Clayton County, Georgia
Encyclopedia
Clayton County is a county
located in the U.S. state
of Georgia
. As of 2000, the population was 236,517. The 2008 Census estimate placed the population at 273,718. The county seat
is Jonesboro
. Clayton County is within the five-county core of the Atlanta Metropolitan Area, and is the county in which most of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
lies.
(1783–1839), who served in the United States House of Representatives
from 1832 until 1835.
was 1,658 people per square mile (640/km²). There were 86,461 housing units at an average density of 606 per square mile (234/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 37.94% White
, 51.55% Black
or African American
, 0.32% Native American
, 4.49% Asian
, 0.07% Pacific Islander
, 3.55% from other races
, and 2.08% from two or more races. 7.50% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
Estimated 2006 population is 271,240, with a racial make-up of 20.4% white non-Hispanic, 62.9% African American, 5% Asian, 11.3% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.1% Pacific Islander. 1.5% were reported as multi-racial.
There were 82,243 households out of which 40.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.70% were married couples
living together, 20.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.00% were non-families. 21.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.30.
In the county the population was spread out with 30.00% under the age of 18, 10.40% from 18 to 24, 35.40% from 25 to 44, 18.40% from 45 to 64, and 5.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 94.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $42,697, and the median income for a family was $46,782. Males had a median income of $32,118 versus $26,926 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $18,079. About 8.20% of families and 10.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.20% of those under age 18 and 8.90% of those age 65 or over.
The last quarter-century has seen significant change in the racial composition of the county's population. In 1980, Clayton county's population was 150,357 — 91% white and 9% minority, http://www2.census.gov/census_1980/d1/ while in 2006 the population was approximately 271,240 — 20% white and 80% minority. Many of these minority groups lived in Clayton County's housing projects that were built around the time these minority groups moved to Clayton County; since then many of the housing projects have been redeveloped due to high crime.
, an unorganized evidence room, failure to properly handle sexual harassment
complaints against officers, several high-speed chases that resulted in civilian deaths, and 138 unaccounted-for firearms. Though residents rallied in his support, the Commission voted to reassign Turner as the department head for the Academy.
CBS Atlanta, a local news affiliate, reported in 2011 that the county has been unwilling to discipline officers "accused of terrorizing citizens". One officer cited in the CBS Atlanta story, Michael Hobbs, was shown in police records to have punched a man suffering from a diabetic coma
, wrongly assuming the man was drunk. Despite hospital photographs of the man's beating, Hobbs received no reprimand, and CBS Atlanta reports that no action has been taken to address Hobbs' 58 incidents of use of force, "nearly 20 times more often than an average Clayton County police officer had in the same time period."
was headquartered in northern unincorporated Clayton County, near William B. Hartsfield International Airport, in the 1990s.
. As of March 31, 2010, C-TRAN ended due to operating budget shortfalls.
eventually. However, it has been repeatedly stalled by the Georgia General Assembly
, despite having federal funding
already available for it.
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority
's Airport
station is located just barely in Clayton. Buses from Clayton feed into MARTA rail stations in Fulton (College Park
and East Point
). Clayton is one of three counties with representation on the MARTA board, but no rail service, since voters refused to approve the 1% sales tax
needed to fund it.
and the famous 1939 Gone with the Wind
film were set in Clayton County including the location of the fictional Tara Plantation
. Tara Boulevard was named for the plantation, and is the main north/south road through the county, carrying U.S. 41 and lesser-known Georgia 3. Also a namesake
is Tara Field, the county's general aviation
airport, actually located in a neighboring county where it was previously Henry County Airport.
Parts of the novels Rhett Butler's People
and Scarlett
and the Scarlett TV Mini-Series also took place in Clayton County. Rhett Butler's People is a prequel, sequel, and companion to Gone with the Wind
. Scarlett is a sequel
to Gone with the Wind
, also and also takes place briefly in Clayton County. In the above mentioned novels, the fictional Twelve Oaks Plantation and others mentioned in the novels above, are located in and around Clayton County.
Parts of the film Smokey and the Bandit
were also shot in and around Clayton County, namely in Jonesboro, as evidenced by a sign in the background of one of the scenes. Even though this particular scene was supposed to be set in Arkansas, a "Willow Bend" sign advertising brick homes in Clayton County can be spotted behind Sheriff George Branford. Many back roads and the movie town of Texarkana are actually the roads and the town of Jonesboro.
All of Clayton County Public Schools accreditation is currently fully restored and unconditional.
The district currently has 51,237 students enrolled in its 63 schools. Under the current Superintendent Dr. Edmond T. Heatley, the district has a strategic plan that includes the vision and mission statements. Clayton County has twenty-two elementary and five middle schools that have been deemed by the Georgia Department of Education as Distinguished Schools. This is based on the number of consecutive years of making AYP.
CCPS has two charter schools. Unidos Dual Language, Georgia's first public dual language school is a model of excellence in language education. Unidos serves students in Pre-kindergarten through sixth grades. The second charter school is the Elite Scholars Academy the school serves grades 6-10 and will be expanding to the twelfth grade by 2014. The school operates on a year round calendar. Any student in the district may apply to enroll. Selection is based on a random lottery.
Clayton County also has a Math and Science Magnet and two fine arts magnet programs at Jackson Elementary and Mount Zion High Schools. Enrollment is based on application and/or audition.
since 1969. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
(SACS) revoked the school district
's accreditation on August 28, 2008. This makes only the second system in the nation to do so since 1960. A grand jury
investigated and considered possible criminal indictment
s against the Clayton County School Board. At issue was whether the school board committed malfeasance
in ignoring the shortcomings of the school system and violating its own rules concerning the awarding of bid
s of contract
s.
School Board Chairwoman Ericka Davis announced her resignation on April 2, 2008, amidst the allegations. Clayton County Commission Chairman Eldrin Bell has called for the resignations of all Clayton County School Board Members.
Amid controversy and orders for the police to quiet citizens, the Clayton County School Board hired a new temporary superintendent on April 26, 2008. This was despite the fact that the new superintendent did not meet the qualifications set forth by SACS.
All of Clayton County Public Schools accreditation is currently fully restored and unconditional.
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
located in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. As of 2000, the population was 236,517. The 2008 Census estimate placed the population at 273,718. The county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Jonesboro
Jonesboro, Georgia
Jonesboro is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,724 as of the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Clayton County....
. Clayton County is within the five-county core of the Atlanta Metropolitan Area, and is the county in which most of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport , known locally as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, and Hartsfield–Jackson, is located seven miles south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
lies.
History
The county was established in 1858 and named in honor of Augustin Smith ClaytonAugustin Smith Clayton
Augustin Smith Clayton was a jurist and politician from the American state of Georgia.Clayton was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia, attended the Richmond Academy in Augusta, Georgia, and graduated with the inaugural class of Franklin College at the University of Georgia in Athens...
(1783–1839), who served in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from 1832 until 1835.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 144.28 square miles (373.7 km²), of which 142.62 square miles (369.4 km²) (or 98.85%) is land and 1.66 square miles (4.3 km²) (or 1.15%) is water.Adjacent counties
- DeKalb CountyDeKalb County, GeorgiaDeKalb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population of the county was 691,893 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is the city of Decatur. It is bordered to the west by Fulton County and contains roughly 10% of the city of Atlanta...
(northeast) - Henry CountyHenry County, GeorgiaHenry County is a growing suburban county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 119,341. As of 2010, the county's population swelled to 203,922, up 70.9% from the previous census and becoming Georgia's 8th most populous county and the 10th fastest growing...
(east) - Spalding CountySpalding County, GeorgiaSpalding County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created December 20, 1851. As of 2000, the population was 58,417. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 62,826...
(south) - Fayette CountyFayette County, GeorgiaFayette County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 91,263. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 106,144. The county seat is Fayetteville....
(southwest) - Fulton CountyFulton County, GeorgiaFulton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Its county seat is Atlanta, the state capital since 1868 and the principal county of the Atlanta metropolitan area...
(northwest)
Cities and towns
- College ParkCollege Park, GeorgiaCollege Park is a city located partly in Fulton County, Georgia and partially in Clayton County, Georgia, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 13,942...
(part) - Forest ParkForest Park, GeorgiaForest Park is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. It is located approximately nine miles south of Atlanta and is part of the Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Marietta Metropolitan Statistical Area...
- JonesboroJonesboro, GeorgiaJonesboro is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,724 as of the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Clayton County....
- Lake CityLake City, GeorgiaLake City is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,886 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lake City is located at ....
- LovejoyLovejoy, GeorgiaLovejoy is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 2,495. During the American Civil War, it was named Lovejoy's Station, and was the site of the Battle of Lovejoy's Station during the Atlanta Campaign of 1864.During the 2000s,...
- MorrowMorrow, GeorgiaMorrow is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 4,882 at the 2000 census. It is the home of Clayton State University.-Geography:Morrow is located at ....
- RiverdaleRiverdale, GeorgiaRiverdale is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 12,478 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Riverdale is located at .-Demographics:...
- HamptonHampton, GeorgiaHampton is a city in southwestern Henry County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 6,987. Census Estimates for 2005 show a population of 4,743. Hampton mailing addresses also dip into eastern Clayton County and northern Spalding County.The Atlanta Motor...
Unincorporated areas
- RexRex, GeorgiaRex is an unincorporated community in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. Its elevation is 797 feet . Although Rex is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 30273; the ZCTA for ZIP Code 30273 had a population of 11,412 at the 2000 census....
(unincorporated) - ConleyConley, GeorgiaConley is a census-designated place in DeKalb County and Clayton County, Georgia. The population was 6,188 at the 2000 census. The source of the name of the community is unknown. A pioneer settlement family of the surname "Conley" lived in DeKalb County...
(unincorporated) - Ellenwood (unincorporated)
- IrondaleIrondale, GeorgiaIrondale is a census-designated place in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 7,727 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Irondale is located at ....
(unincorporated) - BonanzaBonanza, GeorgiaBonanza is a census-designated place in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,904 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bonanza is located at ....
(unincorporated) - Lake Spivey
- Clayton Panhandle
- Old Dixie
- Mountain ViewMountain View, GeorgiaMountain View is an unincorporated area in northwest Clayton County, Georgia, United States. It is bounded on the east and south by Forest Park, on the north by the Fulton County line, and on the west by Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport...
- Flintwoods
- Flint River District
- Lake Harbin
- Old South
- Botany Woods
- Valley Hill
- Arrowhead District
- North Jonesboro
Demographics
As of the 2000 census, there were 236,517 people, 82,243 households, and 59,214 families residing in the county. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,658 people per square mile (640/km²). There were 86,461 housing units at an average density of 606 per square mile (234/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 37.94% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 51.55% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.32% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 4.49% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.07% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 3.55% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.08% from two or more races. 7.50% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
Estimated 2006 population is 271,240, with a racial make-up of 20.4% white non-Hispanic, 62.9% African American, 5% Asian, 11.3% Hispanic or Latino, 0.4% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.1% Pacific Islander. 1.5% were reported as multi-racial.
There were 82,243 households out of which 40.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.70% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 20.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.00% were non-families. 21.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.30.
In the county the population was spread out with 30.00% under the age of 18, 10.40% from 18 to 24, 35.40% from 25 to 44, 18.40% from 45 to 64, and 5.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 94.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $42,697, and the median income for a family was $46,782. Males had a median income of $32,118 versus $26,926 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $18,079. About 8.20% of families and 10.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.20% of those under age 18 and 8.90% of those age 65 or over.
The last quarter-century has seen significant change in the racial composition of the county's population. In 1980, Clayton county's population was 150,357 — 91% white and 9% minority, http://www2.census.gov/census_1980/d1/ while in 2006 the population was approximately 271,240 — 20% white and 80% minority. Many of these minority groups lived in Clayton County's housing projects that were built around the time these minority groups moved to Clayton County; since then many of the housing projects have been redeveloped due to high crime.
Crime and Policing
On March 20, 2007, the county appointed its first black police chief, Jeffrey E. Turner, who promised to help alleviate crime in the county. The Clayton County Commission voted in December 2009 to oust Turner for various offenses including insubordinationInsubordination
Insubordination is the act of willfully disobeying an authority. Refusing to perform an action that is unethical or illegal is not insubordination; neither is refusing to perform an action that is not within the scope of authority of the person issuing the order.Insubordination is typically a...
, an unorganized evidence room, failure to properly handle sexual harassment
Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment, is intimidation, bullying or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. In some contexts or circumstances, sexual harassment is illegal. It includes a range of behavior from seemingly mild transgressions and...
complaints against officers, several high-speed chases that resulted in civilian deaths, and 138 unaccounted-for firearms. Though residents rallied in his support, the Commission voted to reassign Turner as the department head for the Academy.
CBS Atlanta, a local news affiliate, reported in 2011 that the county has been unwilling to discipline officers "accused of terrorizing citizens". One officer cited in the CBS Atlanta story, Michael Hobbs, was shown in police records to have punched a man suffering from a diabetic coma
Diabetic coma
Diabetic coma is a reversible form of coma found in people with diabetes mellitus. It is a medical emergency.Three different types of diabetic coma are identified:#Severe diabetic hypoglycemia...
, wrongly assuming the man was drunk. Despite hospital photographs of the man's beating, Hobbs received no reprimand, and CBS Atlanta reports that no action has been taken to address Hobbs' 58 incidents of use of force, "nearly 20 times more often than an average Clayton County police officer had in the same time period."
Economy
ValuJet AirlinesValuJet Airlines
ValuJet Airlines was an American low-cost carrier, headquartered in unincorporated Clayton County, Georgia, that operated regularly scheduled domestic and international flights in the Eastern United States and Canada during the 1990s...
was headquartered in northern unincorporated Clayton County, near William B. Hartsfield International Airport, in the 1990s.
Highways
Interstate 75Interstate 75Interstate 75 is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. It travels from State Road 826 and State Road 924 in Hialeah, Florida to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, at the Ontario, Canada, border...
Interstate 85Interstate 85Interstate 85 is a major interstate highway in the Southeastern United States. Its current southern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus interchanges with Interstate 95 in Petersburg, Virginia, near Richmond...
Interstate 285
Interstate 675Interstate 675 (Georgia)Interstate 675 was built in southeast metro Atlanta during the mid-1980s to alleviate Interstate 75 to the west, for traffic bound to Interstate 285 east. It is 11.04 miles in length, running from I-75 in the south from the city of Stockbridge to I-285 at its north end...
U.S. Route 19U.S. Route 19U.S. Route 19 is a north–south U.S. Highway. Despite encroaching Interstate Highways, the route has remained a long-haul route, connecting the Gulf of Mexico with Lake Erie....
U.S. Route 23
U.S. Route 29U.S. Route 29U.S. Route 29 is a north–south United States highway that runs for from the western suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland, to Pensacola, Florida. This highway's northern terminus is at Maryland Route 99 in Ellicott City, Maryland...
U.S. Route 41U.S. Route 41U.S. Route 41 is a north–south United States Highway that runs from Miami, Florida to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Until 1949, the part in southern Florida, from Naples to Miami, was U.S...
State Route 3
State Route 54
State Route 85
State Route 138
State Route 351
State Route 401
State Route 407
State Route 413
Bus
Clayton County mass transit is run by C-TRAN, with five fixed bus routes and ParatransitParatransit
Paratransit is an alternative mode of flexible passenger transportation that does not follow fixed routes or schedules. Typically mini-buses are used to provide paratransit service, but also share taxis and jitneys are important providers....
. As of March 31, 2010, C-TRAN ended due to operating budget shortfalls.
Rail
There is commuter rail service in the planning stages along the Norfolk Southern line, with proposed stations in Forest Park, Morrow, Jonesboro, and initially ending at Lovejoy. This line is projected to run to MaconMacon, Georgia
Macon is a city located in central Georgia, US. Founded at the fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is part of the Macon metropolitan area, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. Macon is the biggest city in central Georgia...
eventually. However, it has been repeatedly stalled by the Georgia General Assembly
Georgia General Assembly
The Georgia General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is bicameral, being composed of the Georgia House of Representatives and the Georgia Senate....
, despite having federal funding
Federal grant
In the United States, federal grants are economic aid issued by the United States government out of the general federal revenue. A federal grant is an award of financial assistance from a federal agency to a recipient to carry out a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by a law of...
already available for it.
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority or MARTA is the principal rapid-transit system in the Atlanta metropolitan area and the ninth-largest in the United States. Formed in 1971 as strictly a bus system, MARTA operates a network of bus routes linked to a rapid transit system consisting...
's Airport
Airport (MARTA station)
Airport is an elevated Rail station and southern terminus on the Red and Gold lines of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority rail system. It is served by the Gold Line at all times. It has an island platform between two tracks. This station is the southern terminus of the North-South...
station is located just barely in Clayton. Buses from Clayton feed into MARTA rail stations in Fulton (College Park
College Park (MARTA station)
College Park is an at-grade Rail station on the Red and Gold lines of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority rail system. This is the fourth busiest station in the MARTA system. It opened on June 18, 1988...
and East Point
East Point (MARTA station)
East Point is an at-grade Rail station on the Red and Gold lines of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority rail system, located in East Point, Georgia, USA. It has an island platform between two tracks. It was opened on August 16, 1986....
). Clayton is one of three counties with representation on the MARTA board, but no rail service, since voters refused to approve the 1% sales tax
Sales tax
A sales tax is a tax, usually paid by the consumer at the point of purchase, itemized separately from the base price, for certain goods and services. The tax amount is usually calculated by applying a percentage rate to the taxable price of a sale....
needed to fund it.
Culture
Parts of Margaret Mitchell's epic 1936 novel Gone with the WindGone with the Wind
The slaves depicted in Gone with the Wind are primarily loyal house servants, such as Mammy, Pork and Uncle Peter, and these slaves stay on with their masters even after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 sets them free...
and the famous 1939 Gone with the Wind
Gone with the Wind (film)
Gone with the Wind is a 1939 American historical epic film adapted from Margaret Mitchell's Pulitzer-winning 1936 novel of the same name. It was produced by David O. Selznick and directed by Victor Fleming from a screenplay by Sidney Howard...
film were set in Clayton County including the location of the fictional Tara Plantation
Tara Plantation
Tara, the fictional plantation found in Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel Gone with the Wind, was located near Jonesborough , Georgia...
. Tara Boulevard was named for the plantation, and is the main north/south road through the county, carrying U.S. 41 and lesser-known Georgia 3. Also a namesake
Namesake
Namesake is a term used to characterize a person, place, thing, quality, action, state, or idea that has the same, or a similar, name to another....
is Tara Field, the county's general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
airport, actually located in a neighboring county where it was previously Henry County Airport.
Parts of the novels Rhett Butler's People
Rhett Butler's People
Rhett Butler's People by Donald McCaig is an authorized sequel to Gone with the Wind. It was published in November 2007.Fully authorized by the Margaret Mitchell estate, Rhett Butler’s People is a novel that parallels Gone with the Wind from Rhett Butler's perspective. The book was unveiled on...
and Scarlett
Scarlett (novel)
Scarlett is a novel written in 1991 by Alexandra Ripley as a sequel to Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind. The book debuted on the New York Times bestsellers list, but both critics and fans of the original novel found Ripley's version to be inconsistent with the literary quality of Gone with...
and the Scarlett TV Mini-Series also took place in Clayton County. Rhett Butler's People is a prequel, sequel, and companion to Gone with the Wind
Gone with the Wind
The slaves depicted in Gone with the Wind are primarily loyal house servants, such as Mammy, Pork and Uncle Peter, and these slaves stay on with their masters even after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 sets them free...
. Scarlett is a sequel
Sequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
to Gone with the Wind
Gone with the Wind
The slaves depicted in Gone with the Wind are primarily loyal house servants, such as Mammy, Pork and Uncle Peter, and these slaves stay on with their masters even after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 sets them free...
, also and also takes place briefly in Clayton County. In the above mentioned novels, the fictional Twelve Oaks Plantation and others mentioned in the novels above, are located in and around Clayton County.
Parts of the film Smokey and the Bandit
Smokey and the Bandit
Smokey and the Bandit is a 1977 American film starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jackie Gleason, Jerry Reed, Pat McCormick, Paul Williams, and Mike Henry. It inspired several other trucking films, including two sequels, Smokey and the Bandit II, and Smokey and the Bandit Part 3...
were also shot in and around Clayton County, namely in Jonesboro, as evidenced by a sign in the background of one of the scenes. Even though this particular scene was supposed to be set in Arkansas, a "Willow Bend" sign advertising brick homes in Clayton County can be spotted behind Sheriff George Branford. Many back roads and the movie town of Texarkana are actually the roads and the town of Jonesboro.
Education
The Clayton County School System is the fifth largest in Georgia. On August 28, 2008, the district lost its accreditation, citing a 'dysfunctional' school board.All of Clayton County Public Schools accreditation is currently fully restored and unconditional.
The district currently has 51,237 students enrolled in its 63 schools. Under the current Superintendent Dr. Edmond T. Heatley, the district has a strategic plan that includes the vision and mission statements. Clayton County has twenty-two elementary and five middle schools that have been deemed by the Georgia Department of Education as Distinguished Schools. This is based on the number of consecutive years of making AYP.
Special schools and programs
Lovejoy High School hosts the district International Baccalaureate Program (IB). The IB Diploma Program is designed as an academically challenging and balanced program of education with final exams that prepare students for success at the university level and life beyond.CCPS has two charter schools. Unidos Dual Language, Georgia's first public dual language school is a model of excellence in language education. Unidos serves students in Pre-kindergarten through sixth grades. The second charter school is the Elite Scholars Academy the school serves grades 6-10 and will be expanding to the twelfth grade by 2014. The school operates on a year round calendar. Any student in the district may apply to enroll. Selection is based on a random lottery.
Clayton County also has a Math and Science Magnet and two fine arts magnet programs at Jackson Elementary and Mount Zion High Schools. Enrollment is based on application and/or audition.
Award winning teachers
Shekema Silveri, a teacher at Mount Zion High in Clayton County Public Schools, was named Georgia's 2011 National Milken Educator of the Year. This prestigious national recognition from the Milken Family Foundation comes with a no-strings-attached cash prize of $25,000.2008 de-accreditation
The 50,000-student school system was the first in the nation to lose accreditationAccreditation
Accreditation is a process in which certification of competency, authority, or credibility is presented.Organizations that issue credentials or certify third parties against official standards are themselves formally accredited by accreditation bodies ; hence they are sometimes known as "accredited...
since 1969. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
(SACS) revoked the school district
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
's accreditation on August 28, 2008. This makes only the second system in the nation to do so since 1960. A grand jury
Grand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
investigated and considered possible criminal indictment
Indictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
s against the Clayton County School Board. At issue was whether the school board committed malfeasance
Malfeasance
The expressions misfeasance and nonfeasance, and occasionally malfeasance, are used in English law with reference to the discharge of public obligations existing by common law, custom or statute.-Definition and relevant rules of law:...
in ignoring the shortcomings of the school system and violating its own rules concerning the awarding of bid
BID
Bid may refer to:*Bidding, making a price offer in an auction, stock exchange, or card games*Bid , a British home shopping channel...
s of contract
Contract
A contract is an agreement entered into by two parties or more with the intention of creating a legal obligation, which may have elements in writing. Contracts can be made orally. The remedy for breach of contract can be "damages" or compensation of money. In equity, the remedy can be specific...
s.
School Board Chairwoman Ericka Davis announced her resignation on April 2, 2008, amidst the allegations. Clayton County Commission Chairman Eldrin Bell has called for the resignations of all Clayton County School Board Members.
Amid controversy and orders for the police to quiet citizens, the Clayton County School Board hired a new temporary superintendent on April 26, 2008. This was despite the fact that the new superintendent did not meet the qualifications set forth by SACS.
All of Clayton County Public Schools accreditation is currently fully restored and unconditional.