Schools & Neighborhoods,

Sunday Solutions — Dec. 1, 2024

Good morning! On the off chance you’re checking your email today instead of wondering whether there’s enough turkey left for a sandwich, we’re here. We’ll keep it short so you can get back to the a) table, b) football game, or c) I-95 traffic. Either way, we’re glad you’re here with us to kick off December!

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NEWS: EDUCATION

Glynn schools: Does neighborhood matter?

The outgoing school superintendent in Glynn County has been working with a group to redraw districts for schools as a new buildings come on line. The working idea has been to keep more students in school closer to their homes. However, parents whose children will be moved from high performing schools are worried the standards might be lower at their new schools. The Current’s Jabari Gibbs reports on the conundrum for the board, officials and parents in a county that already faces vast inequities.

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NEWS: GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT

Cumberland Inlet project stays afloat

St. Marys has an expansive waterfront and a great location to draw businesses and retirees from Florida or less-developed areas in Georgia. It also has a lot of that waterfront taken up by the former Gilman Paper mill site. An Atlanta developer has a project planned for the 700-acre Gilman site but the process has been instructive for the Camden County Joint Development Authority. A recent near-default on the property set up a learning experience for the group and a process for what happens when things don’t always go to plan and there’s a lot of public money at stake. Read data reporter Maggie Lee’s breakdown of what happened and what’s next for the promising site.

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DATA: COMMUNICATIONS

Share the good stuff

If you’re reading this, you’re probably keenly aware of the fragmentation of the information media landscape. After all, the internet enables every person to be a critic, a reporter and expert even when they aren’t. The Pew Charitable Trusts and Knight Foundation combined to do research on this and found that one thing hasn’t changed – we still rely on those closest to us to share trustworthy information and facts. The larger world of news doesn’t look anything like it did even a few years ago, and is less about classic journalism and, more accurately, shared by influencers. The latest research shows the wider world of news influencers is dominated by men, people who aren’t affiliated with news organzations and who openly espouse a political ideology. Here are links to two studies that show us how important it is for each of us to share accuracy as well as to question things we see or hear.

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EXPLAINERS: FACT CHECKS

Democracy requires homework

So here’s some help to find out what’s new and accurate. We”ll take this holiday moment to remind you of our “accountability toolkit” — resources we keep permanently at thecurrentga.org. You can follow your elected officials and check facts on info that have been passed along. If have a question, we’ll do our best to answer or help you look for resources to find the answers. Just reply to this note or email us at staff@thecurrentga.org.

• Check the facts: Sites to help clear rumors, misinformation: If you see something interesting on social media or you heard something odd over Thanksgiving dinner, you might want to check it out. We’ve got a list of credible, professional fact-checking sites to double-check the story before you share it.
• Georgia U.S. House District 1 Watch: Buddy Carter: Follow the work of Coastal Georgia’s only elected voice in the U.S. House of Representatives through legislation, votes, campaign funds, and speeches.
• Georgia U.S. Senate Watch: Ossoff, Warnock: Follow the work of Georgia’s two U.S. Senators through votes, speeches, campaign funds and legislation.

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EDITOR’S CHOICE: CHANGE

☕ Your second cup: You gotta start somewhere

Remember how we were taught that every change in our world starts with just one move? Research now backs that up: Small acts of help or kindness can make a huge difference while making us feel more confident and connecting us to the larger world. The study finds that small steps can lead to calmer households, neighborhoods and generous cultures over time. Let’s test that theory, starting now.

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