Georgia Supreme Court Rules Approval For Charter Schools Belongs To Local BOE

[newsjunky]

In a long awaited ruling, the GA Supreme Court struck down the ability of a State Commission to approve Charter Schools.

http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2011/05/16/breaking-news-supreme-court-strikes-down-charter-schools-commission-in-4-3-vote/

“No other constitutional provision authorizes any other governmental entity to compete with or duplicate the efforts of local boards of education in establishing and maintaining general K-12 schools,” the opinion states. “By providing for local boards of education to have exclusive control over general K-12 schools, our constitutions, past and present, have limited governmental authority over the public education of Georgia’s children to that level of government closest and most responsive to the taxpayers and parents of the children being educated.”

 

[Foxmeister]

I like this part of the ruling:

"By providing for local boards of education to have exclusive control over general K-12 schools, our constitutions, past and present, have limited governmental authority over the public education of Georgia’s children to that level of government closest and most responsive to the taxpayers and parents of the children being educated.”

I interpret this to say the local school boards have control over their schools and that would include curriculum.

 

[mei lan]

I'm with you, Fox. I'm no legal scholar, but this sounds good to me.

 

[newsjunky]

I have mixed feelings about it. I think we need more GOOD charter schools. I guess we can always vote the BOE members
out who refuse to approve good ones. I think the Georgia (Virtual) Cyber Academy is great. It took three tries but Paulding BOE did
finally approve it.

 

[Foxmeister]

I'm all in favor of giving more control to the local districts, to include control over curriculum. Howard Maxwell doesn't want to see local districts control curriculum.

 

[lotstodo]

What I don't like about it is that no school board is going to approve valid competition that might likely show them to be incompetent idiots. It's pretty much the death of independent charter schools.

 

[Foxmeister]

What I don't like about it is that no school board is going to approve valid competition that might likely show them to be incompetent idiots. It's pretty much the death of independent charter schools.

That may be true in some school districts and not so in others. I would like to see charter schools with curriculums that are geared for honors students that are college bound.

 

[newsjunky]

We have one good one in Paulding that I am aware of and there is some talk of another one. I am for school choice and if the BOE has a chance to approve A GOOD one and doesn't, I say vote them out and get some folks who will approve a good one. LTD and Fox why don't you run?

 

[Foxmeister]

We have one good one in Paulding that I am aware of and there is some talk of another one. I am for school choice and if the BOE has a chance to approve A GOOD one and doesn't, I say vote them out and get some folks who will approve a good one. LTD and Fox why don't you run?

I'd love to run, but I'm in a dilemma. As many of you know, Ft. McPherson closes this year. Army Central/Third Army (Patton's Own) is relocating to Shaw AFB, SC (east of Columbia) and the move will be completed June 15. Since my contract ends Sep. 30, I may be able to finish it out at Ft. Gillem. However, I'm in a position now where I have no choice but to look for something else. I have a few different possibilities, but they mean I would have to relocate. At this point in time, I am unable to commit to running for anything.

 

[lotstodo]

What I don't like about it is that no school board is going to approve valid competition that might likely show them to be incompetent idiots. It's pretty much the death of independent charter schools.

That may be true in some school districts and not so in others. I would like to see charter schools with curriculums that are geared for honors students that are college bound.

I agree. I think we also need schools geared to the arts as well as engineering. A good vo/tech option might also be helpful in keeping a lot of kids in school. Responsible boards might possibly approve these types of things, but I don't see it happening where it is needed most in Counties like Fulton or Clayton.

Another problem is the lack of financial support for these types of options on a regional basis. Small systems like Mitchel or Bacon County can't support these schools on their own, and taking the state out of it greatly reduces the possibility of constructive cooperation between small systems.

We have one good one in Paulding that I am aware of and there is some talk of another one. I am for school choice and if the BOE has a chance to approve A GOOD one and doesn't, I say vote them out and get some folks who will approve a good one. LTD and Fox why don't you run?

I don't have children in the system or a background in "education", a huge deficit in running for school board.

 

[Foxmeister]

I am a firm believer in offering vocational training in our schools. I wouldn't mind taking Paulding County HS and turning into a vocational/engineering/performing arts school. Classes in these areas would be offered to a greater extent than we currently offer; however, they would also have core classes i.e. English, Math, Science and Social Studies required as well.

 

[Foxmeister]

The first thing the BoE needs to do is change the Math curriculum. It's a failure and has hurt our students.

What I don't like about it is that no school board is going to approve valid competition that might likely show them to be incompetent idiots. It's pretty much the death of independent charter schools.

That may be true in some school districts and not so in others. I would like to see charter schools with curriculums that are geared for honors students that are college bound.

I agree. I think we also need schools geared to the arts as well as engineering. A good vo/tech option might also be helpful in keeping a lot of kids in school. Responsible boards might possibly approve these types of things, but I don't see it happening where it is needed most in Counties like Fulton or Clayton.

Another problem is the lack of financial support for these types of options on a regional basis. Small systems like Mitchel or Bacon County can't support these schools on their own, and taking the state out of it greatly reduces the possibility of constructive cooperation between small systems.

We have one good one in Paulding that I am aware of and there is some talk of another one. I am for school choice and if the BOE has a chance to approve A GOOD one and doesn't, I say vote them out and get some folks who will approve a good one. LTD and Fox why don't you run?

I don't have children in the system or a background in "education", a huge deficit in running for school board.

Even with control given to the local school districts, the state should still provide the financial support for education they do now.

I would say you're very qualified for the BoE. You're an intelligent person with great ideas, which is more important for a school board member to have. Not having children attending our schools isn't an issue. We have parents of school children on the board and they don't seem to be able to think outside the box. They find it much easier to keep the status quo rather than make necessary changes to benefit the education of the children in our county.

What many of them fail to see is the need to make changes necessary to make our students more competitive for college and ready to enter the work force. If we improve our education system in Paulding to make our students more competitive it will also lead to economic growth as we are providing a viable work force that will help attract the types of businesses that provide better paying jobs and to support and improve our infrastructure. An improved educatiion system benefits everyone in Paulding County.

 

[newsjunky]

I agree with you Fox. LTD would be great on the BOE. The math is not going to be changed. Even the choice they give for "traditional math" is still a form of integrated math. The powers that be still insist it will work. :BH

 

[Foxmeister]

I agree with you Fox. LTD would be great on the BOE. The math is not going to be changed. Even the choice they give for "traditional math" is still a form of integrated math. The powers that be still insist it will work. :BH

When do they think it may begin to work? Traditional math was a successful curriculum. I think this is a perfect example of their failure to think outside the box. Making the switch to a traditional math curriculum would mean they would have to actually think about adjusting the budget to purchase the text books. It's much easier for them not to make any changes because thinking would not be involved.

 

[newsjunky]

AG Sam Olens asks the Supreme Court to reconsider their ruling on Charter Schools. :thumbsup

Does anyone think it will change anything?

http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2011/05/26/sam-olens-asks-state-supreme-court-to-rethink-charter-ruling/

Said Olens:
“Charter schools offer students the opportunity to receive the excellent education they deserve regardless of socio-economic circumstances. I hope the court will accept the arguments presented in our brief and reconsider their decision.”