Comments on: Kathy Cox and the Republican dilemma

By: James

James — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:55:55 +0000

Throwing money at the education problem won’t help. The highest performing districts have the lowest per studant costs. Compare Iowa to Georgia as an example. Teachers need parents to partner in the education process. Low performing students have parents who have no idea about their process. There are still too many parents who don’t realize that their active involvement is critical to their childrens success. There are no studies showing that students perform better if their teacher and administrators make more money. However, there are numerious studies showing that high performing students have parents who are actively involved in their children’s education.

By: Mr. Grumpy

Mr. Grumpy — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:15:06 +0000

Hey, Reality Check and the rest of you anti-public school education fools….one of the reasons education in Georgia is in the shape it’s in is because of years of under-funding it. In most developed countries around this world, teachers/educators are revered and not treated like second-class citizens or glorified babysitters. That’s whjy their kids beat our kids in almiost every testable academic area. They have kids who speak 2 or 3 languages. We have kids who can barely speak and write English. Teachers spend 8 hours a day, plus many hours after the regular teaching day preparing for the next day’s class schedule so they can give your children a chance to survive in this world. But your solution to the education problem is cut salaries of teachers and cut retirement benefits. That’s really brilliant. That’s what we need, huh? Let’s continue to treat education in Georgia as a problem and not as a source of solutions. Let’s push it down even further on the list of responsibilities of government. The solution you offer is not to treat or expect professionalism from educators, but home school the kids or hand out vouchers for those who make the choice to send their kids to private schools. Why should I as a taxpayer have to fund your private school choice AND a public school system?

By: Reality Check

Reality Check — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:40:04 +0000

The reality is that 80% of all funds expended in the school system is for salary. The high costs of schools is due to too many administrators, high teacher healthcare and retirement and exhorbitant salaries for everyone. All of this is hidden behind the guise of “don’t you dare cut scjhool funding or the quality will further decline….” Time for reality, teachers and administrators… Time for BIG cuts and more competition!

By: Cutty

Cutty — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:57:05 +0000

If she gets re-elected, it would show the true idiocy of this state. When TEACHERS are getting laid-off and you’re changing the school schedule to save money there is a problem. That and she hasn’t shown in two terms any kind of innovative initiatives that would help Georgia get out this funk of poor education. But hey, look who’s putting these people in office.

By: An educator

An educator — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:55:25 +0000

David S., I can tell you have little understanding of the situation. Republicans, Libertarians, and those for no or little government involvement don’t like public education. Without public education our citizens would be even dumber than they are already. Look at who they elect! Leave it to the parents to home school? Have you met many of these parents? Think of some of these less educated, possibly high school dropout parents trying to home school. That would keep such children down and create a class based society. I realize that is kind of already the case, but it is not overt. Private schools will not get cheaper, or remain as attractive, if you flood them with the massive number of students from the public schools. They would have to teach them ALL? How about the unemployment rate after you end public education? Do you have any idea how many are employed in or public schools? This does include your state universities. You probably would like to see all these government programs ended. I would actually like to see them all ended for one month, maybe two. This would give some of you a better understanding of how many decent, hardworking (conservative too) people depend of these programs, and it is not all bad. Let’s get the US and state governments to do it. Shut down all public schools, social security benefits and services, medicare, medicaid, child and family services, public housing, and unemployment benefits. Really, I don’t disagree with the basic idea that all of these services are in place for those that did not do, plan, or provide for themselves. 99.9% of everyone that benefits from them could have done something to prevent their own personal need for the programs. I wish some of you would try to help us solve the problems rather than just complaining about it. When was the last time you stepped into a classroom to honestly try to make a difference. I know it seems easy, but if it were, we wouldn’t be losing so many good, competent people to the private sector where they can make more, not be scorned by those like yourself, and treated like nonprofessional by everyone. I honestly wish you would find a new song to sing or step up and help. Trust me those who teach and do it well don’t do it for the summer off, the pay (of course), or the respect of others(certainly not!). We do it to make a difference and serve our country in the way we can best. Please try helping rather than barking at the moon!

By: PappyHappy

PappyHappy — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:58:22 +0000

What are the democratic contender’s credentials? Are they all educators? Seems to me that we need someone who has strong leadership/managerial skills to move Georgia from the bottom, and build a base to draw businesses. Sad to say, we are at a point where we need someone other than an educator to lead education in Georgia.

By: alice

alice — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 12:05:41 +0000

There is no term limit for this position? That is a crime.

Kathy Cox doesn’t have a choice whether to run or not. Her family clearly needs her salary and there isn’t another job in education that pays anywhere close to this one.

The new math is a disaster at the high school level. Regardless of whether it gets better or not, this group of freshmen and sophomores will be lost.

Next year, Cox will let class sizes get even larger without even voicing one bit of concern.

She ought to be an easy target.

By: Rightwing Troll

Rightwing Troll — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:40:05 +0000

I’m paying for a private school that I can’t afford for not one but two children. I refuse to put them in public schools, even though we live in one of the best districts in the state.

I’m not a repub. and I want vouchers…

By: Boots

Boots — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:36:18 +0000

The First Brother and governor of Florida started this whole testing frenzy and then Dubya took up the drumbeat and determined to become the “edjamacation” president. Teachers cut short their curriculum and teach to the test and that becomes the focus — even influencing the school calendar!

School starts earlier to give more “cram time” before the testing.

In fairness, however, it must be noted that there are far more serious concerns than just the testing. The sociological issues at play compel us to look at the lack of discipline in our schools, the huge drop-out problem and the train wreck that awaits our culture down the road.

Unemployable young people get into trouble and fill our jails and cost the taxpayers far more than dealing with the root issues that underlie the calamity we’re in. But, of course, this sounds like an “ol’ bleedin’ heart librul” and God knows will only be heard in derision.

By: Dreadest

Dreadest — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:28:13 +0000

I’ve got 3 more years to go before I am forced to move out of this state because my oldest kid becomes school age… Sad but true. I refuse to allow my children to be “educated” by the current public schooling system as it is. This state is high on the list of “dummy states” and gets made fun of all the time for it’s crappy school system. Give more pay and ciricullum latitude to the teachers!!! Simple solutions go a long way.