Poll: Young voters, young parents back charter schools amendment
Mark Rountree of the locally based Landmark Communications has a new poll for Channel 2 Action News that shows two results you might have expected: Mitt Romney is almost certain to win Georgia, and the charter schools amendment is heading for a very close finish.
There are a number of interesting numbers within the poll, however, and the one I find most intriguing is this one about the charter schools amendment (as posted at Peach Pundit):
There is a stark difference in levels of support based on the age of the voter. Younger voters are strongly supportive of the Amendment (57-32% among those aged 18-35), while older voters slightly oppose the Amendment (40-41% in opposition among those over age 64).
People aged 18-35, of course, largely represent two groups: Those who are most recently graduated from high school, and those with young children either already in school or about to enter school. (For instance, this newly minted 34-year-old — my birthday was Saturday; and, yes, the Bulldogs gave me the only present I wanted — has a son who’s two autumns away from starting school and an infant.) It would also include teachers in the first half of their careers.
The poll doesn’t break down that result further — i.e., whether 18- to -35-year-old parents who aren’t teachers view the amendment differently than teachers of the same age, whether they’re parents or not. But I think it speaks volumes that this age group so strongly supports the idea that we need to try some new things when it comes to public education in this state.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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177 comments Add your comment
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
October 30th, 2012
10:53 am
Last time I checked, it was the FDA that had responsibility for ensuring the safety of pharmaceuticals, not the governor of a state, and in particular not the governor of a state EIGHT YEARS AGO.
You America-hating leftists are pathetic.
Kyle Wingfield
October 30th, 2012
10:54 am
Gail @ 9:46: If the state builds a prison or road, is it “taking money from the existing public schools”? I guess the state is “taking money from the existing public schools” if it spends less than 100 percent of its revenues on education. After all, the one thing we can count on the educational establishment saying is that what we’re spending isn’t enough.
Kyle Wingfield
October 30th, 2012
10:55 am
Aquagirl @ 9:28: Buckhead’s public schools tend to be pretty good. And the people who don’t want to send their kids to those schools generally can afford other choices, which is why so many private schools are in Buckhead. So I seriously doubt we’ll see a charter school pop up anywhere close to my family.
md
October 30th, 2012
10:57 am
“The wording on this was so deceptive, that it will probably confuse most people and they will vote for it. But that was the intention of the wording, wasn’t it?”
It’s just attorneys/politicians being themselves……..they’ve created this alternate language on purpose for the intent of job security…….the entire legal system is designed to confuse the masses in order to benefit the few………..and it can’t be changed without the approval of the one’s that designed it……..talking about a racket……….
cc
October 30th, 2012
10:58 am
Billboard sign says:
WE built it.
You broke it.
We’ll fix it.
You’re fired!
cc
October 30th, 2012
11:01 am
Kyle:
That is the truth, and it would be the truth if their money was doubled today!
cc
October 30th, 2012
11:03 am
Kyle:
Sorry for not quoting but I was referencing this statement by you:
“After all, the one thing we can count on the educational establishment saying is that what we’re spending isn’t enough.”
Hillbilly D
October 30th, 2012
11:07 am
the entire legal system is designed to confuse the masses in order to benefit the few………..and it can’t be changed without the approval of the one’s that designed it……..talking about a racket……….
Amen to that. There’s a good living in whereas’s and wheretofore’s.
Aquagirl
October 30th, 2012
11:12 am
I seriously doubt we’ll see a charter school pop up anywhere close to my family.
I didn’t mean to imply you saw direct personal benefit if this amendment passes, you’re not THAT crass.
But I think you’re affected by the feeling “what if those were my kids?” Whether it’s the best thing to do or a good idea takes a back seat to the OMG visceral panic factor to do something, anything, right now.
Gail
October 30th, 2012
11:12 am
I don’t expect 100% of funds to be spent on education. And I understand that money given could probably be used more efficiently. But yes, you could say that building a prison or road does take funds from “the existing public schools” if the DOE’s allocation % is reduced to fund said prison or road
And that’s what will happen if this passes. The % of funds allocated to the DOE will go down.
Dusty
October 30th, 2012
11:16 am
Come on, folks. This is beginning to get as dull as dishwater. I have done the Eager Beaver Early voting and that’s it!! Your best link ever won’t change it.
Besides, I’m so sad. No more mutiny on the Bounty. She sank in the storm and I think the Captain went with her. Such a beautiful ship.
Dusty
October 30th, 2012
11:20 am
Aquagirl,
Quit blowing bubbles. “Crass” is YOUR middle name.
md
October 30th, 2012
11:23 am
“Besides, I’m so sad. No more mutiny on the Bounty. She sank in the storm and I think the Captain went with her. Such a beautiful ship.”
I was just aboard that ship this summer and talked with many of the crew…….such a sad ending for a beautiful boat…………
catlady
October 30th, 2012
11:26 am
Kyle, it isn’t as simple as having a lottery to show that the school is open to everyone. If the school offers no transportation, they are already selectinga special group. If the school offers no sped classes, let’s say, for visua lly impaired kids, or BD kids then they cannot go there–selection/discrimination. If a school requires parental effort, and that parent knows they are not going to be able to meet that requirement, so they do not apply, that is selection/discrimination. There are all kinds of ways, from the very beginning, that children attending many charter schools are a “special group.” When students are randomly selected and sent to charter schools, which have to provide and put up with all that the public schools do, THEN you can make that argument.
Aquagirl
October 30th, 2012
11:27 am
“Crass” is YOUR middle name.
I resent that….I spent years learning to drink tea with my pinkie sticking out.
That %$!^ is totally hard &*!% work.
Dusty
October 30th, 2012
11:33 am
md
As Keats said in Endymion, “A thing of beauty is a joy forever.”. We shall always enjoy the memories and pictures of the Bounty. She was a “thing of beauty”.
Your special memories will always be special. I wish that I had been able to visit the decks of the Bounty..
Kyle Wingfield
October 30th, 2012
11:33 am
Aquagirl @ 11:12: Glad to know you don’t think THAT lowly of me…
What moves me about this issue is the fact that an educated public is an important goal to which we already devote a lot of money, and yet the results have been poor. And the people who have gotten the worst of it live in the very same communities where charter schools tend to open — because, even if they haven’t been able to change the situation in their traditional public schools, they recognize the problem they face and the opportunity of having another option. This amendment won’t fix everything, not by a long shot. But it promises to be enough of a net positive change that I think we’d be foolish to pass it up.
Kyle Wingfield
October 30th, 2012
11:35 am
Gail @ 11:12: “But yes, you could say that building a prison or road does take funds from “the existing public schools” if the DOE’s allocation % is reduced to fund said prison or road”
You’re either missing or confirming my point. Who decides what “the DOE’s allocation %” is supposed to be? Who’s to say it would have been higher if the state didn’t spend this money on charter schools? Why wouldn’t it be just as correct to say that charter-school spending is taking away from “the DOT’s allocation %”?
Dusty
October 30th, 2012
11:40 am
AquaGirl
You get the Anti-Crass Pinkie Award for trying. Salute! The porcelain teacup awaits you.
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
October 30th, 2012
11:45 am
Romney now flips on FEMA – he wants to keep it.
Another day in Romneyland.
Gail
October 30th, 2012
11:46 am
You could say that charter school spending is taking from “the DOT allocation %” That’s my point. The money to fund the charter schools is taking funding from some other state entity whether you say it’s the DOT, DOE, EPD or Office of the Governor (ha!). It has to come from somewhere and the proponents of this amendment act like it is not taking funding from any other department.. We may just have to, as they say, agree to disagree on this.
Dusty
October 30th, 2012
11:49 am
PS….Aquagirl…shhhhhh
Don’t believe a word that Kyle says. He’s MAD at you!! He’s just being nice. You know. He’s got MANNERS!! Now don’t insult his Charter School House. shhhhh
md
October 30th, 2012
12:02 pm
“Romney now flips on FEMA – he wants to keep it.”
Can’t flip it if he never said it in the first place………I’ve read his response and he never said “get rid of fema”……but that won’t stop folks like you from preforming your mental gymnastics………
catlady
October 30th, 2012
12:31 pm
Kyle: The DOE is supposed to get the QBE allotment, as per the formula put into law. THAT”S who says how much public ed is supposed to get.
Darwin
October 30th, 2012
12:55 pm
Bottom line is there are too many students to privatize our educational system. All you’re doing is cutting some corporations into the action and giving them tax dollars. If our educational system is failing our kids so badly, does anyone ever think of looking at the kids? I know someone who works at a charter school. There are kids from dysfunctional homes who act up, and spoiled kids who act up at school. All the time. Smart kids who want to learn do fine at our non charter public schools. I went to college with these kids and I know. People who support this amendment are just buying into the same old right wing theme – government’s bad for everything (except I guess for wars).
Kyle Wingfield
October 30th, 2012
12:59 pm
catlady @ 11:26: Students aren’t “randomly selected” for traditional public schools, either, so I fail to see your point. Everyone “self-selects” to some degree by choosing where to live — because, in any school system with more than one of any level of school (elementary, middle, high), students are assigned by geography. And that almost always means they’re assigned in large part by income. If some of the ones assigned by geography/income want to go to a charter school instead, I’m not going to be the one standing in their way.
Kyle Wingfield
October 30th, 2012
1:05 pm
Darwin @ 12:55: ” All you’re doing is cutting some corporations into the action and giving them tax dollars.”
So you think we should have a Department of Construction to provide the buildings state agencies need? I guess we’ll need Departments of Concrete, Steel, Wood and Masonry to provide the materials. And a Department of Office Supplies to manufacture and distribute paper, pens and such. Wouldn’t want any tax dollars going to corporations for providing services and materials to the public sector.
“Smart kids who want to learn do fine at our non charter public schools.”
Do you honestly believe this is true universally, or even in a majority of our public schools? If so, how are Georgia’s schools constantly mired toward the bottom of national rankings?
Look, I attended traditional public schools and got a fine education. My experience does not mean all “smart kids” will “do fine” at ALL of our traditional public schools. (Btw, does your “I went to college with these kids” suggest your parents lacked your confidence in the local public schools and sent you elsewhere? Or am I reading too much into your comment?)