Can we simultaneously fix and flee public schools?
Can we simultaneously fix and flee public schools?
I wondered about that question after meetings with Georgia’s last Democratic governor, Roy Barnes, and House Majority Whip Edward Lindsey, R-Atlanta. The men sat down with the AJC recently to discuss education issues in the state.
In many areas, the two leaders — both noted for their interest in education — see eye to eye.
“Just because a child is born in Schley County and not Forsyth County, you cannot constitutionally justify that child is going to receive an inferior education just because of an accident of birth,” said Barnes.
Speaking to AJC reporters a week later, Lindsey said much the same thing. “The fact of where a child is born should not determine whether they are going to have a future or not. Wherever a child is born, we have to concentrate on how to get them the education they need.”
Where the two leaders disagree is over the fundamental definition of public education: Is schooling a collective concern funded and governed by the community, or a private decision best left to parents even when some public dollars may be involved?
“What made us different as a people is that we did not ration education,” said Barnes. “We decided every child will receive an adequate education, and it became the key to social mobility. When you weaken the public school system, you destroy the fabric that holds us together.”
But the public school system isn’t working for many children, said Lindsey, citing the overall state high school graduation of 69.9 percent. “If my children brought home success records like this from school, it would be time for serious changes. It should be same for the Georgia’s education system.
“One thing I have learned in nine years is that no matter how dysfunctional a government program is or how bad a problem is, there is always going to be somebody who has a vested interest in the status quo,” said Lindsey.
The tensions between these views have fueled the ongoing debates in the General Assembly over whether Georgia ought to be increasing its investment in the traditional public education system or embracing alternatives, including independent charter schools, vouchers and privatization.
In recent years, the latter position has prevailed in the Legislature, which has focused on devising exit plans out of the school down the street.
The General Assembly has approved vouchers for special needs students to apply at private schools. It fought all the way to the state Supreme Court for the power to approve and fund charter schools over the objections of local school boards. When it lost in court, the Legislature won voter approval to change the constitution through a November referendum.
Legislators enacted a scholarship tax credit program — now under fire for blatant abuses — that subsidizes private-school tuition. Thus far, the program has diverted $170 million from the state treasury.
Lawmakers are now considering a constitutional amendment — spurred by parents in Dunwoody — that would allow newly formed cities to break with their county systems and create their own neighborhood schools.
In an argument that could eventually lead to vouchers, Republicans maintain that the “money should follow the students because it’s their money.”
But few households pay enough in property taxes to cover the $8,000 a year it costs, on average, to educate a student in Georgia. So, do the education dollars paid by all taxpayers belong to the students or to the community?
While Lindsey avoids the pejorative”government schools” rhetoric of some of his GOP colleagues, he said, “Parents should be able to adapt education dollars to fit with their child’s needs.”
At the same time, he cautioned that Georgia can’t write off public schools, which still serve 93 percent of the state’s children.
“I am a great believer in public education,” Lindsey said. “I am a great believer that APS needs to succeed. These are the kids who are most in need of public education. That’s their shot. For the most part, those parents don’t have the choice of Westminster or Paideia.”
But Barnes contends that the Legislature’s deep cuts to public education — cuts that have forced all districts to raise class sizes and 65 percent of them to abbreviate their school years to less than 180 days — are sabotaging the schools and feeding public discontent.
“Instead of improving public education,” said Barnes, “they just decided to tank it.”
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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159 comments Add your comment
TeacherMom4
March 16th, 2013
5:52 pm
Mountain Man, I never altered my opinion. It just wasn’t considered in the end. I came out and said I disagreed with the decision, but the decision wasn’t mine to make. I don’t care what the law says; the law is not followed. This happens on a routine basis. If a kid passes the CRCT, there is no discussion of retention, even if the kid fails classes and isn’t proficient. I’m not making it up. I am not the only teacher who has experienced this. My professional opinion, expertise, and input count for squat in these situations, and the grades I record are meaningless to prove/disprove proficiency.
mountain man
March 16th, 2013
10:27 pm
“My professional opinion, expertise, and input count for squat in these situations, and the grades I record are meaningless to prove/disprove proficiency.”
Why am I not surprised? We need to fire all the ADMINISTRATORS, they are the evil among our educators!
Truth in Moderation
March 16th, 2013
10:56 pm
@PC
I know what happened to the hawk. He spent too much time in Lullwater Preserve. You do know about the radiation experiments, yes? And Yerkes drainage? And the Chemistry department dumping? Of course Carter’s EPA sez “all clear!” It is all in their documents.
Truth in Moderation
March 16th, 2013
11:11 pm
@Original Prof
Thanks for the info on Georgia’s retirement fund. THIS SHOULD BE WATCHED LIKE A HAWK! (not a dead one). Blum’s scheme IS STILL ONGOING. Here’s what to look for:
Track which companies are being invested in. ITT EDUCATIONAL IS A RED FLAG! Check SEC filings on stock to see who owns 10% and above. This is the big give away. If the stock skyrockets, for no real reason, and the 10%+ investor matches the fund’s “investments” CHECK INTO IT. If the “investor” starts dumping the stock, CALL THE SEC, and dump the retirement fund stock faster! WORK TO GET THAT LAW OVERTURNED. If Deal was behind it VOTE HIM OUT! Teachers, STUDY THE CALIFORNIA CASE. DON’T LET IT HAPPEN TO YOU!
“The changes can be traced to 2003, when regents Gerald Parsky, Richard C. Blum, and Paul Wachter—all financiers by trade—took control of UC’s investment strategy. Sitting on the board’s investment committee, the three men steered away from investing in more traditional instruments, such as blue-chip stocks and bonds, toward largely unregulated “alternative” investments, such as private equity and private real estate deals. According to UC internal reports, the dramatic investment change has led to an “overweighting” of investments in private equity. One concerned regent has likened the change to “gambling in Las Vegas.”
ht tp://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2010-09-21/article/36292?headline=The-Investors-Club-How-the-University-of-California-Regents-Spin-Public-Money-into-Private-Profit-An-Eight-Part-Investigative-Series
Truth in Moderation
March 16th, 2013
11:40 pm
More on pension fund THEFT:
WHY ISN’T THIS GUY IN JAIL?
“Billions for Blum
Since 2004, Mr. Blum has had a direct influence on where CalPERS puts its money. His firm, Blum Capital Partners, is paid $3 million a year to handle $500 million worth of CalPERS investments as an external investment advisor.
According to reports issued for CalPERS by the investment advisory firm, Wilshire Consulting, Blum Capital Partners invests CalPERS money in public companies where Blum Capital Partners itself holds dominant ownership stakes, including the for-profit colleges Career Education Corporation and ITT Educational Services. It also places CalPERS money into its own private equity investment vehicles. But as of March 2010, CalPERS has reported an aggregate loss of 18 percent in these Blum funds.
In addition to hiring Blum Capital Partners to control a half billion dollars in investments, the pension fund has placed billions of dollars with three other companies where Mr. Blum has significant ownership stakes. CalPERS also pays large management fees to two of these entities.”
Blum Capitol Partners continued to load up on ITT E.S. stock in 2010. They owned over 10% and had to file with the SEC. It’s stock was worth over $100/share. That same month, a SENATE SUBCOMMITTEE decided to do a 2 year “investigation” on for-profit schools, INCLUDING ITT EDUCATIONAL SERVICES. In July of 2012, the SENATE committee releases a SCATHING report on these schools. THE STOCK PLUMMETED. In January 2012, the stock dropped to around $16/ share. PUMP AND DUMP. Teachers, check into this!
ht tp://spot.us/pitches/337-investors-club-how-the-uc-regents-spin-public-funds-into-private-profit/story
ht tp://www.wnd.com/2007/03/40845/
Truth in Moderation
March 17th, 2013
11:34 am
PUMP AND DUMP?
“He suggested perhaps Feinstein resigned “because she could not take the heat generated by metro’s expose of her ethics… Or was her work on the subcommittee finished because Blum divested ownership of his military construction and advanced weapons manufacturing firms in late 2005?”
Read more at ht tp://www.wnd.com/2007/03/40845/#oYvLdF84TVak1S49.99
Truth in Moderation
March 17th, 2013
11:40 am
“What things did I see that indicated this? There were several:
I saw a large amount of money being used to fund the projects of this group, funds that poured in from around the northern hemisphere and the world. Couriers were sent to the corners of the globe, and many of the top financial institutions had a vested interest in bringing this “new world order” to pass. This was discussed in leadership meetings; shown in videos to members of the group, such as the grainy films I saw in the 1960s showing a large round table with 13 members sitting around it, and the words “these are your leaders” spoken as the members rose and pledged allegiance to the coming new order. I will not mention the figures shown in this film in order to avoid the claim of “libel” but they were well known, influential, and many were behind the banking system of the modern world.
The Illuminati are funding this coming world order quietly, behind the scenes. They believe that money not only “talks” as the saying goes, but buys media coverage, or silence; protection; and the influence needed to shape our modern world. “As the economy goes, the nation will go,” I was taught in my teens by leaders in this group. They are practical pragmatists, in spite of their occult bent, who understand the motivation that drives much of mankind: greed, or the desire to gain wealth and power.”
ht tp://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/sociopolitica/illuminati/svali1_00.htm
Pride and Joy
March 17th, 2013
8:16 pm
Her”e is a BOLD FACED LIE by GET SCHOOLED”But few households pay enough in property taxes to cover the $8,000 a year it costs, on average, to educate a student in Georgia…”
excuuuuuse me, Maurenn, but we households pay way more for education than our property taxes. I pay State and Federal taxes too — that funding from the state of GA and the federal govt comes directory out of MY POCKET and from my hard work.
ALSO, what Get schooled conveniently doesn’t talk about is that people like me, you know, the overburdened middle class don’t just pay for schools when our children attend them, I pay for the public schools through property taxes and federal and state taxes eery year I work and for me, that’s been almost THIRTY YEARS! I will work ANOTHER 30 years zand continue to pay property, state and federal taxes thyat go to the schools and so far…
My children have attended public schools for only a few months.
Money doesn’t grow on State and Federal trees, Maureen, and you should be ashamed to write as if it doesn.
Parents don’t pay for public school only when their children attend them. We parents pay for public schools every day for our entire working life and for me that’[s almost 30 years.
In addition I pay the private school tax as I pay for my children to attend a private school.
This far far left wacko liberal piece has no room to be called “journalism.’ It is PROPOGANDA!
Change Agent
March 18th, 2013
4:02 pm
All the changes to Public Education mentioned in the article, “Can we simultaneously fix and flee public schools”? speak to the answer to the question. You can’t do both. This is why the flee portion has been the direction taken by our state government. Now, the question is: Will taxpayers continue to buy into this position taken by the state? All taxpayers have a stake in the decision made because the children being educated today are future voters, those who will work to serve in nursing homes and other jobs in the state/country, future taxpayers and most importantly future parents.