Stop the PRIVATIZATION of PUBLIC EDUCATION in Georgia! —Fannie Jackson

Received yesterday on ALEC, Trayvon Martin, CCA's private prisons, and charter schools?. -jsq

I could use quite a few verbs, adjectives, nouns to describe my year with K-12 and NONE of those would be complimentary. Public funds are used to the pay salaries plus all other expenses for this privilege to freely HOME SCHOOL a child. The lead educator is the LEARNING COACH (who is the stay-at-home relative). If I had wanted to be a TEACHER, I would have chosen an education career. Bottom line-slick way to divert public funds for private profit.... And now those kids can participate in public school sports. All those voices that rose up to defeat Lowndes-Valdosta Consolidation should RUN-not WALK to stop the PRIVATIZATION of PUBLIC EDUCATION in Georgia!Checking to see where Amy Carter, Ron Borders, Jay Shaw and other POLITICIANS stand on this issue. Been out of loop for a minute..Trying to make up for lost time with K-12..I am sure someone will update me. Thank you for your advocacy.

-Fannie Jackson

I don't think Ron Borders holds any elected office, and Jay Shaw is retired; his son Jason Shaw was elected to the same statehouse seat. Here's a list of our state elected officials.

On HR 1162, "state-wide education policy; clarify authority - CA", in the House, Amy Carter and Ellis Black voted for it, and Jason Shaw voted against it. In the Senate, Tim Golden voted for it. I believe that means it now goes to a statewide referendum in November.

On HB 797, "State chartered special schools; revise funding", in the House, Amy Carter and Ellis Black voted for it, and Jason Shaw did not vote. In the Senate, Tim Golden voted for it Monday.

There is one new candidate running for one of these statehouse seats so far, JC Cunningham, and K-12 education is top of his issues list:

I will work to improve our schools so our children have every opportunity to succeed. Too many students have dropped out of high school, and we have lost far too many good teachers due to budget cuts to our K-12 schools because, "...we live in challenging times and tight budgets". The budget could not have been that tight if they were $23.5 million dollars available to fund an Administration building for Valdosta State University. Our elected representative should have been advising the Governor to Ear Mark that $23.5 million for the Georgia Department of Education in order to retain and hire more teachers and Para Pros.

Saturday I heard him say he opposes the charter schools constitutional amendment.

-jsq

Comments

[Fannie Jackson]

Thank you for updating me. I meant Tim GOLDEN. Well. Looks like we have a lot of EDUCATION to be done about the current K-12 and CHARTER SCHOOLS. I pray that I can one day sit across the aisles or DESKS and chat with ALL of the above. AND, I truly believe in my heart that it is HIGHLY DECEITFUL to ABANDON one party AFTER you have been elected to represent its constituents. At least serve out your term and PRETEND that you represent DEMOCRATIC issues. AND, since I get to post here, I tend to vote DEMOCRATIC although there are MANY issues that I agree with the REPUBLICANS about. At the end of the day or the end of my life, I want to be remembered as someone who deligently served to be a CHRISTIAN.Thank you.

[Fannie Jackson]

PS.I misspelled diligently.Definitely got to get up out of this bed and LIVE. Thank you all for giving me back my PASSION...EDUCATION!!!

[Barbara Stratton]

Thank-you Ms. Jackson for realizing and challenging the dangers of for profit charter schools. When the GA Senate was arguing HR 1162 an amendment was submitted that would prohibit for profit charters. The amendment was not accepted because the main purpose of the bill is to open the door to for profit investors. Jason Shaw was the only one of our local legislators who voted against the bill and now we have to work hard to educate the public against the evils of public/private partnerships that will suck up tax payer funding and grant monies while they make mega profits for private investors. Georgia already has three Gulen Schools which are run by a Turkish Islamist and staffed by Turkish imigrants on H-1B visas. They were welcomed before the State Courts ruled charter schools were not constitutional last year. Immediately the state Chambers of Commerce and others interested in crony capitalism public/private partnerships began calling for legislation to change the constitution to allow charter schools.

Gulen Charter Schools: Imaginary schools of Fethullah Gulen
http://gulenschools.org/

Charter Schools Tied to Turkey Grow in Texas
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/07/education/07charter.html?pagewanted=all

Anyone who does an on line search can find information for and against charter schools and anyone who still supports an open door does not have our children's interest at heart. I think it is obvious our legislators and our local Chamber who directs them are putting the interests of for profit investors ahead of education benefits. The local school boards will have no control. Since the state will consider public/private charter schools part of the state system students can be directed to attend a charter school if it fits their state and/or local driven agenda. Do we want to risk our children and grandchildren being directed to attend a Gulen charter school or a Marxist George Soros funded charter or any non-public school we have no control over?

I learned to appreciate the sincerety of JC Cunningham as we challenged consolidation and he will get my support and my vote. I believe he has the integrity and bravery to resist crony capitalist lobby pressures.