Amendment 1 Passage Would Silence Citizens and Privatize Schools
by Amy Denty, 2016-2017 PAGE President
On Nov. 8, Georgians will vote on whether the state constitution should be amended to allow the governor to take over schools that have scored 60 or below for three consecutive years on Georgia's College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI). The ballot will ask: "Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended to allow the state to intervene in chronically failing public schools in order to improve student performance?"
To most people, those words sound innocuous. Who wouldn't want chronically failing schools to receive intervention to boost student performance? Unfortunately, the wolf often comes to our doors in sheep's clothing, and that is exactly what is happening here.
First of all, the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) is already authorized to step in to assist struggling schools. Perhaps we need to evaluate the GaDOE's efforts in that regard. Do we really need to create a top-down bureaucracy that will rob communities of their voice and allow the state to convert struggling schools into charters run by corporations incentivized to make money and/or pay high executive salaries?
I've reflected on the Opportunity School District proposal a lot over the past year. The very name is odd. It indicates that a packaged plan for improving schools is as simple as appointing a new superintendent from far away who is accountable only to the governor cloistered under the Gold Dome rather than to the local population.
How can we prevent the passage of this proposed constitutional amendment?
Let your voice be heard. Let friends, neighbors and the person sitting next to you at the high school football game know what this proposed amendment really means.
Learn about Georgia's CCRPI and understand how it has changed every single year since its inception. The very score with which the governor wants to label our schools, students and teachers is a moving target.
Even with the moving target of CCRPI, student achievement has improved greatly at many of the schools targeted for takeover. Find those schools in your geographic area and communicate collaboratively with them regarding how they are moving students in an upward trajectory. Let's learn from and support one another.
One of my favorite quotes is by motivational guru Zig Ziglar: "The real opportunity for success lies within the person and not in the job." Educators who truly know their students and are prepared, supportive and supported offer Georgia students the very best opportunities for success.
Encourage members of your community to vote "No" on Amendment 1 this Nov. 8.
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