all-white schools since 1970. Also, the school district used portable classrooms to address overcrowding at Springfield schools with large minority populations rather than transfer students to under-capacity schools in the county that are predominately white.”
The association’s Vice President of Middle Tennessee, Jimmie Garland, summarized their focus by saying, “We have a mission, and our mission will not go away.”
NAACP President Gloria Sweet-Love indicated to numerous media outlets that the Director Of Schools Mike Davis initiated a meeting with the NAACP only to rescind that meeting the day of the press conference.
Davis told Smokey Barn News on Tuesday that he never reached out to Sweet-Love or the NAACP for a meeting and never canceled one that he or anyone on his staff agreed to. Davis indicated that he has never met Sweet-Love or corresponded with her in any way.
Davis did indicate that he would be happy to meet with the group but (on the advice of the schools legal counsel) he would not be able to discuss any aspect of the ongoing negotiations with the Department of Justice. Davis indicated to Smokey Barn News that he can not comment or discuss the schools position on the negotiations with the Department Of Justice until the negotiations are finalized.
Davis has always maintained that due to the sensitive nature of the negotiations and the advice of the district’s legal counsel he can not discuss any aspect of negotiations.
Smokey reached out to the Robertson County school board back at the end of October in regards to the delay in voting on the Department Of Justice’s plan, Board member Allan Heard said, “We’re still trying to negotiate with the Department of Justice with a compromise that we can live with.” “I’m 
unhappy with everything we’re having to do, I’m hoping we can work out something that a majority of the people can live with. We need to start with the elementary re-zoning we were planning on doing before the Department of Justice came in,” Heard said.
Board Member Jerry Converse said, “We just finished six forum meetings in the community and in all those meetings we had a lot of comments. It’s going to take a while to digest a lot of what people had to say. Then we are going to continue to explore all of our options so when we do have to make a decision we can make the best well informed decision possible.”
Smokey of course will continue to follow this developing story for you so stay with us for the most accurate news and reports. If you are new to this story see the links below for the most in-depth coverage of the school board, the Department Of Justice and the community’s reaction as well as a good look at the re-zoning maps proposed by the Department of Justice.
RELATED STORIES:
Robertson County School Board Delays Vote On Schools Re-Zoning
Robertson County School’s Rezoning Maps Released
Robertson County Parents Rally Against Federal Rezoning Of Schools
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I have been hearing how the Springfield school cluster does not have what the other schools have and people feel that the other schools are being treated better. All anyone has to do is visit these schools and see that Springfield is NOT the only outdated school building and in fact Greenbrier Middle is in much worse shape as far as being old and need of repair. Also, there are not enough textbooks at GMS for students to take home for homework use. Honestly where is the money going for our schools? Anyway ALL of the schools in Robertson County are due major upgrades… and while at it buy textbooks for EACH and EVERY student.
why is it so important for blacks and whites to attend schools together? I don’t understand how this helps anything. We are all created equal according to the Bible. Blacks like to primarily go to all black churches to worship and whites do the same. Why not desegregate the churches too?
Schools in the USA have been desegregated for years now in most parts of the country and relations between black and white and not much better if any. You the resident and parent make the choice of where your child goes to school by where you live. Its a completely free right to attend ANY school you want in Robertson county all you have to do in move to that district. Oh but no the NAACP says this is unfair how?
This is so ridiculous! If you live in a certain area that’s the school you’re zoned for. If you have a problem with the area schools MOVE! There is no inequality here, that’s an egregious accusation that makes me sick. There are several options if you are not pleased with the schools you children are zoned for. You can put your child in private school which there are several to choose from, you can move to the school district of your choice because here’s a shocker they’re not telling children that they can’t go to certain school because of the color of their skin it’s actually about where people live in Robertson County, or you can homeschool (which is the option our family chose because we were dissatisfied with the schools our children are zoned for). NAACP only causes problems with anything they get involved in. Grow up people, suck it up like an adult and realize the only race issues are the ones you are making up in your own mind.
NAACP= National Association Advancement of COLORED people. What’s more raciest than that??
Shouldn’t we be focused on the Advancement of ALL people regardless of skin color?
By the way, if you think this issue is big folks you better be finding out what this communistic government is teaching our children. It’s called common core. Do your homework and you will see that the government wants control of your kids by way of indoctrinating them with incorrect information.
Also just for fun, try a few math problems and you will see that the ‘common core math’ is really the wrong way to do any math problem.
At best pull your kids out of government schools.
Go to this site: http://www.tnacc.net/
Let’s move on people. We have people of all different races living in the great United States, so it’s time to accept it and move on. Take the time that you spend hating people for the color of their skin and use it for something good. Help someone less fortunate than you. Do something beneficial instead of harboring more hate. Think about this scenario for a minute. If you put a dog on a chain and repeatedly kick him, what’s he eventually going to do? He is going to defend himself, even if that means biting you. That’s what the NAACP is demonstrating here. The black community is tired of feeling like the underdog here and they are lashing out for their rights. Not all black people are bad. Every race has the ones that give it a bad name. Oh and just in case any of you are wondering, I’m 100% white and female. My children were not affected by this change. One of them will stay where he is and the other is now in Springfield High, and doing just fine might I add. Life is an experience people, open your eyes and start living it. Take responsibility for yourself and stop blaming others. I don’t care personally what color kids my kids go to school with as long as they are treating my kids with respect and not affecting their education. And if I’m raising my kids the way I should be, the color of a mans skin won’t affect the job they do anyways. Each man is responsible for his own way, perhaps others would benefit from remembering that. This world is going to end people, it depends on us how soon. Start making a difference. Be what God wants you to be and stop living for society. Have a good day and a Merry Christmas!!
Isnt it funny how this word racism just got brought up when the government intervened and was making black kids attend the county schools? You talk about racism there were only white protestors from the jo byrns area that were protesting.
Ok a little known fact; there are over 700 students in robertson county that have elected to home school their children. There are also 4 outside school coming into Robertson county to take our kids to other schools. The schools in the county of this area have better facilities, attract the more qualified teachers, but the city schools have been using the same buildings since the 60&70. Now why is that. Yes I live in robertson county went to school here and when I was in elementary school there were a total of 26 african American pupil in my school that was k-8, those stats haven’t changed a lot in 40 years.
No Justice No Peace our schools have been ignored in Springfield for too long a time.
FYI we did reach out to the board of education, I sent emails to every member and administrator to inform them of our request for a meeting.
The NAACP has not made this an issue, this problem has been going on for over 40 years and no one addressed it and now it has come to the fore front. I would not expect everyone to understand the iinjustice of inequality amongst the people unless you are directly affected. So if you dont know your facts or history it is best that you not reply.
“Those people?”