Thursday, November 1, 2012
The lawsuit alleges that the preamble and the question on the Nov. 6 ballot is biased towards approval of the measure.
- GOVERNMENT
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Thursday, November 1, 2012
A public school teacher and Atlanta minister have filed a lawsuit in Fulton Superior Court against members of the Georgia government over the language of the Nov. 6 ballot as it pertains to charter schools. The lawsuit, filed by Dalton teacher Beverly Hedges and Rev. Timothy McDonald, senior pastor at First Iconium Baptist Church in Atlanta, names Gov. Nathan Deal, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and Secretary of State Brian Kemp as co-defendants. The complaint alleges that Gov. Deal used language in the preamble to the ballot question and the ballot question itself that is misleading and that was not passed by the General Assembly. This is how the ballot language currently appears: Provides for improving student achievement and parental involvement …
Monday, October 29, 2012
Speaker Pro Tem says she trusts parents more than government to make the best decisions for children.
- OPINION
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Monday, October 29, 2012
By Jan Jones As a mother of four children currently enrolled in or graduates of Fulton County Schools, I care deeply about public education in my community and Georgia. I know public education changes lives by giving young people opportunities to fulfill their potential and achieve the American dream. In this regard, I support Amendment One on the Nov. 6 election ballot to give Georgia's students more educational options through public charter schools. I support all the ways that our young people can get a leg up, including charter schools, traditional schools, dual enrollment at technical schools and colleges, virtual schooling, homeschooling, and private schools. I trust parents more than I trust government to make the best decisions for…
Thursday, October 25, 2012
“Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended to allow state or local approval of public charter schools upon the request of local communities?”
- OPINION
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Thursday, October 25, 2012
Op-Ed by Sen. Buddy Carter, R-Pooler On March 19, during this year’s session of the Georgia General Assembly, I was one of 40 state senators who voted in favor of placing the above question on the general election ballot this fall. On Nov. 6, as a citizen of Georgia, I will be voting in favor of this proposed state constitutional amendment. If the proposed amendment is approved by voters, the state constitution will be changed to allow the General Assembly to create state charter schools that will operate under the terms of a charter between the state school board and a charter petitioner. The amendment requires that all state charter schools be public schools, and cannot include private, sectarian, religious or for-profit schools. …
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
An Op-ed by State Rep. Edward Lindsey (R-Atlanta), Georgia House Majority Whip
- OPINION
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Tuesday, October 23, 2012
The Charter School Amendment is an important education reform for Georgia. Statewide, the overall high school graduation rate hovers in the mid 60% range, and in many school districts serving mostly low income students the graduation rate is closer to the low 50% level. This is morally and economically unacceptable for both our students and this great state. Like most voters, I believe that local school systems should have primary responsibility of education in our communities. However, this local control should never be confused with exclusive control. There must always be checks and balances for any government activity -- and this is especially true in the area of education. Time and again in recent years, laws providing for …
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
The proposed referendum to allow the state the power to authorize charter schools is a hot-button issue. Which way will you vote?
- OPINION
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Wednesday, October 17, 2012
On Nov. 6, voters will not only decide on a leader for our country, but on a more local level will also get a chance to decide on amending Georgia's state constitution to permit the state to authorize charter schools. Voters will be asked to decide "Yes" or "No" on the ballot that reads: "Provides for improving student achievement and parental involvement through more public charter school options." Basically, the Georgia charter school amendment gives the state legislature the right to create special schools without prior approval by local boards of education. The amendment also essentially reverses a 2011 Supreme Court decision which overturned a 2008 law that formed a state commission which had the power to create charter schools. If …
Monday, October 15, 2012
"This is not about money or anything else the opposition may want you to believe. This amendment is simply about these precious children."
- OPINION
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Monday, October 15, 2012
Following is a letter from Kathy Bantz, a teacher and parent from Cuthbert, GA. She located Peachtree Corners Patch through a Google search on the upcoming Charter School Amendment and asked that her letter be published before the Nov. 6 elections. Although she is not from the Peachtree Corners area, this issue effects the entire state. Dear Editor, I am writing as both a parent of students who attend a charter school and a teacher who works at one. The school I speak of is Pataula Charter Academy (PCA) located in Edison, Georgia. This is one of the controversial schools that was created by approval of a state commissioned board rather than the local school boards. Now we are in danger of having our doors closed unless an amendment to …
Friday, October 12, 2012
A stay-at-home mom with a child with Aspergers syndrome wants to set the record straight on charter schools and children with special needs.
- OPINION
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Friday, October 12, 2012
Editor's note: Following is an op-ed from Cheryl Krichbaum, a stay-at-home mom who lives in Senoia, GA. She found Peachtree Corners Patch while searching for information on Asperger's syndrome and wanted to express her opinion on the upcoming vote on the Charter School Amendment and how it relates to children with special needs. MYTH: Charter schools do not accept children with special needs. Whether in Atlanta or further out in the state—people with titles have perpetuated the myth that charter schools do not accept children with special needs. FACT: My special needs child is enrolled in a charter school. Myth busted. Not only did Coweta Charter Academy at Senoia (CCAS) accept my child legally through the lottery system, but they are …
Thursday, October 11, 2012
The directory of the Americans for Prosperity group speaks in support of the charter school referendum.
- OPINION
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Thursday, October 11, 2012
Virginia Galloway is the state director of the Americans for Prosperity, a group formed in Georgia in 2006 “to promote economic freedom, less taxation, spending and regulation at the local, state and federal level. By: Virginia Galloway The State School Superintendent claims that he is conservative and is opposing the Charter School Amendment on Nov. 6 because it creates bureaucracy. I’m a firm believer in limited government and work hard against the encroachment of big government policies on our daily lives. And if you’re like me, you know it happens all too often. But the simple truth is, the charter school amendment is the epitome of small government because it ultimately gives parents more power and freedom to choose the best education…
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Better Georgia is a progressive advocacy organization working on a variety of issues that concern Georgians.
- OPINION
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Thursday, October 4, 2012
By Bryan Long, director of Better Georgia Charter schools are often a great choice for students. But like most Georgians, we believe that decisions on how local education dollars should be spent ought to be made by parents in the communities where those students live and by the school boards they elect. On Nov. 6, you will be asked to vote ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ for an amendment to Georgia’s constitution. You are not voting for or against charter schools. Instead, you are voting for or against the creation of a new, costly, and unnecessary state bureaucracy. Vote ‘No’ to stop the creation of the new government agency. Over the past decade, our state government has cut more than $1 billion from the state budget in money that is sent to local school …
Saturday, September 29, 2012
John Barge explains why the charter schools amendment is a bad idea for public education in Georgia. His full remarks are attached to this article.
- GOVERNMENT
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Saturday, September 29, 2012
This was part of a press release issued last month. The statement, orginally posted on the Department of Education's website has been removed. I fully support the continued creation of high quality charter schools for Georgia’s students, but after careful consideration of what is best for all of Georgia’s students, I have decided to take a position in opposition to the constitutional amendment that will be on the Nov. 6 ballot. Until all of our public school students are in school for a full 180-day school year, until essential services like student transportation and student support can return to effective levels, and until teachers regain jobs with full pay for a full school year, we should not redirect one more dollar away from …
Kids First
5:24 pm on Thursday, November 1, 2012
@Melba, a public charter school is simply an option. If you live in Statesboro, GA and find your child doesn't do too well in such a large high school (and it's a beautiful high school with all the perks), you have the option to go over to Charter Conservatory for Liberal Arts & Technology (CCAT). This state approved charter school is housed in a renovated hardware store with no gym or cafeteria… more ›