A teacher of the year backs Barnes and asks colleagues to join her
Education emerged a major theme in the debate earlier this week among Democrats running for governor. Now, Roy Barnes is sending out this fund raising letter from a former Georgia Teacher of the Year.
Besides asking for money, the letter is a clear olive branch to teachers and an attempt to repair the damaged relationship between the former govenor and teachers who felt that he was holding them responsible for the low performance of Georgia schools. The letter also addresses teacher anger over furloughs.
Does it strike the right tone and does it have more credibility coming from a teacher? Will the continuing furloughs send more teachers to the Democrats and Barnes this year? Or have both parties burned their bridges with teachers now? If so, who will you support in November?
Dear _________,
I write to you today as an educator and a Roy Barnes supporter. As a former Georgia Teacher of the Year, I know firsthand what educators need in a Governor: We need a strong advocate for Georgia’s children, and someone who won’t forget the educators who have dedicated their lives to the future of our great state.
For the past eight years, our state leaders have turned a deaf ear to Georgia’s schoolchildren and educators, and have cut more than $3.5 billion in direct funding for Georgia schools. This isn’t just unacceptable – it’s simply wrong.
Will you give $35 to move Georgia’s education system forward in 2010?
Roy will be the first to tell you that he didn’t listen to teachers enough when he was Governor – but he never stopped being the strongest advocate for our state’s schoolchildren. Teachers were never furloughed, and funding for Georgia’s schoolchildren was much higher than it is today.
Over the past seven years, Georgia teachers have been asked to do more – to do more paperwork, to teach more students, and to do more work – all for less pay and even less support. Educators are suffering under this brand of leadership, and it is Georgia’s children who will pay the price.
Instead, we need a leader who will make education a priority. We need a leader who understands the issues, and knows how to get the job done – we need Roy back in the Governor’s office. He’s the only one I trust to get our public education system back on track.
Please consider giving $35 today for education in 2010.
And be sure to check out Roy’s latest video about teacher furloughs.
For Georgia’s children,
Amy Denty (Jesup, GA)
Georgia Teacher of the Year, 2000
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99 comments Add your comment
Maisy
February 5th, 2010
7:49 am
Sorry, but I still remember Roy Barnes from the last election. He won’t be getting my vote or my TRUST.
jim d
February 5th, 2010
7:51 am
Lets be totally honest here.
Teachers are partially responsible for their plight—did they not, for the most part, sell out for a hundred dollar gift card? To blame Sonny for their own inabillity to recognize a bribe is rather childish and self serving.
Turd Ferguson
February 5th, 2010
8:15 am
Typical whining, bed-wetting teachers…LOL!!
Too bad lipstick Roy is gonna lose. He deserves no second chance and if the above mentioned bubble-head is endorsing Barnes then the intelligent citizens of GA would do well to vote in the opposite direction.
RJ
February 5th, 2010
8:23 am
@jim d, those $100 gift cards did not start coming until a couple of years AFTER Perdue was in office. There was no sell out. Roy Barnes blamed teachers for everything that was wrong in education. I doubt that he has changed and I just don’t trust him. You get me once shame on you, you get me twice shame on me. I’m not willing to take the chance.
what's right for kids???
February 5th, 2010
8:43 am
Barnes is a strong supporter of education. As an educator, I think that eliminating tenure was a wise decision. There’s too much dead weight in the schools, and if a teacher is not doing his or her job, then he or she should get fired. His children went to public school, and if that is not a vote for education, I don’t know what is.
He will be getting my vote.
Harpoon
February 5th, 2010
8:56 am
Just wondering; how many children have been left behind by no child left behind.
Come' on' MAN!!!
February 5th, 2010
8:58 am
No vote from this former educator… The furloughs didn’t come from just a decision from the governor, its a nationwide thing.. We are in a recession and I’m sure that if Sonny could help it teachers would not be furloughed and would have gotten raises by now. Roy sold us out once.. not willing to let him do it again!
Gene
February 5th, 2010
9:00 am
It would be difficult to determine which rascal did the most harm to education–Sonny or Barnes. Sonny turned the whole of state government into his own money-making enterprise, so the collateral damage to education would probably be greater than Barnes.
Sally
February 5th, 2010
9:00 am
RJ, those gift cards came just in time for Sonny’s second election. An yes, the teachers sold out. Now they are paying for it.
Roy lost because of the rednecks who were mad about the flag issue. And just like the teachers, Sonny threw them under the bus.
Roy Barnes was a good governor. Yes he was arrogant. But guess what, he got the job done. Unlike dufus Perdue and this do nothing Republican state government.
Rob Vinson
February 5th, 2010
9:10 am
Sonny Perdue has not been a strong leader during his time as governor. He has had plenty of time to make the education system better in this state, but he has failed miserably. The recession wasn’t here 7 years ago…in fact, looking back, things were pretty good. So, we can’t blame the recession for it. $3.5 billion cut directly from the GA education budget is staggering and simply wrong. No wonder our schools aren’t any better and we rank toward the last in all of the categories. And “Turd” and “Come’ on’ man”…if the Ox gets the republican nomination to run for governor, Roy Barnes will be a shoe in. I believe he will do a better job this time too. Ox as governor….now that would be a joke.
Turd Ferguson
February 5th, 2010
9:10 am
“Teacher of the Year”. LOL…and what exactly does that mean. Her and her sewing circle got together, printed some silly certificate off their computer and all these tarts, by show of hands, voted her TOA!
Big deal. Prizes and awards are handed out like pamphlets from the from the bike riding Mormons. Just another useless piece of paper taking up wallspace somewhere.
what's right for kids???
February 5th, 2010
9:16 am
TF…WTF?
Being Teacher of the year IS a big deal. One teacher per school, one school per county, and one per state. That’s a lot of teachers out there. It’s an honor that should not be scoffed at.
EX-Evil Old English Teacher
February 5th, 2010
9:17 am
jim d-
After that comment, I no longer distinguish you from Turd Ferguson.
what's right for kids???
February 5th, 2010
9:17 am
Excuse me…THERE’S a lot of teachers out there.
what's right for kids???
February 5th, 2010
9:18 am
WHAH!!! THERE ARE.
jim d
February 5th, 2010
9:23 am
RJ,
As I recall you had them just prior to the 2006 election where without teacher support he would have never won a second term.
jim d
February 5th, 2010
9:25 am
EX-Evil Old English Teacher,
Sometimes the truth hurts.
DAVID: AJC Truth Detector
February 5th, 2010
9:30 am
VOTE NO TO A DEMOCRAT FOR GOVERNOR……..&NO TO THE TEACHERs’ UNION…NO TO ALL UNIONs;;
Ezra
February 5th, 2010
9:30 am
Hey ask the Georgia lottery to help make up the teacher’s pay. I mean the ungodly bonuses they got would do it easily.
However, paying teachers based on degrees is not very smart! It should be based on performance. For some reason we have eliminated that word “performance”. It is now the “N”, “R” & now the “P” words. Soon we will be communicating in 1’s & 0’s but they should be easy for English Teachers…just saying.
MOT
February 5th, 2010
9:36 am
What whiners. EVERYONE is having to do more with less and give up paid days!!! Yes our kids are important, but the reality is there IS no extra money anywhere (unless you can figure a way to get all the bigwigs from taking such huge bonuses and wasting so much). In the hospitals they are short staffing, so nurses and techs and housecleaning and dietary, etc have to do more with less people, less support, and that is IF they get called in to work, many days they are flexed/furloughed. While teachers complain it is affecting the kids, in medical it affects LIVES. So quitcher bellyachin and join the ranks of the rest of us who are sacrificing at least as much.
Atlanta Teacher
February 5th, 2010
9:38 am
Did anyone watch the debate earlier this week? Barnes took EVERY opportunity to commend, defend, and support teachers– even if the debate topic wasn’t about education. It is clear he’s serious about not just wanting our vote, but improving statewide education as a whole.
jim d
February 5th, 2010
9:44 am
Atl Teach,
There is so much more to running a state than simply educational issues. Check out Jeff Chapmans web site and learn not only where he stands on issues but his record on these issues as well. (we may have a winner here)
jim d
February 5th, 2010
9:44 am
oops meant to include the link http://www.jeffchapmanforgovernor.com/
EX-Evil Old English Teacher
February 5th, 2010
9:47 am
jim d-
Agreed. Sometimes the truth hurts. I stand by original statement.
john konop
February 5th, 2010
9:49 am
I have called the Barnes office and asked about a clarification on specific details about education and have not heard back from them as of yet. My concern is the devil is always in the details ie Math 123 failure, CRCT failure, 1 track system failure……..
Many of us are very upset and want to really know the details! I think both sides will find out on this issue a very united block of parents will not fall for the same old song and dance we have been getting from both sides!
RJ
February 5th, 2010
9:51 am
@Sally and @jim’d, do you really think that teachers are that ignorant? Please speak for yourself. I didn’t vote for Purdue for a $100 gift card. I’ve spent $500 this year without it!
In Atlanta Public Schools we STILL receive tenure.
Barnes would’ve had to furlough teachers just as Sonny did. I’m blessed that in my school system we were not furloughed this year. I’m not sure what will happen next school year. In the end, I will pay close attention to the debates and research the candidates. I came in on the tail end of the debate the other day, so I missed most it. I will say that Barnes can say whatever he wants, but he won’t get my vote. And for those that think we have teacher unions, please understand that this is Georgia. There are no teacher unions, just professional organizations. I don’t belong to any.
RJ
February 5th, 2010
9:52 am
@Sally and @jim’d, do you really think that teachers are that ignorant? Please speak for yourself. I didn’t vote for Purdue for a $100 gift card. I’ve spent $500 this year without it!
In Atlanta Public Schools we STILL receive tenure.
Barnes would’ve had to furlough teachers just as Sonny did. I’m blessed that in my school system we were not furloughed this year. I’m not sure what will happen next school year. In the end, I will pay close attention to the debates and research the candidates. I came in on the tail end of the debate the other day, so I missed most it. I will say that Barnes can say whatever he wants, but he won’t get my vote. And for those that think we have teacher unions, please understand that this is Georgia. There are no teacher unions, just professional organizations.
RTD
February 5th, 2010
9:53 am
Teachers having anything to do with electing former Governor. Roy Barnes again is like the farmer inviting the fox into the hen house.
V for Vendetta
February 5th, 2010
9:54 am
I agree with jim d on the why Sonny boy was elected issue. Stop pretending like it’s not true.
Partisanship will once again tear this state apart and further our financial and educational woes. When will people realize that? We need a strong classically liberal candidate (libertarian) who will help unite the worthless Georgia legislature and not pander to the socialists or moral majority.
The first step to financial recovery: Legalize and tax weed. (Sorry for stealing your idea, jim d.) It would earn the state billions of dollars in revenue, and I would be willing to bet that we would see nary a ripple in our normal day-to-day way of life. Does anyone have the guts to save Georgia?
jim d
February 5th, 2010
9:54 am
EX-Evil Old English Teacher,
It is your right to do so, as it is mine to stand by my origional comment.
Sunny Daze
February 5th, 2010
9:55 am
Well, Pluto is changing colors and I’m a little pale too. I shutter to think about one or two of the current front runner candidates being elected Governor. I thank the good Lord for our teachers and the positve impact they have had on the lives of my children. I also understand what their block vote represents in our state elections and the resulting impact. All I ask is carefully review all candidates for Governor and pray about your decision. I feel it is very important to choose wisely in this election.
Thanks anyway
February 5th, 2010
9:55 am
Every time old Roy turns around, it’s “You need me now even if you didn’t like me before” and “I was wonderful but I just didn’t spend enough time explaining how great I really am.” The issue isn’t that he didn’t listen to teachers, or even that he blamed us for school problems. The issue is that his signature education plan didn’t do anything to improve education in this state. As a career educator, I can tell you that Barnes’ term as Governor was hardly some sort of golden age for us, and that we didn’t realize it because he was a bit of a jerk. I’d be happy to have a jerk as Governor if he’d actually do something that really tackles the education problems in this state.
Barnes had his chance and he failed at fixing education as well as doing much of anything about the other problems we have. Why would we rehire someone who we fired when there are plenty of options for Governor in both parties?
Sorry, but now’s not the time to turn the Governor’s office over to a guy looking to soothe his bruised ego because he was fired for failing. We need to turn our attention to finding someone who might actually fix the problems we have rather than someone who is looking for some sort of personal redemption.
jim d
February 5th, 2010
9:57 am
V,
giving credit where credit is due–not my idea, borrowed it from NORML.
Dick
February 5th, 2010
10:00 am
Ezra;
I could agree with paying a teacher based on her performance IF all children were equaly in lerning abilities and talens. However, being married to a teacher of 26 years who is not a member of teh First Baptist Church in town we live in, not a member of teh country club, society clubs, etc SHE gets the kids that are border line retarded. So you tell me her pay should be based on those kids performance and learning. Remember they don’t have the learning ability Then you will reward those who teach the honor students and who kiss up to supers in order to get those type of kids? Let me ask you, let’s say you are a line man for Georgia Power and you supervise 15 men. You have tried to teach me/train me the ability to install power lines but for the life of me I can’t remember if the black wire is hot, ground or neutral. So after 8 months of me blowing transformers and not able to comprehend what you have been trying to teach me, you statement would have you being fired in lieu of me. Am I correct? Remember it was you as a supervior responsibility to teach me.
Mid-South Philosopher
February 5th, 2010
10:01 am
He is not going to do it, of course, but the only way “King Roy” is going to get my vote is to come to see me and ask for it…eyeball to eyeball, candidate to voter. If he does that, he is going to have to answer some specific questions concerning his “epiphany” that teachers have something more to offer than themselves as foot rugs for every two-bit politician (most of whom have a functional education at about the sixth grade level). No, Roy will not come to see me, and the chances of my voting for him are slightly less than him being invited as the keynote speaker before the annual Sons of Confederate Veterans Convention!
vft
February 5th, 2010
10:08 am
Parents are an integral part of a child’s education. If you’re not going to hold parents accountable, you can’t hold teachers all the way accountable. It’s a triangle composed of home-school-child.
Joy in Teaching
February 5th, 2010
10:11 am
Maybe King Roy should offer $100 gift cards.
Sorry…but someone had to say it. There isn’t a chance in hades that I’d vot for King Roy. And the Ox isn’t about to get my vote either. I’m hoping the other candidates step up to the plate with something remotely memorable or attention grabbing.
(My students are at an assembly, by the way.)
redandblackblood
February 5th, 2010
10:11 am
I don’t think I should be held accountable for the performance at my job either. Just because my company is losing money because I am not very good at my job doesn’t mean I should be counseled and fired. I am the true victim.. I stand behind the teachers they shouldn’t be held accountable either.. Just because they are ineffective doesn’t mean they should be held accountable. Besides its a governement job they are entitled to keep their job even though they may not be able to perform. Sonny let them do it, he is not holding anybody accountable, why does Roy have to be soooo mean…
Morrus
February 5th, 2010
10:16 am
Vote out the incumbents and start over
Cobb Teacher
February 5th, 2010
10:17 am
I am a teacher and although I was not one during the tenure of Barnes I have heard nothing positive about him. I am not a fan of our current leader either. Many policies that are implemented into our school are directives from people that are not educators. More educators need to be conferred with BEFORE policies are implemented. With respect to APS schools, Yes you guys did not have any furlough days and still are receiving your annual raises based on your years of service. APS also has a HUGE deficit. No furloughs for APS-YES, Layoffs and forcing veteran teachers out of the schools to save money-YES. I would rather take a furlough than to be worried about having a job.
GA Bureaucrat
February 5th, 2010
10:25 am
‘Tis better to be furloughed than fired. All state employees have been asked to take days off without pay in order to save colleagues jobs, help with the budget shortfall and keep critical services working for our citizens. Teachers have had steady pay increases in their contracts every year. All other state employees have not had a penny of increase in the last few years.
Times are hard. We have many neighbors around our state who have lost their employment and no candidate is pandering to them.
I for one am grateful to have a full time job that allows me to serve our citizens even if the pay is far less than I made in private industry. I hope most educators feel the same way about their job and the opportunity to teach.
Pull My Finger
February 5th, 2010
10:25 am
Roy Barnes can kiss my butt.
Michael
February 5th, 2010
10:29 am
Other than tenure removal, what specific issues were the teachers upset with Roy over the first go around?
Jennifer
February 5th, 2010
10:34 am
I am sorry the teachers helped to elect Sonny anyway…its been a long, miserable, unproductive 7 years!
howard
February 5th, 2010
10:35 am
How funny…Barnes was pretty quick to sell out teachers when he thought he didn’t need them. Now, he knows he can’t win without them so he’s trying to get them to buy his new and improved line. It is clear that teachers have suffered for 8 years under our Republican Governor but the irony is this was caused by Barnes throwing them under the bus in the first place…
Turd Ferguson
February 5th, 2010
10:56 am
“Being Teacher of the year IS a big deal.”
Ya…kinda like all Second graders receiving a year end certificate for
restroom etiquitte. Just another feel good piece of paper that should have remained on the toilet roll.
RJ
February 5th, 2010
10:56 am
@Cobb Teacher “Layoffs and forcing veteran teachers out of the schools to save money-YES. I would rather take a furlough than to be worried about having a job.” I’m no more concerned about having a job than any other teacher in the state of Georgia. It’s hard all over. As I stated, we didn’t have furloughs THIS YEAR! AND, I don’t know what will happen next year. I’m not bragging, just stating how blessed I was not to have to take furlough days. Also, I don’t know where you get your information, but the veteran teachers in my school, and in MY FAMILY have not been forced out of the classroom. If it happened to someone you know, I can name 3 that it didn’t.
jim d
February 5th, 2010
10:57 am
I know where an extra $456,000 + a year could come from.
Quit imprisioning petty drug users and dealers. Fine them and let them go. it costs our state roughly $456,000 a year to keep these folks in jail. if you were to fine them and release i suspect we could double that figure with the increased revenue from fines
Of course legalizing and taxing makes more sense, but at least this would be a step in the right direction.
samlee
February 5th, 2010
10:57 am
Roy Barnes attacked teachers, schools and students every way he could. He went so far as to suggest that recess be eliminated so more time could be spent on academics. I wonder if he sits at his desk for 6 hours straight?! He berated us every chance he could. Remember, we can only teach what parents send us; if they send us children with no sleep, no food and no love, then we must take care of those needs before we teach them anything. Sorry, Roy, you won’t get my vote, so don’t send me any letters.
It didn't start with King Roy
February 5th, 2010
10:58 am
Georgia’s schools have been a laughing stock for more than 50 years. One Governor didn’t cause it and one can’t fix it. The current group of politicians are just continuing to dig the hole deeper. I don’t think Barnes or anyone else will make that big of a difference. All Barnes did was to try to shift the blame to someone who couldn’t defend themselves. I certainly wouldn’t vote for him.