Comments (0) | |

Monday, Oct. 13, 2008

Bibb school board candidates offer different backgrounds

Sipe

South Bibb County residents will soon choose whom they want to represent them on the school board: a retired policeman or a former state PTA officer.

The candidates for the Bibb County Board of Education District 3 race, which includes the Rutland High School zone, are Republican Jimmy Swift, 47, and Democratic challenger Susan Sipe, 56. The seat was held by Bob Nickels, a Republican, who resigned in May after serving eight years.

While the candidates' backgrounds are diverse, both of them have similar platforms.

Swift is a father of four who worked two decades as a drug enforcement officer with the Macon Police Department. He's now a land sales consultant.

Sipe is a grandmother who handles payroll at Eastside Lumber. She has been president of the school system's gifted student association and of Central High School's International Baccalaureate parent support group.

The school system's budget challenges, school safety and retaining quality teachers are at the heart of their campaigns. The state cut $2.3 million in funds from Bibb's operating budget this school year, causing the board to increase its millage rate and make budget cuts.

"We're faced with very, very difficult times ahead," Sipe said. "As a school board member, I want to be a part of the process to control the budget without harming our kids."

Sipe touts her experience with budgets and as an insider as strengths for the school board post.

She was once a home economics teacher and bank teller. Since 1981, she's lived in south Bibb with her husband, Jeff, working at the lumber company.

When her grown son, James, was in first grade at Heard Elementary School, Sipe signed up to be a room parent and quickly became the school's PTA treasurer.

"I absolutely became entranced with PTA," Sipe said. She advanced to Middle Georgia PTA Council president and then chair of the state PTA councils. She worked with the Parent Teacher Association from 1990 to 2003.

When the Bibb County school system decided not to build Rutland Middle School and Rutland High School on a previous sales tax initiative, Sipe and others lobbied board members to change their minds, she said. In the end, the schools were built.

Sipe has been to all school board committee and regular board meetings since June.

"I've tried to stay on top of everything as much as I can," she said.

If elected, she wants to make sure a new Heard Elementary in her ward is rebuilt. She also wants to see the graduation rate increase and encourage more parental involvement.

Her opponent, Swift, brings a law-enforcement aspect to the race.

He is a 1979 Northeast High School graduate and worked close to 21 years as a Macon police officer, helping combat the city's drug crime.

"If (drugs at school) is an issue and that comes up, I would be an expert in that field," Swift said.

If elected, he said he'd like to look at school safety procedures as well as the system's campus police department more closely. That review would see how many officers the system employs, their assignments and how often they are stationed at the middle and high schools.

Swift and his wife, Valerie, have four children, two of whom are enrolled at Porter Elementary School in his ward. He spoke out at a recent board meeting about teacher reshuffling at Porter.

Securing his children's educational future, as well as that for all children in the county, is a main reason he's running for the board seat, he said.

"When I (registered), I didn't know you got any compensation for it," Swift said. "Which, to be honest, they can keep it. I'm a dedicated parent whose children spend one-third of their waking hours in the care of the Bibb County school system."

Being a parent with children in the system makes him a better candidate, he said.

"If (board members) don't have kids in school, I don't think they can make as good decisions," he said.

Swift said although the board had no choice but to raise the millage rate this year, he is normally against doing so. If elected, he said he would like to rid schools of mobile classrooms and review whether unified dress codes are necessary.

"What does it matter for a first-grader to have a shirt untucked and hanging below the waist or do they have a belt on?" he asked. "I'm not condemning it. I would just really like to review it."

To contact writer Julie Hubbard, call 744-4331.