Micromanaging schools from Atlanta: What the Legislature did and didn’t do
Legislators proposed a lot of bills dealing with schools this session. (AJC photo)
Those who follow the Legislature know that Wednesday was crossover day when bills must pass either the House or Senate to be considered this session. (In reality, bills can stall but still revive in the form of amendments to other bills that did make it through one of the two chambers.)
There was an interesting mix of bills dealing with education. By the way, it is hard to accept the specious argument that the state Supreme Court ruling on charter schools last May put in doubt the ability of the state to regulate public education when you see the sheer volume and the intrusiveness of bills related to schools and school operations coming out of the Legislature this year.
State Sen. Chip Rogers of Cherokee failed to advance Senate Bill 87, his broader voucher bill, but he keeps trying each year. Here is a good AJC story by new education reporter Wayne Washington on the push for greater school choice.
Another bill that did not move was SB 364, which would bar schools from using standards-based report cards in grades 4-12. My system adopted the standards-based report card as part of its International Baccalaureate program. I agree that the report cards are an adjustment, and my system has had several sessions to explain the detailed numeric “grades” to wary parents. And some systems in Georgia have backed away from standards-report cards because of parent discomfort with the detailed numeric assessments that gauge students’ progress on multiple measures and skills within each subject area. But I am surprised that the General Assembly would even consider getting into this issue, which seems best addressed by parents and local school systems.
The Georgia School Boards Association, which does a great job of monitoring the Legislature in its daily reports, offered this list of bills that stalled:
Some bills that passed out of Committee but never made it to a calendar include:
• HB 109, prohibiting public employees from using government-owned devices to promote or oppose legislation
• HB 705, amending the definition of direct classroom expenditure for the 65% rule
• HB 821, requiring a family who moved to enroll a child within a certain time period
• HB 836, creating a High School Athletics Overview Committee
• SB 49, raising the mandatory age of attendance to 16 1/2
• SB 452, amending the requirements for local board hearings before the State Board due to accreditation issues
•SB 457, making elections partisan
• SR 480, urging school districts to put healthy options in vending machines
• SR 999, urging the State Board of Education to develop a course on teen dating violence
Two charter school bills cleared the House, including House Bill 651, which repeals the additional funding that the state was giving systems that won charter status. A handful of small districts became “charter” systems, which had them to a slight funding boost. Apparently, the state can’t afford the boost, especially with a large system like Fulton seeking charter status.
HB 651 passed with an amendment to grandfather in current charter systems. Those systems would continue to receive the funding until the end of the charter contract that they signed with the state. The bill strikes language that said: In addition to the amounts earned by a charter system pursuant… a charter system shall earn 3.785 percent of the base amount established pursuant to subsection (a) of Code Section 20-2-161 for each full-time equivalent student in each school within the charter system.
The other charter school bill that passed the House was House Bill 797, the enabling legislation for the charter school constitutional amendment, which has yet to pass the Senate.
HB 797 re-establishes the defunct charter school commission and spells out funding for state approved charter schools. The bill, as passed, never really had a public airing, despite assertions to the contrary by House leaders.
As one public school advocate told me when I asked if the House Education Committee ever discussed the bill: “Discussed by the education committee” would be a description of what happened only by someone delusional. In fact, this hastily-called meeting of the Ed Committee occurred at the last minute after the House had debated the abortion bill, and no one was in much of a mood to even have a meeting, let alone discuss anything. At the meeting, Rep. Jones walked in with copies of the latest version of HB 797 in hand, distributed them to committee members only, and proceeded to highlight “changes” that she had made after receiving “input” from committee members since the last time she “discussed” this legislation. Although there were a couple of questions from the committee members, there was no opportunity for public comment (though I don’t know what we would have commented on, as we were not permitted to see a copy of the bill until after the adjournment of the meeting, and we only got copies then from friendly legislators who were dismayed at the way they treated us.)
According to the GSBA summary of HB 797:
Members of the House were told by Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones that there were two hearings on the bill; one eight days before the other — allowing a much longer period for comment than usual. House Education Committee Chairman Brooks Coleman later assured them that it was heard three times in full Committee and treated as any other bill in full Committee. What neither of them mentioned was that a different version was brought to Committee members in each of those meetings, and no testimony was ever taken.
When questioned about why there were no limitations or safeguards included regarding management fees, the sponsor said more local charters used management companies than state charters. Her research showed that management fees are usually 8% – 14% of the revenue, but Atlanta Public Schools charges $3,000 per student, 22%, for central office services. The high management fee reported for Atlanta Heights, a state charter, has been brought up frequently. Rep. Jones said the school did not pay the fee and the company donated $500,000 to help them make it through the first year. The vote was largely along party lines, but five Republicans voted against it and four did not vote. It now moves to the Senate.
In response to the Georgia School Boards Association summation of state Rep. Jan Jones’ comments on APS, I just received this note:
Maureen-I don’t know where Jan Jones gets her information, but she needs a fact-checker. Atlanta Public Schools does not, as she claims “charge $3,000 per student, 22 percent, for central office services.” The district retains 2 percent of the gross revenue from a number (not all) of its charter schools for services provided to those schools, including Professional Development, provision and coordination of ITBS testing, Title I, Special Education and other support. This is 1/3 less than the 3 percent retention allowed by state law and works out to between $180 and $200 per student. Before the Charter Commission was found to be unconstitutional, it retained 3 percent from its schools (2 percent in Year 2) in order to fund its office. Please set the record straight.
Allen Mueller
Director of Charter Schools
Atlanta Public Schools
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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183 comments Add your comment
Csoby
March 8th, 2012
1:14 pm
Why not mandate that Perents become responsible and then get the government out of it…but nooo..the government opays women to have as many kids by as many different fthers as they can…shame shame shame on the government!!
d
March 8th, 2012
1:19 pm
@MiltonMan – How many Republicans have been pro public education? Why would GAE endorse anyone who would threaten improving public education? By that, I don’t mean the status quo. The Cobb affiliate endorsed Nathan Deal, GAE has endorsed several Republicans for the General Assembly (as mentioned earlier, Don Balfour, Brooks Coleman and others). I am by no means a Democrat, I have voted for members of both parties on a regular basis, and I am not alone. Believe it or not, most members of GAE do think independently, but as with most voters, they look after their interests, and a strong public education system (and that is for both educators and students) is in the interest of members of GAE.
Beverly Fraud
March 8th, 2012
1:22 pm
“Give it a rest Bev Fraud. Because I’m down at the cap every day during the legislative session…”
Well then Ed Advocate, one would hope you would be a handy reference to note SPECIFIC proposals GAE has had in the area of protecting teachers from ADMINISTRATIVE retaliation.
Well?
“Nastiness and fighting amongst education groups is counterproductive when the real threat lies elsewhere.”
True to an extent; but ask those APS teachers who dared to tell the truth about cheating, and I’m sure they will vouch that retaliation is INDEED a “real threat”.
And when your LIVELIHOOD is threatened, merely for advocating ETHICALLY, don’t all the other “real threats” kind of fall under the category “Other than THAT, how was the play Mrs. Lincoln”?
As well, ask those teachers who have been PHYSICALLY ASSAULTED with little or no consequences to the student, about just how very real the lack of administrative support in matters of discipline truly is.
Finally, think of ALL CAPS as italics. I do. LOL. After all, it’s not all caps ALL the time!
Dekalbite@MiltonMan
March 8th, 2012
1:24 pm
“The GAE has always endorsed a democrat for governor in this state to include none other than Rat Barnes who dumped on the teachers while he was governor.’
Yes. Barnes reduced class sizes dramatically for students and teachers and teacher compensation rose under him. I can see why you think he was soooo… bad for teachers. Teachers just love the increased class sizes and cuts in pay that Perdue and now Deal brought. And how great for students to sit in classes of 35+.
Here we go!
March 8th, 2012
1:27 pm
MiltonMan – Hallmark makes jokes about republicans being known by this definition – angry, cranky, old white men. I’d say you pretty much nailed it by your rants. Perhaps in order to save yourself a heart attack, you should stay off the blogs and concentrate on something more to your liking, like Fox news or something. You will probably agree with everything they say.
Dekalbite@MiltonMan
March 8th, 2012
1:31 pm
Georgia unemployment rate: 9.7%
U.S. unemployment rate: 8.3%
I’m a bottom line kind of person. Improve student achievement. Improve the economy. If you can’t do this, move to the side and let someone else take the reins. The Dekalb Board of Education has much in common with our state government. Both are ineffective in the areas we need them to be effective in. The Return on Investment is just not there. In business, you are punished for a failing ROI. It appears our elected officials are somehow immune to this notion. That is not good for our pocketbooks.
Maureen Downey
March 8th, 2012
1:35 pm
@Angela, Speaking of one-side of the story, this note just came from APS:
Dekalbite@$3,000 Per Student
March 8th, 2012
1:39 pm
Welcome to the club. Dekalb Schools Central Office is over 10%+ of the entire budget or $73,000,000+.
DeKalb is spending around $73,000,000 a year for Central Office staff according to the 2011 approved budget document on the DCSS website.
“Similarly, less than 10.0% of the budget is dedicated to central office salaries and benefits. This means that if all central office staff were to be eliminated, a reduction of less than $73.5 million would result.”
http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/www/documents/budget/approved-budget-(2011).pdf
(see page
Dekalbite@$3,000 Per Student
March 8th, 2012
1:40 pm
Should have read http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/www/documents/budget/approved-budget-(2011).pdf
see page 8
William Casey
March 8th, 2012
1:53 pm
Thanks GM for your 12:47 post. At least I’m beginning to understand the issues.
My perspective is from that of the Fulton County School system, from which I retired years ago. It’s separate from the Atlanta Public Schools. I read recently that the Fulton System had applied for “Charter” status and do not understand the rationale for doing so or how this would benefit student learning. My son has graduated from a Fulton Co, school. As a Fulton citizen, I remain interested in education issues. I don’t begrudge one penny of my high school taxes. I simply want the money spent wisely. I know from my time as a teacher, coach and administrator there, that this has not always been the case.
Dekalbite@Just a Parent
March 8th, 2012
2:00 pm
Thank you for the link. I thoroughly enjoyed her essay (and yes I voted for her). It was well written, and I love the message it conveyed. My nephew’s wife was the valedictorian of her class in high school and also valedictorian of her class in the very large state university she attended. Her mom cleaned dorm rooms, and her dad was a blue collar worker. She is an only child, and her parents are great people. She says her mom used to take her for rides and point out the most rundown trailer parks in the county and tell her to delay marriage and stay in school. She says that’s one reason she didn’t get married until she was 36 years old.
There is nothing more fun for teachers than to read excellent student essays.
Rick in ATL
March 8th, 2012
2:03 pm
Maureen, this sentence of yours is awfully lazy:
“it is hard to accept the specious argument that the state Supreme Court ruling on charter schools last May put in doubt the ability of the state to regulate public education when you see the sheer volume and the intrusiveness of bills related to schools and school operations coming out of the Legislature this year.”
Nobody–including the staunchest of the right-wingers–is making the argument that it has somehow lost its prerogative to regulate public education. In fact, it is exercising that prerogative more than ever precisely because of the GA SUPCO’s arrogance!
What lawmakers are saying (correctly) is that the court overstepped its bounds by perverting an ill-fitting precedent (and a deeply racist one, at that) to justify its decision in the charter school commission case, and now it’s time to remind the court that lawmakers, not judges, write our laws.
Pro-charter lawmakers got their shot blocked last time, but they got the rebound and are taking it back to the hoop, only stronger. (The judges went all Josh Smith on us, but now we’re going all LeBron on them).
If you don’t like it, elect some taller democrats. But it’s not “specious” reasoning–it’s a perfectly rational reaction to SUPCO overreaching.
Maureen Downey
March 8th, 2012
2:14 pm
@Rick, Not so. I have been at two hearings where lawmakers, including Rep. Jones, said the Supreme Court ruling put in question the state’s jurisdiction of anything to do with schools.
Maureen
MiltonMan
March 8th, 2012
2:20 pm
Here we go – typical lib who falls lock-and-step with his chosen party line.
Yes, living in North Fulton has made me “very cranky” – great schools & low crime are all terrible things.
Let me guess, you live in DeKalb, you worship at Eddie Long’s church, you have a “Hope & Change” bumper sticker on your ‘78 Gremlin & you love CNN.
Beverly Fraud
March 8th, 2012
2:28 pm
Overheard (ok, possibly misheard) inside the Gold Dome.
Instead of letting these womens run around showing their calves (when it’s a well known fact that womens who show their calves are more likely to harbor illegal aliens and support communism) what REAL Americans should support is guns for fetuses…and vouchers for them as well!
And of course a fishing pole; see Sonny really WAS forward thinking but those so-called “progressives” just didn’t want to accept it, ’cause they are more interested in saving fish than helping children become true Americans.
Beverly Fraud
March 8th, 2012
2:31 pm
Does Eddie Sandusky still have a church in DeKalb?
Beverly Fraud
March 8th, 2012
2:32 pm
Oops, that should have read Eddie Long. Not sure where Sandusky came from.
Rick in ATL
March 8th, 2012
2:32 pm
@Maureen: Lawmakers ALWAYS use fear to create momentum for a cause (see global warming, the case Obama made for The Big Bailout, et al).
If our GOP’ers are really saying, however, that somehow the Supreme Court has usurped for itself the prerogative to decide how Georgia’s public schools are administered, then you’re right and they need to sit down and breathe into a paper bag, because that’s crazy. As odious as that “Exclusive Control” ruling was, it didn’t strip lawmakers of their prerogative to write laws, and they know that.
I forgot for a moment that lawmakers like to talk to us like we’re all idiots. Thank you for reminding me, and I stand corrected.
Here we go!
March 8th, 2012
2:38 pm
@MiltonMan – some right, some wrong. Live 6 miles from Milton High School in Cherokee County district – Creekview. Drive a Lexus, husband drives a Porsche, my decal says GT/Notre Dame, house divided. I am liberal in most political arguments, and proud of it. Raised by grandmother teacher. Raised my son in Cherokee county school system and am very impressed by Dr. P, which is why I stayed in Cherokee county. My public schooled son is now working intelligence for our government. Served 3 tours in Iraq, 2 in Afghanistan. Strong belief in the public school system. If you want to put your kids in a private school system do it. But don’t siphon money out of the public system. Pay for it yourself. Quit with the voucher crap. I do think changes can be made in the public system but the majority of teachers in that system teach from their heart and because they want to. Stop making schools political – we all benefit from them.
Maureen Downey
March 8th, 2012
2:42 pm
@Rick, To your point, here is what Jan Jones said at one hearing:
“The problem with the state Supreme Court’s decision is that it explicitly stated that school boards have exclusive control over general k-12 public education,” Jones said. “The decision calls into question whether state government has any meaningful role, except, perhaps, for putting a check in the mail.”
East Cobb Parent
March 8th, 2012
3:09 pm
Maureen, I understand SB 364 passing. Many parents met or tried to meet with our Cobb County SBM prior to passing SBRC for 1 – 3 grade. We spoke at board meetings against SBRC and in the end the board members approved SBRC. Several years later, parents still don’t have a clue as to what the reports cards really tell if you believe the chatter at various sporting events. Not wanting to wait until four years passed, voters contacted state reps to see what could be done. I don’t know the answer, maybe Dr. Trotter has a plan to improve schools, but parents are tired of condescending school board members and central offices spending funds foolishly. Anytime budget deficits are mentioned school boards instinctively cut teachers not the over the top Central Office Employees. There’s a wonderful story for the AJC, follow the money, you will find that many Central Office Employees are paid out of different pots and thus not classified as COE yet are really COE.
3schoolkids
March 8th, 2012
3:15 pm
@William Casey:
Finally found this link to Fulton County’s question & answer document describing the rationale behind conversion to a charter system:
http://portal.fultonschools.org/CharterSystem/Pages/Responses.aspx
The prevailing messages in the community meeting I attended were more flexibility in each individual school as to how curriculum would be taught and more parental input in each individual school (through expanded governing boards in place of LSAC), both things parents are going to “startup” Charters for. If it is granted I think it will be a good thing for schools who have strong effective administrations already in place. I don’t know how much it will impact schools in the system that lack effective leadership, unless the leadership issues are addressed first.
Happy Kine and The Mirth Makers
March 8th, 2012
3:56 pm
Dont blame the legislature. They are only responding to all these liberal activists and liberals LOVE to waste money.
David
March 8th, 2012
4:05 pm
Yes Jan Jones, that is what that means-as is established in Article VIII of the Georgia Constitution:
“Authority is granted to county and area boards of education to establish and maintain public schools within their limits…Each school system shall be under the management and control of a board of education, the members of which shall be elected as provided by law”.
It doesn’t say that those schools will be maintained on the whims of the state legislature.
William Casey
March 8th, 2012
4:14 pm
Thanks 3SCHOOLKIDS, that really helps. I need to study this.
Wondering
March 8th, 2012
4:14 pm
It sounds like Jan Jones missed the point. Unlike she and her legislative collegues, the court ruling is for local control. I for one agree with the concept that the state should be working to ensure the locals have sufficient funds to provide children with an appropriate public education and let the locals deliver.
Micro managing by the legislature is similar to micro management from a Board. It should be avoided as it leads to corruption and it lowers the level of education provided. That’s why SACS would put a system on probation if its Board tried to micro manage the educational process. Stick to budget and higher level policy issues, and allow the school system to focus on delivery.
carlosgvv
March 8th, 2012
4:25 pm
Since Georgia Republicans consider the far-right Tea Party people to be their main supporters, and since almost all of these people are fundamentalist Christians it seems pretty clear what the politicians are doing. They want a State full of Charter schools that are really Christian Academys.
Jane W.
March 8th, 2012
4:46 pm
@carlosgv: It’s nonsense to say that all who see issues differently than you are “far-something” or otherwise unreasonable.
Too many public schools are failing and resolutely continue to fail—through every pseudo-reform the education establishment and teachers’ unions come up with. It’s time to seriously try giving parents some real choices.
Bob
March 8th, 2012
4:55 pm
Good to see such healthy debate. For those complaining about our legislators, stop electing lawers, real estate salespeople, and motivational speakers to represent us. Encourage to run and elect folks that are in touch with reality.
Jane W.
March 8th, 2012
5:05 pm
And yes, “Waiting for Superman” is an extremely relevant film to view if you, too, long for public schools to improve.
Ron F.
March 8th, 2012
5:11 pm
“Let me guess, you live in DeKalb, you worship at Eddie Long’s church, you have a “Hope & Change” bumper sticker on your ‘78 Gremlin & you love CNN.”
LOL!! Actually, you’ll find that most “liberals” don’t fit that image! I drive a Ford (sans the bumper stickers- can’t stand what they do to the finish), live in a very conservative southern county, and wouldn’t go anywhere near Eddie Long! One day you guys will have to accept that we really, truthfully don’t want to turn this country into a socialist Islamic enclave of debauchery and sin. And electing a man of color who just happens to be a Democrat to the office of President isn’t going to take this country down. I wish I could say the same for the conservative legislatures across this country who seem to be hell-bent on taking away every public service they can. I guess when we end public education, privatize every other human service the government ever offered, and we’re all living like Bob Cratchett you guys will finally be happy.
Ron F.
March 8th, 2012
5:15 pm
3schoolkids: In south Fulton, where I was raised, going to charter status would likely be a really good thing. It’s long been known that the south county schools are generally less well equipped and poorer performing- in part because parents aren’t as involved or as financially well-off. They need to clean house administratively and carefully pick parent representatives for local school boards though to make it work. I’d love to see those schools get some good leadership and build a better network of parents.
William Casey
March 8th, 2012
5:36 pm
@RON F.: I suspect that the move to Charter status for Fulton has something to do with the disparity between North & South Fulton County. It MAY do some good. BTW– I loved your “liberal” post. Among my friends, I’m a “radical socialist” because I support President Obama (most of the time.)
bart
March 8th, 2012
5:38 pm
Our Legislature is a joke. Instead of concentrating on jobs, the economy, tax reform, transportation problems, and water issues, they are dealing with all these superfluous issues. Anything that can be managed at the local level, should be left to the local communities. I thought that was what the GOP had always espoused, but we see now what hypocrites they are. They want to micromanage local issues and interject themselves int issues that should be very personal. Why do we keep electing these clowns?
Old Physics Teacher
March 8th, 2012
5:52 pm
Eduktr,
I watched “Waiting for Superman.” You could sum up the entire hit piece in one sentence: “Charters good; public schools bad.” Worst piece of crap I ever watched, and I paid money to watch “Catwoman.” WfS was worse. I realize that you have a conservative viewpoint. No problem – I voted for Nixon – and would again. I screwed up and voted for Jimmy Carter; I was an idiot.
That being said, “Waiting for Superman” was a hit piece by a director and publisher who slanted every scene toward the negative end, and in some cases outright lied. It reminded me of “A Nation At Risk.” That trash was put out by Ronald Regan’s (R – CA) Department of Education at the direction of HIS Education Secretary. When people have a vested interest in putting their hands in your pocket, look out!
You don’t believe me? That’s fine. You’ve given up on us — and with some justification. But remember this; when you get what you want and it’s worse that what you have now, I want you to come back here and say (which no politician would ever say – AND RIGHTLY SHOULD), “I have screwed this up really bad; I’m sorry. Would some of you teachers come back here and try to fix this up?”
Ron F.
March 8th, 2012
5:54 pm
William: I’ve taken all sorts of verbal shots for voting for Obama for three years, and the funny thing is there isn’t much substance to any of it. Some of my closest friends are staunch conservatives who just can’t understand that an independent can, in fact, choose to be liberal when the need arises. And the need has only gotten stronger when you look at all the useless crap our state legislature is wasting our time and money to pump out.
If charter status will help bring to light and resolve some of the disparity issues in Fulton, I say go for it. I got an excellent education in the south county schools, but the disparity was glaringly obvious even then (30+ years ago). My dad is a retiree of the system and on the occasion that he had to work in a north county school he always remarked about what a different world it was up there. It came down to parental involvement and the knowledge that they wouldn’t accept anything but the best up there. He always said, and I still believe, that if parents on the southside were as active and vocal, they’d get better for their schools.
Atlanta Mom
March 8th, 2012
6:12 pm
“Maureen-I don’t know where Jan Jones gets her information”
The same place so many politicians get their information these days. She made it up.
Double Zero Eight
March 8th, 2012
6:22 pm
Folks, nothing much has changed in the past 20 years.
Georgia is still near the bottom in education. It’s been
a lot of rhetoric, but very little movement. We are still
in the bottom five for most critical measurements. The
republicans and democrats talk a good game, but action
speaks louder than words. They are more concerned with
protecting the interests of the lobbyists than with education.
There is little reason to beleive that we will not be ranked in the
bottom five states a decade from now.
I love teaching. I hate what it is becoming...
March 8th, 2012
6:24 pm
@JaneW “Too many public schools are failing and resolutely continue to fail—through every pseudo-reform the education establishment and teachers’ unions come up with. ”
Having worked in education for 20 plus years, I can assure you, most of the pseudo-reforms I have had to implement have not been established by any teachers’ unions. Rather, they have been handed down from on high by ” business suits” and “data crunchers” who have never stepped foot in a classroom, but have the power and political influence to push through “reforms” that will bring them big payoffs and promise them a piece of the educational pie. Unfortunately, they have too many of the “educational establishment” firmly in their pockets.
Double Zero Eight
March 8th, 2012
6:24 pm
Spelled “believe” incorrectly in my prior post.
3schoolkids
March 8th, 2012
6:28 pm
@William Casey & Ron F: I agree it could be good for both north and south fulton if the leadership in each school is strong and effective. I grew up on the north side, OLD Roswell High graduate and the level of parental involvement is good, but I have also seen the flipside of parental over-involvement. It takes strong leadership to counterbalance some of the parents who tend to be a little overzealous.
Jane W.
March 8th, 2012
6:45 pm
@ I love teaching… I taught also. Twelve years in a suburban Atlanta county. Please don’t tell me we teachers weren’t/aren’t subjected to every screwball education gimmick that comes down the pike: most of which are merely re-packaged gimmicks from previous eras. And many indeed are given the blessing of the liberal education establishment.
What’s wrong with public school education is fundamental: it isn’t market-based. Until consumers (parents) are entirely free to evaluate and choose between providers—there will be no real improvement.
Steve Jobs had it right in the best-selling biography about him (p.544): “There can be no hope for education reform—until the teachers’ unions are broken.”
irisheyes
March 8th, 2012
7:21 pm
If teachers unions are the entirety of the problem in education, what’s Georgia’s excuse?
had enough
March 8th, 2012
7:52 pm
Does Ed Heatley want to replace APs with businessmen, not educators? Why is CCPS Board discussing the possibility of mandating that teachers remain after school for one hour a week? This will be a part of the upcoming contract. No compensation.
Ron F.
March 8th, 2012
7:57 pm
Jane: Mr. Jobs as a businessman, not a teacher, has a point of view similar to many in education administration these days, and schools cannot work on a business model. Surely you know Georgia is a “right-to-work” state that does not allow teacher unions. The professional organizations many teachers join can do nothing more than lobby; considering the overwhelming tide of legislation bent on circumventing, if not outright ending public education, I’d say their power is more limited than their members had hoped. Since we have no legal right to picket, walk-out, or strike in any organized manner, what then would Mr. Jobs say is the problem? Bad management, I’d surely agree with totally. If education is to be run like a business, then we need to start at the top and get rid of the CEO’s and go from there!
Ron F.
March 8th, 2012
7:59 pm
“And many indeed are given the blessing of the liberal education establishment.” I have no reliable stats, but looking at Georgia in general, I’d say most of those blessing the ridiculous education packages are actually quite conservative. In the counties I’m most familiar with (mostly non-metro Atlanta), the leaders are very conservative in political and social matters. Just something to think about as you criticize the educational system.
Mary Elizabeth
March 8th, 2012
8:08 pm
One of the main architects of the tenets of our nation, Thomas Jefferson, communicated the following words of wisdom regarding education: (Source: “The Life and Selected Writings of Thomas Jefferson,” edited by Adrienne Koch and William Peden, The Modern Library Classics, Paperback Edition, 2004)
——————————————————————————–
Letter To Governor John Tyler, Monticello, May 26, 1810
“. . . .I have indeed two great measures at heart, without which no republic can maintain itself in strength. 1. That of general education, to enable every man to judge for himself what will secure or endanger his freedom. 2. To divide every county into hundreds, of such size that all the children of each will be within reach of a central school in it. But this division looks to many other fundamental provisions. Every hundred, besides a school, should have a justice of the peace, a constable and a captain of militia.” p.554
——————————————————————————
Letter To Dr. Joseph Priestley, Philadelphia, January 27, 1800
“I drew a bill for our legislature, which proposed to lay off every county into hundreds or townships of five or six miles square, in the centre of each of them was to be a free English school . . .” p. 506
“We should propose that the professors follow no other calling, so that their whole time may be given to their academical functions.” p. 507
========================================================
(Source: “Jefferson,” by Saul K. Padover, Konecky & Konecky, 1942)
“Jefferson was keenly conscious of the basic importance of education for democracy. To George
Wythe he wrote:
‘I think by far the most important bill in our whole code, is that for the diffusion of knowledge among the people. No other sure foundation can be devised, for the preservation of freedom and happiness. . . .Preach, my dear Sir, a crusade against ignorance; establish and improve the law for educating the common people. . . .the tax which will be paid for this purpose, is not more than the thousandth part of what will be paid to kings, priests and nobles, who will rise up among us if we leave the people in ignorance.’ ” p. 76
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Note Jefferson’s words, above : “the tax which will be paid for this purpose,” i.e. public schools
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Jayne
March 8th, 2012
8:10 pm
Maureen, If you are so weary of endless attacks why did you go after @milton for saying that a reporter wrote a particular story as opposed to the poster who said that a legislative leader was a criminal ( took bribes). Are some attacks more wearying than others or is it you get weary when it’s your side who takes a shot.
It seems to me that you are like the national democrats cry for civility except when they are doing the character assaination. If you don’t like being called out for being a hypocrite, don’t be one.
Jane W.
March 8th, 2012
8:24 pm
Teachers’ union apologists and defenders of the status quo: What is it you fear about parental choice? You will have every flawed argument at your continued disposal … along with every cherished though questionable education statistic. Plus the full attention of parents determined to finally get for their children a true chance in life.
Yet you doubt your power to persuade. I wonder why.
Mikey D
March 8th, 2012
8:28 pm
@North Fulton Parent:
“As I’ve said before, Jan Jones’ own children attended public schools in north Fulton.Let me tell you, these are NOT “Waiting For Superman” schools. They are extremely competitive and offer students a wealth of possibility. Jan Jones has clearly been bought by someone.”
Very possible since she and her legislative cohorts refuse to address the fact that Georgia remains one of only 3 states in the nation that refuses to eliminate or even limit lobbyist gifts. Ethics in Georgia politics are nonexistent. Any legislator who refuses to sign on to real ethics reform should be voted out of office, starting with Rogers in the senate and Ralston in the house, and everyone below them regardless of party affiliation.