5 – The Fulton County Bullies Of Education

Before you assume, don’t. I want nothing but the best for all generations. I want their dreams to come true and each child to become all they aspire to be. However, to attain such levels of success should never impede or hinder another to get there. The Fulton County Bullies of Education state that for a student to pass a class, they must prepare by studying. Shouldn’t the orator of such guidance follow the same discipline they espouse?

As mentioned, my siblings and I attended the “real” Milton High School that was located in the heart of Alpharetta for decades. A wonderful school that offered many types of study including vocational options such as auto body repair, horticulture, and TV productions. We, thankfully, did not go to The LIE now located on Freemanville Road…a LIE, mind you, that cost Fulton County Taxpayers $100 million dollars. (oh, don’t worry about that $1 million that they couldn’t even account for…it was just your tax dollars…)

Let’s take a few steps back…rumors started swirling in the early 2000s about the Bullies considering moving Milton High School and with that, any large parcel or parcels for that matter could be in their cross hairs. These rumors also pushed innocents into enemies with various citizens fighting with their fellow man as to who should lose their property to said proposal. Fulton County Bully Member Katie Reeves was on the front lines stirring the pot…

Meetings would be held at the original location’s auditorium with her manning the podium… playing to the masses. On tape, Reeves would state that the current location “wasn’t fit for students” and that the track around the football field was “off by an eighth of an inch”. When ideas from the audience came back suggesting a knock down and rebuild approach, Reeves refused saying that wasn’t an option due to “lead paint.” She would also add that all new Fulton County High Schools had to be “on a minimum of 70 acres and the current location was right under 50…” When asked about buying bordering land that was for sale to expand, she scoffed at the notion stating it wasn’t buildable due to “flood plain.” Today, there are new town homes, lofts, and retail sitting where the supposed “flood plain” was. Some of which were built by the “City” of Milton’s first Mayor, Joe Lockwood.

Healthy rumor stated that the Bullies were focused on two final options. Mayfield and Bethany, where my parents’ six plus acre farm is located, and Freemanville Road. Even after the announcement came that they were going after innocent families’ homes on Freemanville and my corner dodged a bullet, I felt no reprieve. Just because I wasn’t shot didn’t mean I wanted others to be harmed. Thus, I kept advocating for a knock down / rebuild approach and so did many others including fire, police, and school bus drivers.

At one of the final meetings before the Bullies started threating innocents with their eminent domain card, I saw an old man in the corner of the room crying. I approached him and asked why. He looked up at me, eyes heavy, and replied “I just retired. I have been saving to remodel my home. Now they’re telling me I can’t…” This blameless individual, as well as other innocent property owners, would be forced off their private property and beloved homes destroyed due to Katie Reeves and others not planning ahead.  It was then that I realized our country IS NOT what I thought it was. 

They said they had no choice because “there is so little land left.” Tell me again about preparing to pass the test?

Funny. Reeves stated that what had spawned this move was a report on all Fulton County Highschool conditions. This study was conducted in the late 90’s. Oh, and for those who want to offer the moniker that said high school is considered a “School of Excellence,” this is not news as such accolades were awarded in 1996, 11 years BEFORE the Bullies made their move. A true testament to incredible teachers; not a building. 

You are aware that the Bullies of Education get over 80% of your property tax dollar$? You are also aware that this evil entity pays no property tax, pays no police tax, and pays no fire tax? They pay NOTHING. They don’t even cover the costs of road improvements or traffic lights when a new school is built. Consider all the donations given to them by such businesses as Target and others. How about that lottery revenue? Tell me again about a bake sale?

Windward Parkway east of GA400 did not exist at this time – 70 acres were more than available and for sale. Also, commercial properties are not immune from the Bully’s eminent domain ace. 

After the countless photo ops Reeves and Principal Ron Tesch would pose for along with extending sewer, The LIE would open in 2005 and life for longtime residents within close proximity would change forever through no fault of our own. 

If it wasn’t the track team harassing my dogs as they ran by the house (to which I filed a police report and left a message for Photo Op Ronny – of course, he didn’t respond) teens honking horns as they sped by to scare our horse Liberty, it was noise…noise…NOISE…NOISE!!!! CONSTANTLY!!!!! From as early as 7am to as late as 11pm, seven days a week. Such isn’t the type of nuisance that you can just close your door and forget about – it follows you inside! You can clearly hear band, announcer, screams, open mic all throughout our property and inside our home – we are now an amphitheater and a prisoner within. 

And who could forget the canon they shot off initially, terrifying our horses and dogs with Mom thinking it was thunder? There is no reprieve. There is no peace. 

When countless citizens, including myself, pressed for this new neighbor to be seen and not heard, Photo Op Ronny would go before the newly founded “City” of Milton Council making vail promises to “be a good neighbor” but added that he didn’t want “his” school to “be the Milton Marching Mimes.” Yep, that quote was in the Milton Herald. This is a man who loves being a bully, who loves being untouchable and who covets POWER. No wonder he and Katie were such buddies. 

Traffic, trash, and speeding would also increase tenfold since as well as development that followed The LIE. The “City” of Milton does not pick up the litter on the right-of-way. Those handed the duty just cut everything with all being spiraled everywhere; much of which ends up inside our horse pastures. Refuse includes shredded glass & plastic which horses will try to ingest depending. 

Reason #1 Property Was Purchased: “Quiet” – *NOT PROTECTED*. 

Since 2005, the Bullies have constantly violated innocent families “Right to Quiet Enjoyment” on and within their properties – such is a state statute that is defined as “The right of a property owner to enjoy his or her property without interference.” I asked both Katie Reeves and another Bully Member Patrick Burke to come and listen to the noise. Both refused and said we should sell out to development. Burke, however, added one additional suggestion stating we need to purchase “soundproof windows.” Fascinating. I am supposed to spend an estimated $80k in Burke’s suggestion for an issue that my family did not create or move to? Again, the “Bullies of Education. “

Many have sold out to development and/or left due to the noise and traffic. Others that wanted and some received zoning changes to justify a move so they could sell out and move to an area like the one they initially purchased in that was no more. Others, however, are then denied by the infamous “City” of Milton. (More on those law breakers later.) Innocents caught between a rock and a hard place. “City” also claims they can do nothing regarding The LIE due to supreme jurisdiction and State of Georgia Law. Noise is going to come up again in this story down the line. Wait until you see how the “City” handles that discussion refusing to acknowledge another supreme jurisdiction situation while violating many state laws in the process

I called then Milton Council member and now Mayor #2 Peyton Jameson to come over to our property to hear how loud the school was due to a football game – it was deafening. His response by phone was along the lines of “I am here now, it is a great game, why don’t you come over?” More on Peyton later. 

When Milton Council Member Paul Moore was running for office, we arranged a time to meet at our property during a noise filled high school event. I waited and waited – hoping for an objective ear.

He never showed. Curious, I rolled the dice and drove over to The LIE that same night and low and behold, there was Mr. Moore sporting a hungry smile as he and wife held campaign signs while people arrived for the game. Did I mention he received an endorsement from Katie Reeves? 

He never called to share that he would not be showing up or to reschedule. Nothing. Earlier in the “City” of Milton’s history, we worked on various committees together. I thought much of Paul then…so much so that I gave him my late father’s vintage golf clubs and dropped off free homegrown tomatoes on a regular basis – my mistake. Today, I still find random golf balls embedded throughout our pastures from my father’s days of practice. I don’t ever move them as they are his way of saying he was here. Paul recently had an ethics charge filed against him. Sorry I gave your sticks to a person of this caliber, Dad. 

Let’s not end our time with these tyrants just yet. After The LIE opened, magic would transpire as the original location was suddenly fit for students again without one additional dollar being spent! Mind you, of course, it was only fit for certain students – pregnant teen girls and “inner city” kids (the insinuation here being of the “minority demographic.”) And I thought the handing down of old schoolbooks had long since passed? Remember the “Lead paint” claim? Well, do a quick search on Northfulton.com archives and you will find a sweet little story about those soon-to-be teen moms all excited as they were helping to paint a room in the old Milton High for a soon to be student nursery! Katie, how did those babies turn out with these young mommies being exposed to lead paint?

Cambridge High would be built after The LIE; this time the only one’s losing their homes were cows. Total acreage was well under the “required 70-acre minimum” stated by Katie Reeves prior. Let’s add one more tidbit to the infamous Reeves’ repertoire. Pull out a school district map between The LIE and Cambridge and follow the lines. You will note a substantial delineation where there should not be. A special “Milton Mommy” wanted her offspring to attend The LIE instead of Cambridge.  I brought this fact fourth when Reeves ran for her post again. I mentioned no names, streets, or addresses. The individual that benefited from Reeves special treatment would text me in a tirade. If nothing were suspect and nothing improper was done, why did this individual message me? Many times, the guilty will expose themselves when all one has to do is tell the truth. Happy to share the texts if you like.

Oh, and the “lead paint” excuse for not being able to knock down and rebuild? That too was bogus as we all know now with a new school being built on the original campus location and the real Milton High School being raised. Turnabout is fair play we often hear. Well, since their immoral act, Murder High School has been known for a principal arrested for DUI, bringing in athletes illegally from other jurisdictions while lying about their addresses along with attending students murdering others. No doubt more is to come – Karma indeed.

To get a true feeling of who Katie Reeves actually is, look up CBS Atlanta Reporter Wendy Salztman’s investigation against her when corruption was exposed with the Bullies of Education’s school supply purchases. Reeves would hide in the bathroom and have a police escort as she walked to her car after meetings, protecting her from the reporter’s questions. 

Katie Reeves betrayed the public trust and broke the Bullies of Education Policy on bullying. Reeves is also guilty of misappropriation of taxpayer funds. Many in times past have been removed from their seat, fined, and in some instances, incarcerated for such criminality. Katie Reeves should be in jail.