MARIETTA - The county's last grand jury, in its presentments delivered Jan. 7, issued a highly unusual and scathing admonishment to the Cobb County School Board for "operating in a manner that severely limits the open and public debate of school policy decisions prior to vote and implementation."

The grand jurors also recommended a stern followup measure for the board, saying it should be formally reviewed by future grand juries "no less than 4 times per year."

On Dec. 1, a subcommittee of the grand jury heard from Dr. John Abraham, who was then chairman of the school board; current Chairwoman Lynnda Crowder-Eagle; Superintendent Fred Sanderson; and Glenn Brock, the board's attorney.

According to the presentments, the discussions focused in part on the new balanced calendar that starts school on the first Monday of August. Board members approved the three-year calendar just weeks earlier, on Nov. 12, after dozens of parents protested the plan at the board meeting. One of the speakers was Vivian Jackson, a founder of the Cobb-based group Georgians Need Summers. Just a few seconds into her public comment, Abraham called for security.

Jackson was stating that Abraham had campaigned for office on a platform that included later school start dates. She continued to speak in a calm, but determined voice, undeterred by board attorney Brock's attempts to interrupt her. The security officer stood behind her as she finished speaking and then escorted her away from the podium.

The grand jurors also reviewed minutes and videos of board meetings, and surveyed public reporting on recent board activities.

"The Grand Jury would respectively remind the Board that as an elected body, they have an implied obligation to operate in an open forum environment. This would include allowing a full and open debate of all pending board decisions where the public can freely express opinions on both sides of the issues," wrote the grand jury, which was headed by foreperson Tommy Perkins Jr.

"Based on this Grand Jury's review, the current Board is operating in a manner that hinders the expression of opposing views and/or makes policy decisions in non-public forums."

Over the summer, the Journal learned that the board had been voting in executive session - in violation of the state's Open Meetings laws - for years. Brock apologized in July for "mistakes" he said were made with the secret voting.

In July, board member Dr. John Crooks called for a vote to allow a 150-foot cell tower at Eastvalley Elementary School, which parents and nearby residents had previously protested. The issue was not on the agenda for that meeting; however, Crooks said it was a deliberate move to avoid a "circus."

After the tower was approved, several families filed suit against the district, arguing that the board violated state Open Meetings law by failing to give proper advance notice on the vote.

The court issued a restraining order for any work on the tower, but that became moot when Crooks called for a second vote on the tower. The board voted 4-2-1 in favor of the tower in October.

The grand jurors' recommendation that the board be reviewed by future grand juries was made "to ensure the transparency of Board operations," and such reviews should focus on the process of debate and discussion employed by the board in making decisions and the openness to opposing points of view, jurors wrote.

Crowder-Eagle was traveling and responded via e-mail: "Encouraging public forums on issues of a systemic nature will greatly enhance community input and will be meaningful to the board as difficult decisions are made in the future."

Abraham also was out of town when reached Tuesday, and declined to comment until he had read the full presentment.

Superintendent Sanderson said, "We appreciate the Grand Jury's input and will address the concerns and recommendations as appropriate."

Members of Cobb's legislative delegation also have discussed their strained relationships with the school board.

State Sen. John Wiles (R-Kennesaw), who leads the county's delegation in the Legislature, said last month that there was a consensus among the delegation that legislators did not feel welcome in Cobb County schools.

Rep. Sharon Cooper (R-east Cobb) previously said that the Cobb school board acts in a bizarre manner, overshadowing the work of great teachers.

"There is a perception that we went from one school board that was a good school board, that had maybe some problems with outspoken people, to a school board that is out of control and really more concerned about what they want to do than the interests of the children," Cooper said.

Cobb County convenes a 25-member grand jury every other month, for a total of six in a year. Members meet periodically over an eight-week period, investigating criminal and civil matters and reviewing government agencies.