Reschedule the Debate! Otherwise, It’ll Just Be Another Bolton High Pep Rally!
CenLamar has received information that the organizers of today’s debate have failed to secure committments from a majority of the candidates for mayor. According to my sources, Delores Brewer, Charles F. Smith, and Jacques Roy will not be participating in this debate. I have also been told that Roosevelt Johnson is “pulling out,” though this has not been confirmed. Additionally, CenLamar has learned that the format of the debate has been changed, and that debate organizers failed to attract significant media interest.
Organizers should seriously consider rescheduling the debate in order to ensure that all of the candidates for mayor of Alexandria are able to participate. The issue of crime is important, and the citizens of Alexandria deserve to be able to hear from all of the candidates in a fair and open setting.
Furthermore, I believe that all debates in this important election should be broadcast to the public. Once this debate is rescheduled, we should make sure that it will be broadcast on public access television.
I recognize this will be a disappointment to many people, and indeed, I was also looking forward to a spirited conversation on the future of Alexandria. But I think with better planning, more time, and more publicity, this can take shape into the type of debate it needs to be.
CenLamar 
hmm what an interesting turn of events…
what i don’t get is all the postings about sams ruining bolton, a statement totally unsupported by fact. if sams is the only one going, how can it possibly be a bolton pep rally if he destroyed bolton. interesting.
I never said Sams ruined Bolton, Biff.
I used the term pep rally because it’s being held in the auditorium.
Either way, now Sams is the only one going? Definitely time to reschedule.
lamar, i didn’t mean to infer you said that. other bloggers have. sams intends to go. obviously if he is the only one there it won’t be much. do you know if the coughlin-sanders (sp?) debate on the 12th of september will be televised? surely kalb would pick up such an important event.
I believe KALB will be covering the event. I’ve heard it will definitely be broadcast on the internet.
Correction: Roosevelt will be there until 7PM.
The event September 12th at the Coughlin Saunders Performing Arts Center is being put on by KALB-TV and only KALB-TV. The Forum will be televised from 5pm to 7pm. It is a unique event as it will include only questions from the public and with heavy promotion could surpass the centers capacity. All candidates for mayor have confimed participation. The forum will be simulcast on KSYL in a new partnership between KALB-TV and Cenla Broadcasting.
I’m the one that said that Sams ruined Bolton. And I stand by my statement. I will not post my name, however, because I am a parent of a current student and I do not want Sams’ problem with what I have to say (the truth) to be taken out on my child.
Sams removed an extremely effective (and brilliant) principal and replaced her with a completely unqualified person. Their numbers are down (even farther than they were after the school board removed hundreds of students from Bolton’s zone to create Peabody’s new home zone). Many good teachers have been forced out, other good teachers are preparing to leave because they don’t want to deal with what’s going on, and other undesirable teachers are not only being allowed to stay, but also to run the place. Those teachers have one thing in common with Sams…they are power hungry.
Remember several months back when another school board member got in trouble and was fined because of meddling in issues concerning personnel? Wonder why he got fined? It’s because school board members are legally bound to stay out of those issues. The only employment matter that they should be in on is the hiring, evaluation, and firing of the superintendent.
Is that enough fact for you, Biff?
I concur!! Until he announced as a mayoral candidate, almost not a week went by that Sams was not at Bolton directly attacking the principal or faculty and demanding to impose his will. With Penny’s forced exodus, those teachers who helped her move Bolton forward have been transferred out or be put on “KP”. For the last several years Bolton has lead the parish in ACT score. I doubt this will continue. Charlene Johnson ( a vocal Sams supporter via his web site) and Nancy Monroe are Sams boots on the ground at Bolton. Monroe only has 2 classes ALL YEAR. Why is she even there? Students, parents, and junior high guidance counselors know to avoid her at all costs. Ask around in the community, the facts are there.
I concur; the few good remaining teachers are typing resumes and counting the days are we speak.
Believe this – The events at Bolton are a micrososm of what will happen to this City if Sams wher elected.
RIP Bolton!
You pathetic bunch of losers. at LEAST 15 teachers had put in for transfer because of Penny and before her removal. I suspect you sad sacks had her favor, and when it came time to clean house, with out Penny around to cover up for your lack of effort, you felt the heat also. Bolton is, remains, and will be a fine school. Stick to actually trying to teach, and I am sure you will do just fine.
Again, the “loser” comment. Does the truth hurt that much? It certainly seems to get you riled, whoever you are.
I’d rather be thrown off a bridge to be in the Sams/Monroe/Johnson/Higgins/Wrenn camp.
Oh, the truth shall set us free!
Facts, I demand facts. Look at the student count, look at the students avoiding Nancy Monroe at the expense of leaving the gifted program, look at the experience and education of the faculty under PST vs. Higgins, name the 15 tranfer requests.
The test scores shall tell all!!!!!!
I was thinking the same thing. I could make up some bogus numbers too. But I won’t.
The only transfers under PST were because she expected them to WORK. She had expectations for her faculty. Higgins has NONE. He does nothing. He delegates all his responsiblities and wanders around aimlessly, or spends time making rules to make Nancy Monroe happy. ask any students.
Whose idea do you think it was to assign MANDATORY saturday detention (4 hours) to students who are less 1 minute tardy to school?? Nancy Monroe of course.
No one is enrolled in her classes, the juniors and seniors know better than to take her. They cancelled her gifted English 3 and 4 since all the students opted to take regular instead of her classes. Other teachers have 7 classes this year, she has TWO. What does she do with her free time?? Torture students and spy for Dr. Sams.
The best thing that could happen for Bolton would be for Nancy Monroe to retire and Mr. Higgins to be replaced with a real principal.
Here! Here! I’ll drink to that!
I went to the debate, and I was very disappointed that the only candidates who appeared were Joe Fuller, Alice Hammond and John Sams. If someone declares candidacy, they owe it to the city and the voters to show up at every function, every forum, every debate, and every quilting bee. They should use it as a forum to discuss their candidacy and plans for the future. But, then again, I was also disappointed that only a handful of spectators were there. Trust me, Alice Hammond didn’t sound so bad tonight. Joe Fuller is a joke, and as always, John Sams is… a loose cannon.
I went to the debate as well. It was a complete joke, and the missing candidates should be thankful they decided not to attend. The forum was much better organized and much more professional. It really did seem like a Sams event masquerading as a debate.
No wonder no one went. I don’t blame them for backing out of Sams-fest. They need to show him that he doesn’t control everyone.
I saw the ad in today’s TT for the debate on September 11th given by the United Way. Are any candididates attending this debate, or will it be another Sams show??
I will be honest with all you guys…the candidates who did not attend look like part time candidates to me.
Recap: One seemed to really lie when he said he would be there…one was with her husband…one was too scared.everyone who did not show up..clearly part timers to me.
I must concur with Lamar’s initial call to reschedule the debate.
The perception of this event was that it was an ambush laid my Sams and his loyal band of merry men.
Lamar try to find us some poll numbers. I suspect the candidates at last nights “debate” are running #5, 6 & 7 in the polls.
I predict Sams and Fuller in a runoff. They are the only candidates that seem serious about being mayor.
Ambush or not, Sams made the other condidates look like fools.
Sams did well.
How could he not do well?? No one else was there. Plus no one watched it either. I would love to hear what happened, if any of you actually attended.
Who was in the audience? Who asked questions and what was asked??
Alright Bif, obviously I didn’t show for the debate. Honestly it didn’t seem worth my time if more than half of the candidates weren’t going to show.
While I have your attention, I want to make it clear that I agree with you in saying that Sams did NOT ruin Bolton. Bolton crashed and burned all by itself. I watched it happen my last two years of school and I found it to be the fault of the faculty. I’m just glad I graduated before it did go down in flames. Even after I graduated, underclassmen moved off to boarding schools (excellent choice).
While I have respect for Sams . . . I’m still voting ROY!
To the Chick downtown:
Exactly who do you think ruined Bolton?? If you are only 21, then Sams had started his trouble BEFORE you left high school. He has been on the RPSB for EIGHT years.
Did you notice that ALL funding for repairs was held until he got rid of PST?? The teachers that caused trouble before are the ones Sams has kept around. Because he loves to stir up trouble.
I would love to know who you think ruined Bolton since you seem to think Sams is hear to save the world.
And, I am glad you have sense enough to vote for Roy. At least Bolton taught you something.
Roy lost my vote. I was there to hear him and can tell you that when you give your word you stick by it. He gave his word and did not show up. It showed serious problems in the decision making department and an absolute lack of maturity.
it is silly if you change your vote for that reason alone. No matter who your choice of candidates you are backing. Sams had this set up to where he would come out smelling like a rose no matter what. IF everyone showed, he held the cards of knowing the questions before they were asked. IF no one showed he held the cards of I am the only one that held to my word.
There is no winning when one playing the game will stop at no ends to belittle other people.
Vote on who you will, but use a little sense.
I went to the debate, and I was very disappointed to see only three candidates there. Even more disturbing was the fact that less than 100 people were there. If it was a “planned Sams rally”, it surely wasn’t a very good one.
Sams rally? what are you smoking? Sams did not set any of this up. Those guys have been around for twenty years.
Also, FYI the candidates were to each ask the other questions so exactly how would Sams or anyone else have the questions?
I will say Sams is doing much better than I thought and I am still undecided at this time.
I think that each and every candidate in this race should have a chance to debate Smokin’ Joe and Alice in wonderland.
In fact, I would like to have the chance to debate them. When asked about the waterslide, I will answer: “Absolutely, this will be the first order of business my first day in office.”
What questions were the candidates who did not show afraid to answer from the candidates who did show?
who knows…we will never know but it was really weak to not show up after saying you would…JR hurt himself in my eyes.
Not mine…I’ll still JACQUES THE VOTE!
I agree that JR broke his word.
IS JROY A TRIAL LAWYER? NO CHANGE IN HELL I AM VOTING FOR ANY TRIAL LAWYER. PERIOD.
trial lawyer? are you serious? see ya! lost my vote.
Jacques is not a trial lawyer and not a member of the Louisiana Trial Lawyer Association. Where do you people get this stuff?
No change in hell I will listen to anon. Period. I am serious.
If it was John Sams that ran off Penny Toney, God bless him. She and her “friends” almost ruined Bolton high School. The number of quality teachers that left because of her and her friend is unbelieveable.
oh just wait, anon….bolton is going down the toilet, and fast. all thanks to john sams.
you must be charlene johnson to say something that stupid.
Who left because of Penny Toney??
The only teachers that I know that left are teachers that didn’t want to WORK. So, they went a school where they can goof off and make the same pay. God forbid a principal become an educational leader in the school.
But, they should all come back, from what i hear, Higgins (sams appointed) has low expectations for work, plus no faculty meetings, no expectatons at all. So as long as you don’t make Nancy Monroe mad, you can do what you please. oh, and don’t did the pimp coat.
I would also have to disagree with Charlene and to address other issues that have appeared here.
I will not be voting for John Sams. And here’s why:
Many people have said on this blog that he has been the sole destroyer of Bolton High School. This statement is true. All you have to do is look at his record as a board member. For years he has claimed Bolton as “his school,” yet he has voted more often than not against it. Think back to the beginning of his reign and the beginning of the deseg order. He did not fight this order or the ramifications that would come from it as a result of his allowing Bolton’s home zone to be cut on three sides, by 400 students. As a board member, his first goal was to destroy Patsy Jenkins and to get Lyle Hutchinson and change the busing system. You only have to look at the past minutes, which are public record, to see proof of his grand standing and his egotistical nonsense. I don’t remember a single thing that he was “pro,” only those for which he was “con.”
Many of you have mentioned Penny Toney. I say that she is not running for mayor, but I will also say that she has suffered at the hands of this man, and wrongly so. Someone, I believe it was Charlene, said earlier that many quality educators left under Penny’s principalship. In anyone’s principalship, there are the usual transfers and retirees. Yes, there were a couple of people that left Bolton, who were quality folk, but not because of Penny. Marilyn Rieger wanted to be a librarian and a position came open at Peabody. Michelle Roy, an excellent English teacher, also moved, but only because of family obligations that forced her to take a job a mile from home. Some might say that the loss of Charlene Johnson fits this same bill; most, however, would disagree, as parents, and colleagues, and children alike were thankful to see her leave.
Penny has devoted most of her life to educating many in this parish. But she stood up to John Sams when he wanted to make Bolton High School a vocational school, something we see now as a political move in this campaign. He thought some children should be shuffled off after tenth grade into a less-than rigorous academic program. Penny said no, that all children deserved an equal high school education. From that point on, John moved against her. A move that has been detrimental to the school.
But, again, Ms. Toney is not running for mayor. John is.
Look at his record. Look at how he gets things. Look at who he uses to get them and what he does when finished. He even used his son and sued himself and all of us taxpayers when his patience would not allow him to wait a few days for a policy, that he himself delayed.
I have personally heard him say that his sole purpose on this earth was to be:
“the tabasco on the hemorrhoid on the asshole that is this universe.”
This is his claim. And he has succeeded in this purpose at Bolton High School. Please do not allow him to do the same for the city of Alexandria.
I am appalled and ashamed that personal attacks have been made on candidates and noncandidates alike…from both sides of the debate. What I absolutely fail to understand is how presumably educated adults cannot delineate between political/professional disagreements and personal attacks. Please, continue to disagree. And do so vehemently, if need be. But do so respectfully, keeping clear distinctions between well-reasoned and articulated arguments and ad hominem slights against the opposition. Don’t be mistaken. Bolton High School students, and students from every other school in the parish have and will continue to visit this site. And they’ll learn from it. They’ll learn that if they disagree with someone, it’s ok to resort to personal assaults. And they’ll learn this from some of the people that are actively involved in their lives every day. I implore you, for the example, we’re setting for our children…be adults.
I didn’t realize that students in Rapides parish could read. I appologize.