What was expected to be a joyous occasion of welcoming a new Jones County School Superintendent was utilized by members of the community who have felt disrespected and unheard to express their displeasure at being shut out of the process again.
The Nov. 20 meeting was called to order by Board of Education Chairman Ginger Bailey with the only item on the agenda, the vote to approve Dr. Jessica Graves as the new superintendent.
The motion to approve Graves was made by board member Kim Washburn, and the vote to approve was unanimous. The new superintendent was then asked to speak. Graves began by introducing her husband, Gant, and children, Avera and Jack.
She talked about creating a culture of student success and working beyond the classroom. The new superintendent said research confirms what educators have known, that teachers make the difference every time.
“I can’t wait to get into classrooms,” she said.
Graves talked about building relationships and thanking teachers for laying the foundation for the school system to go from good to great.
“We have the potential to move to the next level, and I will be working beside you,” she said.
Graves said she was a smalltown girl, having grown up in Tifton, and she understands that respect has to be earned.
The superintendent talked about graduating from Georgia College and State University and doing her first teaching at Mattie Wells Elementary.
“I’m returning to the district where I took my first steps,” she said. “This opportunty is an answer to prayer. It’s a calling I’m ready to receive, and I’m committed to long-term success.”
At the conclusion of Graves’ remarks, Bailey hit the gavel and said the meeting was dismissed. Board members rose to leave, but no one in the audience moved.
Questions from the community
One audience member started the dialogue with a question, if they were going to get any answers about the selection of Graves that had been brought up at the previous meeting.
Bailey’s answer was to repeat that the meeting was adjourned. As audience members continued to raise questions, board member Brady Skinner asked what they wanted to know.
Skinner stood alone at the front of the room while the other board members made their way to the rear of the room and eventually the hallway.
Skinner was not able to answer many of the questions asked, but he did make the attempt.
The message from the audience members was clear: they wanted to know why the names of the last three finalists were not released and more to the point why Graves was chosen over the interim superintendent, Clinton Burston.
Skinner said up to three finalists could be chosen but the board only selected one finalist. Bailey had answered the question about how many applications were received and how many candidates were interviewed in a previous text.
The chairman said 24 applications were received and six candidates were interviewed.
Burston was one of the applicants, and he was interviewed. Whether he was considered a finalist is not known.
The speakers danced around the subject of race for the first few minutes, but the conversation eventually rose to the level of the accusation of racism. Apparently, Macon’s television stations were invited to a “press conference” by representatives of the NAACP, anticipating what was going to happen.
WGXA was on hand with cameras rolling and captured the entire scene.
One of the speakers brought up a rumor that began circulating not long after Burston was officially appointed to the interim position in June.
Since that time, he has been performing two jobs, interim superintendent and his fulltime job as executive director of accountability and school improvement.
The rumor was reportedly a statement by a board member that “Jones County was not ready for a Black superintendent.” Bailey stated adamantly that rumor was not true.
True or not, it seems that rumored statement was the catalyst for the growing feeling that Burston was being overlooked. The way the board chose to select the superintendent, naming only a sole finalist, did not help.
One of the speakers spelled out the problem the community has with board members.
“You work for the people, and the people are here and talking to you,” he said. “But all you say is ‘meeting adjourned.’” After about 20 minutes of getting nowhere, Gwenette Westbrooks, president of the Macon NAACP, spoke. She told those in the room that they did have the power to make their voices heard, and that is the power of their vote.
The Jones County Board of Education has three positions that will be on the 2026 ballot.
That is the position of chairman, District 1 and District 3.
Because the positions are staggered, the other two positions, Districts 2 and 4, were decided in 2024 and will not be up for a vote again until 2028.
