Charter-school amendment a dangerous power grab
The vote was close — 110 in favor to 62 opposed, with 120 votes needed to approve it. However, supporters intend to bring the resolution up for another vote once they have twisted enough arms to get the required two-thirds majority.
Supposedly, the amendment is needed to repair damage to the state’s charter-school system inflicted by a state Supreme Court decision last year. The court ruled that state officials do not have authority to overrule locally elected school boards and force those boards to finance state-created charter schools.
Just as a matter of principle, the resolution ought to be a hard sale. At stake are local tax dollars generated by local taxpayers for local schools, under the supervision of locally elected school board officials. The notion that unelected state officials should be able to intercede and overrule local officials in how that money is spent is unacceptable.
Furthermore, no such change is needed to create a healthy, thriving charter school movement in Georgia, because such a movement already exists. The state Department of Education lists more than 135 charter schools, most of them approved by local school boards, and the list continues to grow. That’s great; charter schools are a necessary, useful and valued option.
However, the language in the amendment goes far beyond charter-school funding. If enacted, it would put great new power in the hands of legislators eager to dismantle the state’s public education system.
Supporters of the resolution claim such fear is groundless. According to state Rep. Jan Jones of Milton, the House majority leader, HR 1162 would merely restore power to the state stripped away by the Supreme Court.
“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 claims. “The decision calls into question whether state government has any meaningful role, except, perhaps, for putting a check in the mail.”
Yet the court decision does no such thing, and Jones and other legislators know it does no such thing. Their behavior speaks more honestly than their words.
If the state can no longer regulate local education, as they claim, why does the Legislature continue to churn out bill after bill regulating local school boards, right down to dictating the means by which schools notify parents that their children have too many unexcused absences?
And if the state can no longer impose rules on school boards, as Jones and others claim, why haven’t legislators tried to dismiss all the bureaucrats at the state Department of Education paid to enforce the “unconstitutional” regulations already on the books?
HR 1162 is an overreach by state officials hoping to create a de facto private school system funded with public dollars. Supporters honestly believe that it would improve Georgia’s educational performance, although around the country there is no evidence that is true.
However, supporters should advocate that approach honestly to the people of Georgia, rather than try to achieve revolutionary change under the cover of business as usual.
– Jay Bookman
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© 2012 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
416 comments Add your comment
USinUK
February 10th, 2012
7:25 am
considering some of the idiots that serve on school boards, it really is a toss-up which system is worse.
Normal
February 10th, 2012
7:27 am
Jay,
I guess I am dumb, but I have never understood this situation. Is there a place I can go to? Or someone explain it to me? Please?
Fred
February 10th, 2012
7:28 am
I wondered why I got that recorded “survey” call about this the other day asking if I would support an amendment on the ballot……..
Aquagirl
February 10th, 2012
7:29 am
Cons: for local control—except when they’re not.
stands for decibels
February 10th, 2012
7:29 am
Has there been any GA state constitutional amendment offered up in the past ten years that didn’t suck?
USinUK
February 10th, 2012
7:30 am
Fred – did you listen to the whole robocall??? you’re a far better person than I am … I get them and hang the heck up – if they can’t be bothered to get a real person, then I can’t be bothered to answer.
Fred
February 10th, 2012
7:34 am
Normal: Parents in rich neighborhoods want ALL their tax money to go to THEIR schools not be spread through out the County. Since it’s spread thoughout the county equally they want special “charter schools” in THEIR neighborhoods. (Basically they want private schools funded by taxpayer money the cheap sorry bastiches.) the want to use their influence in the State Gov’t to bypass the local Gov’t who are saying not only no but HELL NO to this kind of class warfare chicanery. The children of poor people deserve education too, (oh the horror).
Aquagirl
February 10th, 2012
7:34 am
did you listen to the whole robocall???
My respect for Fred has steeply declined.
Mick
February 10th, 2012
7:35 am
normal
The simplest explanation is that like florida, many states want to dismantle the public school system in favor of private, corporate run schools. In theory, this might not be such a bad idea but in practice the same old problems are still there. The charter schools would prefer to cherry pick the best students and leave all the problem children in the public schools then point to how badly they are doing. Most charter schools in florida perform below their public school counterparts. Their expansion is at best, a scam…
stands for decibels
February 10th, 2012
7:36 am
Normal @ 7.27, our state’s domestic terror organization supports this amendment.
That ought to be all you need to know.
Jay
February 10th, 2012
7:37 am
Normal, I will try to answer any questions you might have.
USinUK
February 10th, 2012
7:39 am
dB – GAH … Chamber of Commerce … hate those effers…
Normal
February 10th, 2012
7:39 am
Fred, Mick,
I see, I think. What is being done to stop this and how can one help? I have a couple of gifted Grand Children and I want them to get the best education out there, but I wouldn’t want that over the backs of the less fortunate or less gifted.
Steve - USA (I support "None Of The Above")
February 10th, 2012
7:40 am
I went to a public school and loved it, The Catholic’s went to the Catholic High School and the really rich kids went to boarding schools. Of course if your parents had enough money and you struggled through public high school your parents sent you to a boarding school for a year to get your GPA higher. We used to laugh at that and call it “13th grade”.
That’s how it worked in the NE but I don’t know how good the schools are in Georgia. They sure seem to spend a lot of money on building though.
Enjoy your spitball fighting and your weekend.
PS – UsinUK, thanks for not saying “first”…..there is hope for the world after all.
Fred
February 10th, 2012
7:41 am
@Normal: Here is Maureen’s blog on this. If you scroll through the comments you will get a very good sampling of the pro’s and con’s. Look especially at Mary Elizabeth’s comments on page 2.
http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2012/02/08/charter-school-amendment-falls-short-by-10-votes-but-could-revive/
I doubt Jay will mind me sending you to Maureens briefly
Normal
February 10th, 2012
7:41 am
Jay,
I appreciate that. You have my email, and if you get the chance, send me the nuts and bolts. Like I said in my 0739, I do have an interest in this, but I want everybody’s kids to have an equal chance. Thanks again…
Fred
February 10th, 2012
7:42 am
@ USinUK and Aquagirl: I just listened to enough to see what it was about lol.
USinUK
February 10th, 2012
7:43 am
Steve – 7:40 – hahaha … doing what I can to restore your faith in (wo)mankind!
USinUK
February 10th, 2012
7:44 am
Fred – all I have to hear is the first half-second of “please hang on for an important message” before I want to hurl the phone across the room …
Mick
February 10th, 2012
7:44 am
normal
The best advice that I could give is to know your local schools and their strengths and weaknesses. If there is a charter school, make sure they are solvent and following federal and state law. Be active in your school and get to know the faculty and staff. There are many excellent public schools out there doing a fantastic job…
Jay
February 10th, 2012
7:44 am
Maureen does excellent work, Fred.
Normal
February 10th, 2012
7:48 am
On a personal note, my family and I are well off enough, that as a unit, we can take care of our own, but like I said, it’s the equality thing that gets me. I guess I’ll have to go back to school and do me some “learnin’ “.
God, I’m such a hippie for wanting equality for one and all, ain’t I?
Fred
February 10th, 2012
7:50 am
Yeah she does Jay. i read her blog every day yet rarely comment. She has some “true” experts on education that comment regularly on her blog using facts so they don’t need my amateur “opinions” lol.
I respect the work she does holding those in charge accountable and exposing them to the light.
USinUK
February 10th, 2012
7:50 am
Normal – 7:48 – PINKO!
Mick
February 10th, 2012
7:54 am
normal
No, you are a great american! At least that’s my take…
Fred
February 10th, 2012
7:56 am
Normal: If you read @ Maureens you will get a good feel for what is REALLY going on in the schools, both local and to an extent statewide. Many people involved, again both locally and statewide, read and post on her blog. She makes enough *noise* that she often gets official replies from local superintendents and officials as well as from State Legislators on what she writes. You saw Jay’s recommendation………..
But if you can afford it, help send the grand kids to Woodward, and STILL remain active in what your schools are doing like we do.
ByteMe
February 10th, 2012
7:56 am
Here’s the text of HR 1162 in case anyone wants to see how innocuously the state takeover of local education is worded for the ballot:
http://www1.legis.ga.gov/legis/2011_12/versions/hr1162_LC_33_4555S_hs_6.htm
Mr_B
February 10th, 2012
7:58 am
“considering some of the idiots that serve on school boards, it really is a toss-up which system is worse.”
Nah, It’s a lot cheaper to unseat a local school board member than a state legilator, An appoint members of a state board usually serve at the governor’s discretion.
Gotta go indoctrinate the kiddies with godless Keynan-Marxist-Socialist-Alinskyesque-British Literature. Have fun.
(btw, I was schocked to discover that there 62 actual brains under the Gold Dome.)
Tommy Maddox
February 10th, 2012
7:58 am
A governmental power grab that you object to? Where y’all been the past three years?
TaxPayer
February 10th, 2012
7:59 am
My impression is that the Republicans see the school system as yet another taxing segment of an overbearing government that needs to be eliminated in order to further reduce their taxes while simultaneously placing education, like everything else, under the sole jurisdiction of the free market. Of course, the hook that has yet to surface, if Republicans truly wish to sell this to the Georgia Republican voters, is a call to eliminate the education portion of the property tax. I guarantee you that the elderly and those with no children will be lined up in support. There’s even more to the story in my opinion but I get rather saddened just thinking about it. Hence my conversion, after seeing the light during the Bush years, to an anti-Republican. Of course that is just my opinion.
Senior Citizen Kane
February 10th, 2012
8:00 am
Glad we’re all in agreement that local control is best for public schools. Does that extend to the feds as well?
USinUK
February 10th, 2012
8:03 am
“Gotta go indoctrinate the kiddies with godless Keynan-Marxist-Socialist-Alinskyesque-British Literature. Have fun.”
Darwin be with you.
Fred
February 10th, 2012
8:06 am
@ Senior Citizen Kane: Hell yes we are agreed.
@ USinUK: LOL
Katherine Helms Cummings
February 10th, 2012
8:08 am
I told Rep Mack Jackson the very same thing earlier this week. http://bit.ly/yJ4Xnc
USinUK
February 10th, 2012
8:09 am
since the sun is actually SHINING today before the snow makes a comeback this weekend, I thought I’d share this …
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NFV8dHrZYM
(just love Elbow)
Finn McCool (Class Warfare = Stopping Rich People from TAKING MORE of OUR MONEY)
February 10th, 2012
8:16 am
Fox Business Network announced a drastic shakeup of its programming on Thursday, cancelling all of its primetime shows and replacing them with reruns.
Fox has a business network too? I can only imagine what swill they are putting into conservative minds over there…
USinUK
February 10th, 2012
8:17 am
okay … one more …
if you thought you knew Grounds for Divorce, you haven’t seen anything unless you’ve seen it done with the BBC Orchestra
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdmwHljfN4Q
Normal
February 10th, 2012
8:17 am
…for the post below…Bishops beware…
http://justcapshunz.icanhascheezburger.com/2012/02/01/funny-captions-barefoot-and-pregnant-he-says-well-lets-see-if-he-can-taste-the-poison/
Finn McCool (Class Warfare = Stopping Rich People from TAKING MORE of OUR MONEY)
February 10th, 2012
8:17 am
Gotta go indoctrinate the kiddies
Throw in some Keynes, too!
Adam
February 10th, 2012
8:20 am
So when are you people going to vote Democrats back in? Just curious. Since, you know, the conservatives have this stupid strangle-hold on the idea of tax dollars funding private education – and private education ONLY – but the Democrats are the only ones wanting to preserve SOME level of public education?
GeeMac
February 10th, 2012
8:21 am
Good morning to all. I’m one of Maureen’s semi-regulars, and yes, she has much information to offer on this situation over at Get Schooled. Normal, I’d also like to direct you to the February 2010 Schooled archive, where you will find more information about the situation down here in SW GA with the Pataula Charter Academy, one of those commission charter schools. The opening of the charter school has effectively created 2 publicly funded schools directly across the street from each other – one 99% minority and the other approx. 70-75% white (from what I can guesstimate anecdotally as a local resident. I have had no success locating actual numbers, as PCA does not provide them on their web site.)
Senior Citizen Kane
February 10th, 2012
8:24 am
So, Fred you’d agree that the lifting of the “No Child” requirements for Georgia is really not so big of a deal, since now the feds are mandating the ridiculous student performance-based evaluations for teachers.
GeeMac
February 10th, 2012
8:27 am
Okay, I found the data from last year on the state DOE website: 75% white, with 54% eligible for free/reduced meals.
Peter
February 10th, 2012
8:30 am
Georgia is dead last in personal financial security…. Too bad the folks running the education system don’t understand, personal economics is a relevant course to teach young kids.
It seems the parents don’t have a clue in Georgia, so why would the next generation ?
Of course this is a state that lacks education anyway !
GeeMac
February 10th, 2012
8:31 am
Sorry – Those numbers above are for Pataula Charter Academy here in Edison. Calhoun County Schools are 98% black and Hispanic, with 92% eligible for free/reduced meals.
Morning Reads for Friday, February 10, 2012 — Peach Pundit
February 10th, 2012
8:32 am
[...] Bookman feels threatened by the proposed Charter School Amendment, writing that “at stake are local tax dollars generated by local taxpayers for local schools, [...]
Thomas
February 10th, 2012
8:33 am
Yeah Fred- those greedy bastards. Kind of like a Chick fil A owner not wanting to subsidize the poorly run BK down the road.
Normal: Parents in rich neighborhoods want ALL their tax money to go to THEIR schools not be spread through out the County
TaxPayer
February 10th, 2012
8:36 am
The good thing about being dead last is that if you turn around, you’re instantly in first place. Congratulations, Georgia, for your “1st place”.
carlosgvv
February 10th, 2012
8:37 am
Georgia Republoican politicians are constantly trying to serve the interests of their far-right conservative base. One way to do this is to create an increasing number of charter schools that are really Christian Academys which teach the following:
1. The Earth is 6,000 years old.
2. God and The New Testament are proven facts.
3. Humans are God’s ultimate creation.
4. All science is pure theory and cannot be proven.
5. Evolution is just a theory promoted by atheists to discredit Christianity.
6. It doesn’t matter if you children score dead last in scholastic achievment as you are just strangers here and heaven is your home.
Praise the Lord and vote for Gingrich!!!!!!!!!!
Fred
February 10th, 2012
8:41 am
Senior Citizen Kane
February 10th, 2012
8:24 am
So, Fred you’d agree that the lifting of the “No Child” requirements for Georgia is really not so big of a deal, since now the feds are mandating the ridiculous student performance-based evaluations for teachers.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
And you are agreeing that the annual production of Yak dung in Singapore is below average and could be increased with better night feedings?