Cobb County School Superintendent Chris Ragsdale didn’t mince words at the May 15 school board meeting, taking direct aim at the Cobb County Board of Commissioners and the city of Powder Springs for pushing through large-scale rezoning that paves the way for high-density apartment complexes, without any regard for the impact on the school system.
“Large transient populations are not good for the nationally ranked school system of the Cobb community,” Ragsdale stated bluntly, reflecting a growing frustration among school leaders who say their concerns over unchecked multifamily developments have long fallen on deaf ears.
Chairwoman Lisa Cupid, known for her reactive rather than proactive leadership style, quickly scrambled to save face by scheduling a “stakeholder meeting” for Wednesday, May 21, ironically, the final day of school in Cobb County. But the rushed invitation was met with visible irritation and public pushback from Superintendent Ragsdale and School Board Chairman David Chastain.
“This has been an issue for years,” Chastain wrote in a sharply worded email reply to Cupid. “I must confess I am a bit confused by the late notice and urgency… I assume you and the ‘key stakeholders’ you referenced are aware of these very important community events,” referring to graduation ceremonies and the full workload of district staff. “Clearly, the Board cannot attend.”
A quick look at the CCSD site confirms that Chastain must attend the graduation ceremony of two high schools, where he is required to certify the diplomas of graduating seniors one even being the exact day and time that Cupid demanded a meeting with the school board.
Ragsdale echoed the sentiment. In his own response, he expressed frustration with the lack of collaboration and basic planning from Cupid’s office:
“I wish we would have been given the opportunity to collaboratively establish a meeting date and time… It is simply not realistic to expect the board and I to attend this meeting on less than a week of notice.”
The Superintendent also pointed out that state law, including Georgia Code 50-14-1 regarding public meetings, requires proper notice for such gatherings, a step Cupid appeared to overlook.
But legal technicalities aside, Ragsdale emphasized that the district has been raising alarms about the county’s aggressive push for more apartments for years, only to be ignored.
“A practice that has occurred for years with apparently no appreciation for the consequences on Cobb’s students, parents, and taxpayers,” he said.
While Cupid’s office released a statement claiming the meeting was to “examine the data and its context” and promote “open dialogue,” critics were quick to call her bluff.
Political Theater or Leadership Failure?
Political observers and community leaders alike aren’t buying the sudden urgency.
One seasoned leader has referenced this type of behavior by saying, “This is typical political grandstanding, Chairwoman Cupid is great at showing up with a camera crew after the fact, but real leadership means actually working with stakeholders from the beginning, not scrambling when it’s too late.”
Another longtime Cobb political strategist noted, “There’s a pattern here. Poor planning, lack of transparency, and reactionary politics. You don’t schedule a major policy summit on the last day of school and expect everyone to just drop their responsibilities. It’s not well thought out, and it’s not leadership.”
This isn’t the first time Cupid has come under fire for disorganized leadership. From chaotic commission meetings with shifting agendas, to repeated complaints from fellow commissioners over lack of consultation on key votes, to abrupt staffing decisions within her administration, the list of questionable decisions continues to grow. One official, speaking on background, said, “The only consistent thing about Lisa Cupid’s leadership is how often it catches everyone off guard.”
Even those hoping for a serious policy discussion voiced concern. “The stakes are too high for this to be about optics,” said one East Cobb parent. “We’re dealing with overcrowded schools and a system already under pressure. We need real coordination, not a rushed photo-op.”
Cobb Schools Deserve Better
With over 8,000 students set to graduate this year and a school system that ranks among the best in Georgia, Cobb County’s education leaders are demanding respect, transparency, and actual dialogue, not last-minute meetings that serve as political cover.
As Superintendent Ragsdale made clear, the school district remains willing to meet, but on realistic terms.
“Despite it being unrealistic to expect the Board and District to join your meeting on exceptionally short notice,” he wrote, “we do look forward to discussing this matter in an appropriate forum at a mutually-established and convenient meeting time.”
