AMERICUS, GA (WALB) -
Sumter County school board members say they're trying to put their differences aside. So the system doesn't lose its accreditation.
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools put the system on probation in June.
This week, the entire school board had to appear at hearing with the State Board of Education to explain why they shouldn't be kicked out of office.
Michael Busman was in Atlanta Wednesday with the rest of the school board for a hearing with the State Board of Education.
The school accrediting agency the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools recently put the Sumter County System on probation because of ongoing problems with the school board.
"We entered into a consent order with the state board of education, giving us more time to try to work things out and seeing if we can improve on some of the issues," said Busman.
He says he wanted to be a part of the School Board to do what is best for the students, after all he says they can't lose sight of the kids.
"The community needs resolution with this issue, the students need it, and the community, and the people just need resolution with this issue, and we need a resolution quickly and if that means removing all the board members including myself, then I am all for it," said Busman.
He says everybody is being affected by the school board problems, causing some parents to pull their kids out of school, and teachers to find jobs elsewhere.
"I think people are leaving the school system, employees and students, because of some of the ongoing issues," said Busman.
Now the board will have to try to work together to keep from being removed from office and losing accreditation.
"We are supposed to submit a plan to them, within the next two weeks, on what our plans are to improve, and to be in compliance with the recommendations that SACS put forth," said Busman.
The next school board meeting is July 30th, Busman hopes some progress will be made by then.
In 6 weeks, the board will have a follow up hearing with the state board of education in Atlanta to evaluate what kind of progress they have made.
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