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Using clapping and applause as a unit of measurement obviously is an inexact science.
Nevertheless, based on the clapping and applause at Monday evening's Georgia Military College Prep "parent forum," it's clear that GMC remains a school somewhat divided. At this point, the school's administrators are probably wishing that this school year would go ahead and end, let things cool off in the summer and try again next school year.
In other words, when an audience member at the forum would speak out in opposition of President William Caldwell, somewhere between 40-60 percent of the crowd would clap. When an audience member would speak out in favor of the administration, roughly 40-60 percent of the audience would clap.
•An online petition calls for GMC president's job. Who is William Caldwell?
• GMC principal let go on the spot, inordinate amount of parents not pleased
The crowd, more than 200 strong, was a combination of GMC parents, employees, alumni and supporters.
The forum was all of eight minutes long when Steve Greer, the ousted principal, stood up and began speaking from the back of the auditorium, in the process waving a letter in the air. Many people in the crowd cheered, while others heckled Greer and told him to "sit down." Click the video immediately below to watch...
Greer then said that he "was leaving" and "this is nonsense" before telling the crowd that he was leaving 70 copies of a letter out with a man in the back of the audience. Many Greer supporters then were handed copies of the eight-page letter, which can be read here –>Dr. Greer's Response to BOT.docx - Final.pdf. In the letter, Greer lays out the timeline of his dismissal, as well as many other specific details and personal opinions.
Four different members of GMC's administration took turns answering questions – Caldwell, Director of Human Resources Administration & Diversity Jill Robbins, Public Affairs Coordinator Jobie Shields and Interim Principal Amy Lee.
Caldwell re-emphasized that Greer "did nothing nefarious" and that the decision to remove Greer from the principal role wasn't based on one thing. Instead, listening to Caldwell speak, it seemed to be a culmination of smaller issues and Caldwell's perceived lack of communication from Greer.
During the forum, it was clear that the administration is holding strong and moving forward without Greer. In his closing remarks, Caldwell said "what I ask tonight is that tomorrow morning we can turn the page."
Cameras were not allowed, and at one point Baldwin 2K News was asked to stop recording. Multiple people in the audience live-streamed the forum, however, and the video below and the video above are from one of those live-streams.
After Caldwell finished speaking, roughly half the crowd cheered while the other half sat with their hands on their knees, which pretty much summed up the evening.
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