Health & Fitness
Charter School Amendment - The Emperor Has No Clothes
Dr. John Barge, State Superintendent of Schools, cannot support a costly amendment expanding the states power to promote charter school growth in Georgia
As I was meeting with Bob Pepalis this morning to discuss whether or not to start this blog, I got this email: Subject - State School Superintendent Dr. John Barge On The Constitutional Amendment For Charter Schools (also known as HR 1162). In a detailed eight-page synopsis of what is really going on in public education in the State of Georgia, Dr. Barge concludes; "I cannot support the creation of a new, costly, and unnecessary state bureaucracy." OMG! This is the equivalent of President Obama saying, "I'm going to fire Arne Duncan and stop wasting federal tax dollars in the Department of Education because he is just making matters worse for most parents and their kids." Dr. Barge is telling you; the parents, taxpayers and voters, the truth about HR 1162, an amendment to our state constitution that will be on the ballot Nov. 6th. He is saying in no uncertain terms to vote "NO" and he's telling you why.
GEORGIA CAN'T AFFORD HR 1162
Dr. Barge points out that the state already has the power to authorize a charter school which a local board has denied. He says that the state cannot afford to expand those powers while traditional public schools have been cut by $5 billion dollars since 2003. So why would Rep. Jan Jones say that, "HR 1162 recognizes public education has been and should be a shared effort by the state and school boards to deliver the best educational opportunities to students." Why would she want the voters to think that the state is not sharing in this effort when in fact, as Dr. Barge states in his letter, they are? I am thinking the Emperors clothes have been sent out for a dry cleaning.
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Certain state legislators and certain school choice advocates are leading parents and taxpayers to believe that the amendment, HR 1162, is about improving education for all public school children. It is not. Our kids deserve better than HR 1162 and all the PR tested sound bites you will be inundated with from now until Nov. 6th.
Stay tuned for - HR 1162 - Top Ten Reasons To Vote "NO" on Nov. 6th. Until next time, a huge THANKS to Dr. Barge for doing his job - "Making Education Work for All Georgians."
