Pro-Charter School Campaign Launches

Supporters of a constitutional amendment that asks voters if the state should have full authority to approve and fund local charter schools have started a social media campaign to get the measure passed in November.

This week, the Families for Better Public Schools campaign launched a website as well as Facebook and Twitter pages to share the benefits of charter schools with voters.

“We have a very active network of charter parents, students and teachers,” said Mark Peevy, the manager of the Families for Better Public Schools campaign, which is registered as a statewide constitutional amendment ballot committee with the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission.

“We will rely on them to tell their stories, because their stories prove that public charter schools make a real difference in the lives of so many. Their futures are brighter, and we should do everything we can to make brighter futures available to as many Georgia students as possible.”

Cherokee has been ground zero in the school choice debate ever since the , a decision that nearly derailed 's plans to open during the 2011-12 school year.

In April, the  voted 4-2 in favor of a , also known as House Resolution 1162.

It is a position that puts the majority of the board in direct opposition of Families for Better Public Schools and Gov. Nathan Deal, who in May  to sign House Bill 797. That bill will restore the state charter schools commission if voters approve the amendment.

While Deal said at that May bill signing that "local school boards play a very important role in the establishment of public education all across this state," he added that "there are certainly areas where the existing public school system is not working the way we would all like for it to do. I would hope that they would welcome the opportunity to improve the quality of public education in their communities."

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