Serving DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale Counties
Volume 18 Number 23
City of Stone Mountain honors civil rights icon Rosa Parks
www.ocgnews.com
MARCH 1, 2013
FREE
‘Enough is enough’
NAACP blasts Gov. Deal for DeKalb school board suspensions By Valerie J. Morgan
Photo by Joshua Smith/OCG News
L-R: DeKalb County Commissioner Stan Watson joins Stone Mountain Post Master Craig W. Eberhart in proudly unveiling the Rosa Parks “Forever” Stamp at City Hall.
T
By Joshua Smith
he historic city of Stone Mountain was one of several cities around the country recently to honor the late civil rights icon Rosa Parks, who would have turned 100 in February. Parks died in 2005 at the age of 92 from natural causes. Officials unveiled a commemorative postage stamp at City Hall bearing Parks’ image, remembering her as a brave woman who helped to integrate the public buses in Montgomery, AL after she refused in 1955 to give up her seat to a white man. “It was a moving and historic unveiling for me. Rosa Parks was an extraordinary woman of courage,” said DeKalb Commissioner Stan Watson, who spoke at the unveiling, where On Common Ground News was the only media in attendance. The unveiling in Stone Mountain marked a significant chapter in the city’s dark past. For years, Stone Mountain served as the summit for the notorious Ku Klux Klan, the white, hooded supremacy organization that used Stone Mountain as a rallying point for cross burnings and other activities. “Growing up in this area, I used to hear the old folks talk about how Stone Mountain was a place a black man wouldn’t want to be caught in after dark. Look how far Stone Mountain has come,” Stone Mountain Postmaster Craig W. Eberhart said. “From a city that hosted some of the largest KKK rallies to a city that is now a diverse community honoring a civil rights legend is a full circle experience to me.” The Rosa Parks stamp, based on a 1950’s portrait of Parks, is part of the Postal Service’s “Forever” series. Forever stamps never lose their value
ATLANTA—The state’s NAACP joined the DeKalb NAACP in rebuking Gov. Nathan Deal for using a new state law to suspend six DeKalb School Board members. The civil rights group said the law is unconstitutional and violates the rights of voters who elected the board members into office. “We’re here to challenge this abusive power… Enough is enough. We fought too hard and bled too long to have our elected officials removed by a dictator-type relationship,” said Georgia State Conference NAACP President Edward DuBose. “There is a process for removal: The people put them in, and the people take them out.” The NAACP said it plans to ask the U.S. Justice Department to investigate the constitutionality of the law, including whether or not the 2011 statute was cleared through the Department. “We’re not going to stand around and let them take away our rights to vote,” said DeKalb NAACP President John Evans. “This is the new Reconstruction. They are putting everything in place to set the stage for a takeover with all of these new laws. ” Under the new law, Deal can suspend school board members whose district is placed on accreditation probation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). DeKalb was placed on probation in December by the organization. Critics have said SACS is targeting predominately black school districts for probation. DeKalb’s school district was cited for financial mismanagement and board governance issues. The district has
NAACP officials hold a press conference at the Georgia Capitol.
L-R: James “Jim” Bostick Jr., Sadie Dennard, Kenneth Mason, who will serve as chair, Garry McGiboney and Alicia Phillip; comprise the panel who will nominate replacements for the DeKalb School Board.
answered 8 of the 11 problems SACS cited and must complete the other three by December. Evans said that he and the group of civil rights activists tried to see Deal on Feb. 28, following a press conference they held on the steps of the Capitol. “He would not come out at all—not even to wave or say I’ll get back to you or anything,” Evans said. State Rep. Dee Haigler, District 93, which covers parts of DeKalb and Rockdale counties, said SB79 is unconstitutional. “We will not say that there are not
issues in DeKalb County, but what we will say is that the people in DeKalb County know how to go to the ballot box for the person they choose,” said Haigler, who is House Whip for the Legislative Black Caucus. “It is not up to the governor at any time to remove elected officials. People need to be removed by recall or in 2014 when it’s time to vote again.” Several residents who attended a Feb. 23 meeting that was held by the Restore DeKalb organization said
See DeKalb School Board, page 8
See Parks stamp, page 6 INSIDE
Community News....................... P 3 We Worship........................... P 10 Business............................... P 12 Health & Wellness................. P 14 Classifieds............................ P 15 CONTACT THE NEWSROOM Phone: (678) 526-1910 n Fax: (678) 526-1909 n E-mail: editor@ocgnews.com
Photo by Mackenzie N. Morgan/OCG News
Photo by Joshua Smith/OCG News
Rockdale Riptides prepare for Athens swim meet
W
By Joshua Smith
hen other students are watching Saturday morning cartoons, the Rockdale Riptides are swimming at 7 in the morning. When their peers are playing video games or worrying about after-school snacks, they’re in the pool, swimming about three miles a night. The Riptides basically live in the water.
“This sport takes a lot of dedication. From August to March, we are swimming. We practice officially two to three times a week, but many of our swimmers come to the pool everyday,” said Co-Head Coach Sean Willette. “This is how Michael Phelps started, lap for lap, working and grinding to get better every time you get in the water.”
See Riptides, page 6