Georgia teachers are furious with Gov. Deal. The governor has changed every teacher’s health insurance coverage, causing dramatic increases in out-of-pocket expenses, the elimination of copayments and less choice for doctors. Some teachers have even told us they don’t have in-network doctors in their community and they must drive across state lines to find the… [Read More]
Proposed raises for Georgia teachers just a raw deal
For the first time since taking office, Gov. Nathan Deal will include a raise for Georgia’s public school teachers in his budget. But educators shouldn’t rejoice just yet. After years of stagnant wages despite the ever-rising cost of living, Deal is proposing a 2 to 3 percent raise for Georgia’s teachers. The small amount of… [Read More]
Voters sue Gov. Deal over deceptive charter school ballot question
Beverly Hedges, a Dalton teacher, and the Rev. Timothy McDonald, senior pastor at First Iconium Baptist Church in Atlanta, filed a lawsuit today in the Superior Court of Fulton County asking for a declaration that the ballot language presented to voters for Amendment 1 is purposely misleading. Gov. Nathan Deal, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and Secretary… [Read More]
Students teach Georgia voters about charter schools amendment
A YouTube video from the Southern Education Foundation featuring two high school students laid out some of the key arguments against Amendment 1, which is disguised on the ballot as a charter school measure. Click to watch the video. Sign our pledge to Vote ‘No’ on Amendment 1. Join us on Facebook: Better Georgia Schools.
Charter school amendment would have ‘serious impact’ on public schools, Barge says
Amendment 1, also known as the charter school amendment, would have “a serious impact” on students at traditional public schools according to State School Superintendent John Barge. Click to watch Barge explain Amendment 1. Barge answered questions about Amendment 1 at a public forum in Macon on Oct. 11, 2012. Barge supports charter schools but… [Read More]
Better Georgia schools, charters and the November ballot
Better Georgia schools are on top of every voter’s mind as the November election approaches. With a charter school constitutional amendment on every ballot, Georgia voters could radically change how charters are awarded to schools in local communities. And that radical change would not make better Georgia schools. Like most Georgians, Better Georgia believes that… [Read More]
Charter school amendment debate: Who’s for it, who’s against it
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’… [Read More]
The damage being done to public education in Georgia
The state of Georgia is undermining our public schools. This may seem like an exaggeration, but the facts are clear. So, what really happened during the last session of the General Assembly? The most heated issue was a fight over who gets to authorize charter schools, but this is still a distraction from the larger… [Read More]
Reality Check: Charter school debate crowds out public education
The future of our schoolchildren appears to be just a pawn for corporate interests and backroom deals for Georgia lawmakers. These lawmakers would never want you to believe it, but it’s true. For-profit charter schools have dominated the education debate this legislative session and it’s interesting to discover why.
Georgia voters oppose state control of charter schools
A majority of Georgia voters oppose changing the Constitution to remove local control from city and county school boards with only 16 percent of Georgians supporting the change. Georgians between the ages of 30 and 44, those most likely to have children who are about to start or have just started school, oppose the change… [Read More]