Resident: Kelly Marlow's Actions "Send The Wrong Message"

Editor's note: The following is a letter to the editor from Woodstock resident John Konop:

All great companies, communities, organizations are built on respecting diverse, educated opinions to form policy. Best policy comes from making mistakes, and readjusting upon proper evolution of the project from having open dialog that fosters different opinions, experiences and honest, objective evaluation. 

Our country was based on the ability to listen and compromise while respecting minority views. America is famous for the peaceful transition of government no matter what side wins. 

The disturbing part of the Kelly Marlow incident is how this flies in the face of our legal foundation. Kelly and her friends are accused of filing a false police report that could have resulted in stripping (Superintendent of Schools) Dr. (Frank) P(etruzielo) of his liberty. The Marlow legal team and her supporters have down played the seriousness of the charges. 

Kelly will and should get her day in court under our legal system, but as a school board member it sends the wrong message that this type of alleged behavior is not a serious crime.

Kelly Marlow, Michael Geist and some of her supporters are sending a message to the students in our county that it is acceptable to make false felony charges. 

Instead of writing a letter of support for Kelly Marlow, school board member Michael Geist should have advocated for any felony indictment of a public office holder should result in a suspension from public responsibilities. The only consideration should be paid, unpaid or termination by the state. 

The final straw is Kelly Marlow has been publicly attacking the school district about an audited financial that gave Cherokee school system a pass. Kelly Marlow was offered a class on public financing for public schools so she could better understand the issues. Instead of taking the class to learn, she has recklessly posted accusations. 

Meanwhile she sends her own children to publicly financed charter school that their own board members will not sign off on the financials — not even at the same level scrutiny of a public accounting firm audit because the school cannot even figure out how many students they service. 

Ironically, Michael Geist and Kelly Marlow publicly attack me because I warned about the lack of fiscal controls in the Charter Amendment, which, by the way, the legislature is now working on dealing with issues I brought up. 

As many of you know I have challenged the establishment on school policy more than most. At the same time, I have also shown respect for what we have accomplish in Cherokee County with our schools. I have attempted to bring groups together by advocating school policy from home school/public school options, vocational, co-op, etc.

In most cases I find people agree way more than they disagree. It is personal, nasty politics that gets in the way of us improving our county.

John Konop, Woodstock resident