Does it strike anyone else as mighty suspicious that all of a sudden our esteemed school board is entertaining a revival of the so-called Balanced Calendar (first floated during the controversial Joe Redden reign of terror) when a majority four of the seven board members campaigned heavily on later school start dates?

Once upon a time, when a seat on the board was but a twinkle in his eye, current Chairman Dr. John Abraham (Post 4) was courted, supported and boosted by the pro-summer, later-start group Georgians Need Summers. I know this (full disclosure) because I was involved with them in 2004, before beginning to write for the MDJ.

Late last year, Abraham was quoted as saying he wants school to begin around Aug. 17, noting that with budget cuts it’s more economical to push school start dates towards cooler days. Yet he’s not being very vocal in leading us towards a later start.

Board members Abraham, the Rev. Dr. John Crooks (Post 6), Abraham, David Morgan (Post 3), Alison Bartlett (Post 7) and David Banks (Post 5) all campaigned with an emphasis on later school start dates. Morgan and Banks are both on record as preferring a post-Labor Day start (the way it was done when my girls were in elementary school); however, both Banks and Bartlett did a flip-flop in March, voting against pushing the start date from Aug. 10 to the 17.

Yet today, Oct. 19, Banks’ website was touting the later, post-Labor Day start. Earth to Mr. Banks . . . which is it?

Meanwhile, Lynda Crowder-Eagle (Post 1), who probably revealed less in her campaign than any elected official in history yet won anyway because of the R next to her name, has finally come out against summer fun in August (instead favoring 120 degree buses and higher air conditioning bills). She appears to be for a balanced calendar.

And Holli Cash (Post 2) . . . well, who really understands what she’s saying?

So where is this all going? What’s the next great manipulation from Glover Street? If the balanced calendar is magically adopted, who will bear the cost? Where will the extra funding come from in this economy? Hint: Saving money without eliminating instructional days, i.e. furloughing teachers during the balanced calendar’s multiple short breaks, is a reality this week in Griffin-Spalding County.