Is it a new Deal for education in Georgia? Nathan Deal wins the run-off, but can he win the education vote?
Nathan Deal has teachers in his family but does he understand the education problems in Georgia?
The deal’s on after the longtime north Georgia congressman defeated former Secretary of State Karen Handel in a bitter runoff for the Republican nomination for governor. Handel just conceded.
After watching Nathan Deal in two debates, he seems like an affable guy with few new ideas for schools. Now, some of you don’t want new ideas, so that may be fine.
But beyond emphasizing all the teachers in his family, I am not sure Deal has thought much about education issues based on his debate responses. (At a panel before the Georgia School Boards Association earlier this summer, I think it is fair to say that the GOP gubernatorial candidates underwhelmed the crowd, including Republican school board members who were hoping for a more defined message on school funding problems.)
I was surprised at Deal’s generic speech to the school board members because this was an audience that wanted details, that understood school finance and was willing to wade through arcana. Deal gave the sort of broad speech you give at a Rotary or town hall meeting where the audience has a myriad of interest areas.
As to the school funding questions that state school board members cared about most, Deal said he wanted a commission to report back to him by July 2011 about reforms to the school funding formula.
Deal now has Brian Robinson on his staff, and Brian, a Georgia native and UGA grad, understands the importance of education, so I know Deal with be coming up with a lot more specifics.
On his website, Deal says this about education:
Deal has worked as a strong advocate for public education throughout his career in public service. Both of his parents and his wife worked their entire careers as Georgia public school teachers. It’s no surprise that Nathan treats our public educators like family.
As a husband who stayed up at night with his wife grading papers, he knows that politicians’ rhetoric on education doesn’t always, if ever, reflect what happens in real Georgia classrooms. As governor, Nathan will take power away from education bureaucrats and empower local leaders to cater their plans to their local needs and resources. He will also support more options for students in our state and give parents greater choice for public education. Nathan will continue the fight to produce well rounded students in public education that are life, work and college ready.
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Is it a new Deal for education in Georgia? | Georgia Elections News
August 11th, 2010
11:27 am
[...] But beyond emphasizing all the teachers in his family, I am not sure Deal has thought much about education issues based on his debate responses. (At a panel before the Georgia School Boards Association earlier this summer, I think it is fair to say that the GOP gubernatorial candidates underwhelmed the crowd, including Republican school board members who were hoping for a more defined message on school funding problems.) Read more. [...]
Deal or NO Deal
August 11th, 2010
11:32 am
NO Deal.
Vince
August 11th, 2010
11:32 am
Well, he sounds like he wants to move away from the super micro-management techniques brought forth by Roy Barnes 12 years ago…and that is good enough for me.
In addition, he hasn’t officially lied to educators yet…so that puts him up by two points in my book.
Belinda
August 11th, 2010
11:37 am
I believe that Georgia education will be the deciding factor in the November election. We’ll see what he and Barnes and the Libertarian candidate have to say.
Elizabeth Rhodes
August 11th, 2010
11:37 am
You entirely ignored the fact that Nathan was endorsed and supported by the Cobb County Association of Educators PAC and its members. We interviewed Nathan and he shared with us his goals for education in Georgia and his committment to public education. We were very impressed with him and supported him with contributions to the primary and run-off races. He was the only Republican who bothered to talk to teacher groups. I am sure you will see a definite plan on his goals for education in the very near future.
td
August 11th, 2010
11:40 am
Deal will have my support because he has not lied to teachers in the past and he is not lying to them now. There is no way Roy can deliver on the promises he is making to teachers now, so he is lying to you again.
Vince
August 11th, 2010
11:40 am
Does Nathan Deal even need to say anything about education to win the votes of educators? All he really needs to say is, “I’m not Roy Barnes.”
’nuff said.
hnsjr
August 11th, 2010
11:44 am
I am no fan of Deal but he has a good shot at the support of educators if he wants their support. Barnes lost my support because of his attacks on teachers. I trusted him the first time around and he blew it. It is doubtful I could support him again. At the moment, for the first time in my life, it is highly probable I will not vote. It just doesn’t seem to matter any more as I have watched whoever wins simply look after special interests and their money.
Vince
August 11th, 2010
11:49 am
@hnsjr
I feel as you do but I worry that if I don’t vote it will increase Roy’s chance of winning.
JoeV
August 11th, 2010
11:55 am
Elizabeth Rhodes,
A PAC supports him? OH! Well now I MUST vote for him!
JoeV
August 11th, 2010
11:57 am
td,
You positive that Deal isn’t lying? You are silly. He is a politician…of course he is lying.
oldtimer
August 11th, 2010
12:05 pm
Never ole Roy….He had his turn. With the economy down there is no money right now so Roy’s promises are meaningless. Not voting is like voting for Barnes.
I_Teach
August 11th, 2010
12:07 pm
I will NOT vote for Deal. He left Congress rather than face the numerous ethics charges against him. He is VAGUE at best about his plans.
Hopefully, Barnes will have learned his lesson-and at least HE has some more detailed ideas he’s willing to share.
Deal was corrupt in Congress. Do we really need MORE of the same?????
Hey Teacher
August 11th, 2010
12:15 pm
Barnes lost the election not only because of disgruntled educators but because he changed the state flag. I think he got a bad rap from teachers who were disgruntled about tenure so they didn’t hear anything else coming out of his mouth. Tenure is a joke anyway — if they want to get rid of you, they will find a way. Just look at the RIF process. I don’t really like either of our two choices for gov, but I do think NOT voting for Barnes or not voting at all just because he did away with tenure 10 years ago is not very thoughtful.
Dr NO
August 11th, 2010
12:16 pm
Barnes will not win the guber race, however, I would be interested in knowing what shades of lipstick plans on wearing for the fall campaign.
King Rat lied
August 11th, 2010
12:23 pm
He lied. Period.
Revlon
August 11th, 2010
12:24 pm
You know what they say; you can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still Roy Barnes.
JoeV
August 11th, 2010
12:25 pm
Well said Hey Teacher, well said.
Middle School Teacher
August 11th, 2010
12:27 pm
Lower class sizes tend to be the only thing teachers can say Barnes did well. Let me just remind you that he mandated lower class sizes, but did not provide the funding. He made laws to get votes that just caused more problems for the school systems.
Katie
August 11th, 2010
12:33 pm
In early spring, I met with Oxendine, Handel, and Barnes personally along with a national representative from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards, their lobbyist, and two other NBCT’s. All three candidates met with us for over an hour. While I was disappointed in Handel (she basically said, “you won’t get your money”), and we all knew Oxendine would say whatever we wanted to hear, at least these three were willing to sit down face to face and talk to us. Barnes has promised to renew our stipends.
Deal won’t even return the NBPTS’s phone calls. That tells me all I need to know.
Beck
August 11th, 2010
12:34 pm
Roy Barnes never attacked teachers. He made them accountable for their work, which IMHO everyone should be. He also tried to help GA teachers bridge the gap between where we were and what the federal government standards would be under NCLB.
I’m a teacher; I voted for Roy each time I could before and I will again!
Despite not being governor any more Roy has been working to improve education through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards since he’s been out of office:
http://www.nbpts.org/about_us/news_media/web_feature_releases?ID=249
http://www.nbpts.org/userfiles/File/conference_summary.pdf
EnoughAlready
August 11th, 2010
12:38 pm
If the teachers vote for Deal, they will more than likely continue to find themselves in the unemployment line. If the parents vote for Deal, we will not get the kind of education that our children deserve.
I’m not happy about Barnes, but I think we will get more out of him in regards to education, transportation, jobs and our water problem solved.
If our education budget continues to get “cut to the bone”; we all will lose (children, parents, teachers, administrators, businesses and the overall community).
That’s what teachers and parents should think about when they go out to vote in November.
Steven Samuels
August 11th, 2010
12:39 pm
I think more teachers remember about the past 8 years of the Republican administration than what Barnes did/didn’t do before then. Trusting a republican to do anything good about public education is pure lunacy.
Dan
August 11th, 2010
12:39 pm
“As governor, Nathan will take power away from education bureaucrats and empower local leaders to cater their plans to their local needs and resources.”
Translation: Higher property taxes and power to the local bureaucrats, Nooooo Deal!
Cam
August 11th, 2010
12:40 pm
Barnes is a politician, but not a fool. He knows what he promised teachers and what happened when it didn’t happen. Deal doesn’t even have to go back on a promise because he’s promised nothing to teachers. All the Republican candidates have given statements that support charter schools and vouchers and that’s enough. Parents who have children in private schools don’t need the vouchers. Giving me $500 when tuition is $2500 doesn’t mean my child goes to private school. It just means that people with the means to afford it get $500 that coulda/woulda/shoulda gone to public schools. Give public schools the same freedom as a charter school and put the testing on equal ground. No Child Left Behind did the damage. No amount of damage control has kept this ship from sinking with our children onboard.
cobb mother
August 11th, 2010
12:46 pm
The State was growing under Barnes, there were jobs and growth. We had 17 students in Kindergarten class when Roy Barnes was Gov. Now there are no jobs, unemployment, and 25+ kids in Kindergarten.
Deal is a crook who was more interested in sending business to his one little monopoly. For all you die hard Republicans he was a Democrate when he won his house seat, so you would be voting for a Democrate. Just a turncoat.
Tom
August 11th, 2010
12:47 pm
Look people, the only bad thing I hear about Mr Deal is an ethics question. Was he or was he not involved in some sort of issue concerning procedures and policy? Seems civil and very minor at best to me! He did not rob anyone, beat his wife or kick the dog!! These are things that would concern me. Mr Deal served in our military honorably as an officer, very educated with law degree(having served as prosecutor and judge), married 44 years to same women with 4 grown children and 6 grandchildren(whom he seems to love greatly as seen on one of his tv ads). He seems like a good man and will due the best for the state that he is capable of doing. As the governor he would have more authority to accomplish more for the state than as a single member of Congress, where he has served in the past. One question I have, did Roy Barnes ever serve in the military?? I am an INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE retired from military and law enforcement, Mr Deal gets my vote!!!
Paul From Milton
August 11th, 2010
12:50 pm
I’m a conservative Republican who can’t stand any of the candidates. While I don’t view Deal as anti-Atlanta, I believe that he won’t go out of his way to help the area. When he was asked a specific question about the metro area’s transportation problems his instead talked about a major east-west road running from Savannah to Columbus. He also said that Marta must be held “accountable”, whatever that means. Not exactly the answers to think he understands the unique problems this metro area faces. Deal is also a little too much “good ole boy” for me as well.
Right now I would have to say that come November I’ll vote for all Republicans and for Barnes as governor. As of right now I find him the lesser of 3 evils.
Bill Campbell
August 11th, 2010
12:53 pm
Roy Barnes would be the worst thing to happen to the State of Georgia! King Roy was dethroned once and the people would be fools to elect him again!!
Sign of things to come
August 11th, 2010
12:56 pm
For those of you who dont vote listen up. If you dont want Barns back in office then just dont sit around. You teachers know what hes about and even though you dont like Deal do you want another term of Barns. Hes already a proven leader against teachers and our future. So you sit on the back burner, dont vote and guess what? You have another term of Barns but this time you cant yell because you didnt do anything to stop it.
We might not know for certain about Deal, but all the teachers and educators do know about Barns. I want nothing to do with that man as Governor again and I WILL be there to support Deal to make sure Barns does not get back into office.
Pro Liberty
August 11th, 2010
12:56 pm
Educators for the most part are selfish anti-American left wing socialist that do not care about the positive well-being of our nation just themselves. They will vote for whichever candidate promises them the most goodies!
Reality Check
August 11th, 2010
12:58 pm
Roy Barnes failed as governor the first time, why should we let that liberal big spending failure of a governor back in office?
Reality Check
August 11th, 2010
1:01 pm
This election boils down to Deal, the choice of freedom. liberty loving American patriots who want fiscal responsibility in government or Barnes, the choice of left wing America-hating socialists who desire to destroy freedom, free enterprise will saddle our state government with debt spending to promote their socialist agenda!
Cynthia McKinney
August 11th, 2010
1:02 pm
I like Roy Barnes! He’s a leftwing liberal like me!
Vince
August 11th, 2010
1:03 pm
@ Hey Teacher
It wasn’t so much that Barnes wanted to hold teachers accountable. I agree with him on that. In fact, as an admistrator, I think doing away with fair dismissal is a good thing. However, what Barnes did was lie to teachers. Before the election he said he wouldn’t touch “tenure.” Just three weeks after the election he said he had changed his mind and wanted to get rid of it. I can’t trust him.
He also started the grand idea to hold schools accountable for getting non-English speaking students and special ed students up to grade level in just a few months and to grant pay raises based upon whether that was accomplished. That, my friend, with many special ed stduents, is an impossibility. When educators wanted to voice these concerns with him. he told us that we were in danger of losing his respect and the respect of the people of Georgia if we didn’t stop voicing our concerns. I cannot support someone who doesn’t want to listen.
FedUp
August 11th, 2010
1:09 pm
Nathan Deal hasn’t done anything for Georgia while in Congress. Please name one thing he has done to help the people of Georgia. He was voted in to represent the people, but has only been helping himself.
Deal has stood with the Republicans when it comes to Education in our Great State; they have done nothing to improve education. Deal has stood with the Republicans when it came to transportation; they have done nothing to improve transportation. The republicans have done nothing about our water issues and Deal hasn’t done anything in Congress to help.
This man has held office for a few years and hasn’t done anything for the state of Georgia.
Why would anyone want to vote for DEAL, regardless of his ethic challenges? It’s not like he DID NOT hold a significant role in government already; he was in D.C. for crying out loud.
a lie?
August 11th, 2010
1:18 pm
@ Vince,
So, do you have any evidence that Roy Barnes intended to do away with the tenure before the election? I mean you do admit that sometimes people DO change their minds, don’t you?
As for special ed requirements, isn’t that more or less that came down as the NCLB?
JJ
August 11th, 2010
1:19 pm
A couple of quick reminders about the King:
1) For those who thought the state was left in great shape for SP remember that after Sonny took office we found out the state was over $700 million in debt. This debt occured during a good economy and under Old Roy’s watch.
2) Old Roy tried to funnel money from GA 400 tolls to one of his buddies building Atlantic Station, saying it was for public transportation. It went to court and Old Roy’s buddies had to return the money to the GA 400 toll authority. The judge chastised Old Roy noting the charter for the toll authority was very specific as to what toll collections could be used for.
3) If his lips are moving he is probaly telling a lie.
New ideas? Please
August 11th, 2010
1:26 pm
“Now, some of you don’t want new ideas, so that may be fine”
New ideas? Like No Child Left Behind and RTTT? No thanks. I take the old idea of fully supporting the teacher’s authority to give firm and consistent consequences any day.
In other word, I’ll take the old idea that has never failed to empower children to become responsible adults over the new ones that cost billions any day.
Ima Nidiot
August 11th, 2010
1:30 pm
Nathan Deal: his voting record speaks for itself.
- Veterans benefits: voted against that. (HR 2638 9/24/2008)
- Education for Veterans: voted against that (HR 2642 5/15/2008).
- Military Leave Act: voted against that (HR 3159 8/2/2007)
Sorry Nathan, but sometimes us military guys cost money. Your conservative values are great and all that, but to use the old phrase “what have you done for me lately? ”
Nathan Deal does not care about Veterans, period.
Vince
August 11th, 2010
1:32 pm
@ a lie
No, I don’t have any evidence that he didn’t change his mind…only he would know that…but I think the evidence certainly points to a lie beyond any reasonable doubt. I find it hard to believe he would have a huge epiphany in the weeks following the 1998 election that would have made him do a 180 degree turnaround.
As for the special ed requirements…NCLB ushered those in nationwide and it was patterened on the programs Bush and Barnes (as well as the governor of NC) worked on as governors. Barnes’ A+ Reform Act of 1999 asked us to do the same things. The A+ Reform Act also mandated many things without funding them…such as smaller class sizes. As a result, we find the state and education systems struggling to make ends meet 11 years later.
Roy now promises “teacher pay raises and no more furloughs.” It will be fun to see how he carries out those promises if elected. Furloughs have been passed down from the local boards so I guess he will have to make a law preventing local boards from using furlough days to make budget.
…..but then again…he can always “change his mind.”
Great choices
August 11th, 2010
1:36 pm
Deal or Barnes? This is like going to the senior prom, but the only two dates left are Phyllis Diller and Joan Rivers except worse; whichever one you take you have to date for the next four years.
Robert H.
August 11th, 2010
1:38 pm
People know a ‘BAD DEAL’ when they see one!
NO DEAL!!!!!!
Robert H.
August 11th, 2010
1:41 pm
BTW, how is Handel going to support NO DEAL???
She trashed him and exposed him for what he is….a unethical, untrustworthy good ol boy!
Interested to see how the GOPer’s spin THIS ONE!
NO DEAL!!!!
No Deal
August 11th, 2010
1:44 pm
The Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) lists Deal as one of the 15 most corrupt members of Congress, for trying to influence officials for personal gain. According to the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Deal “personally intervened with Georgia leaders to preserve an obscure state program that earns his company nearly $300,000 a year.” The state funded DOR salvage inspection program is paid for with $1.7 million taxpayer dollars annually. This program makes use of two salvaged vehicle storage facilities (one in Gainesville and one in Hazelhurst) in which Deal is part owner. The state pays a $100 fee to Deal’s businesses per car inspected at their site, this fee is the highest in the state.
Nathan Deal exceeded congressional limits on outside income and used his U.S. House office and staff to protect money coming from a no-bid state business deal. On March 29, 2010, the Office of Congressional Ethics released a report concluding that Mr. Deal improperly used his office staff to pressure Georgia officials to continue the state vehicle inspection program that generated hundreds of thousands of dollars a year for his family’s auto salvage business.
Will teachers help elect a gay-bashing birther? | ATLmalcontent
August 11th, 2010
1:48 pm
[...] instead. Politicians demand accountability from the teachers union at their peril and you can bet Nathan Deal will kiss the union’s ass. And conservatives will look the other way. This entry was posted in 2010 governor, birthers. [...]
Vince
August 11th, 2010
1:53 pm
@ Will teachers help elect…..
You do know, of course, that Georgia dsoesn’t have any real teachers’ unions, right?
@ No Deal…..
None of what you wrote makes any difference in overcoming the reservations I have about Barnes. My distrust and disdain for him run very deep.
East Cobb Parent
August 11th, 2010
1:58 pm
Okay a little off topic but those of you that feel Roy Barnes will restore merit pay and other benefits, where do you propose he get the money? Funding isn’t as high as it was but the economy is suffering. How does this have a positive effect on a child’s education? I hear tons on the lack of funding, but I don’t foresee how anyone in the short term can come up with more money. When I look at the local school districts I see tons of waste. Why are we putting in smart boards but laying off teachers? Where is the evidence that a smartboard in a class of 30 – 35 kids provides a better education than another teacher and class size of 24 – 28 kids? I haven’t made up my mind to vote for either Barnes or Deal; I need to see a feasible plan for education. So far, I hear a lot but don’t see where anyone is saying anything. I think most of us agree, we have hard working teachers and parents (for the most part) but there is a break down along the way and our children are not getting the education they deserve. We had to cut money from other areas so we could remove our children from public because their needs were not met. No one gave me a bailout, voucher, extra funding – we made choices. I haven’t seen where anyone (state level or local) is willing to do anything other make an issue out of classsize and teachers. I feel they are hitting buttons to get people to cough up more money. I don’t see where that fixes the problem until the underlying spending issue is fixed.
Pepe "Patron" Lopes
August 11th, 2010
1:59 pm
Are you Gringos ever satisfied with anything or anybody? Complain Complain Complain. I dont like him, I dont like her, we dont want this, we dont want that. Cabronitas
Dan
August 11th, 2010
2:02 pm
It’s not a party thing or a conservative v. liberal thing, it’s a basic integrity thing/
No Deal: http://www.crewsmostcorrupt.org/node/2057