Monday, October 1, 2012
Although voters had their say on many issues in July, there is is still a state-wide school choice amendment and a county-wide sales tax question on the November ballot.
Although the biggest question on the Nov. 6 ballot is who will become the next President of the United States, that doesn't mean voters have no Georgia-centric issues to weigh in on. The sole issue on the statewide ballot is House Resolution 1162. If this resolution is passed, Georgia's constitution will be amended to allow the state to approve and fund local charter schools. This so-called "charter school amendment" has been the crux of controversy in Cherokee County. Supporters and detractors of the amendment have spent months discussing the issue. Recognizing the importance some Cherokee residents place on charter schools, Gov. Nathan Deal chose Cherokee Charter Academy as the location where he signed House Bill 797 back in May. H.B. …
Thursday, September 6, 2012
The Georgia Parent Teacher Association hasn't changed its position against a proposed charter school amendment despite pressure from its national organization.
The Georgia Parent Teacher Association's unwavering opposition to a controversial amendment that could restore the state's authority to approve and fund charter schools could become problematic for the group. "National PTA affiliates must adopt the mission and purposes of National PTA and operate in accordance with the policies and positions of the Association," spokesman James Martinez said Wednesday in an email to Canton-Sixes Patch. "The National PTA operates under a clear set of guidelines should an affiliate fail to comply with our National Standards of Affiliation." The state chapter, which supports charter schools approved by local school boards, reaffirmed its stance Friday despite pressure from the national organization to come …
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
It "has major concerns with the ... impact it will have on Georgia’s 1.67 million public school students," according to a statement from the group.
Under pressure from its national organization to rescind its opposition to a controversial amendment that could restore the state's authority to approve and fund charter schools, the Georgia Parent Teacher Association reaffirmed its stance. "We cannot support this constitutional amendment which will create an inequity in funding, siphon funds from local public schools where the great majority of the students in Georgia receive their education and deny parents meaningful engagement," the group said in a statement released late Friday. "Georgia PTA strongly opposes this constitutional amendment." In July, the state chapter made its position clear: Vote no when you go to the polls in November. While the Georgia PTA supports charter schools …
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
The National Parent Teacher Association wants the Georgia chapter to remain neutral in the state's charter school debate.
With nearly two months to go before Georgians vote on a controversial amendment that could restore the state's authority to approve and fund charter schools, the Georgia PTA is under pressure from its parent organization to rescind its opposition to the measure. Last month, the state chapter made its position clear: Vote no when you go to the polls in November. While the Georgia PTA supports charter schools approved by local school boards, "we reject the state power grab from local communities in the education of their children, the financial inequities, and the overt attention being given to those who intend to profit from the education of children," Sally FitzGerald, the group's educational policy specialist, wrote in the July 1 position…
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Georgia Schools Superintendent Dr. John Barge has publicly said he opposes an amendment that would give the state the authority to grant charters for independent schools.
Responses are mixed after State Superintendent Dr. John Barge announced that he opposes an amendment that would allow the state the authority to grant charters to independent schools. Gov. Nathan Deal, who signed the implementing legislation at Cherokee Charter Academy in May, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he was "discouraged that Superintendent Barge has changed his position since the campaign trail and no longer believes parents should have public school options for their children. "His new position doesn’t change mine. I stand with 2/3 of the General Assembly and will uphold the promises I made when I ran for office: Parents and students should have public school options; this is the best form of local control." The Georgia…
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Families for Better Public Schools is registered as a statewide constitutional amendment ballot committee with the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission.
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 …
Friday, June 15, 2012
The candidates, incumbents and issues that will be affecting Canton and Cherokee County.
As we look ahead to November’s elections, Canton-Sixes Patch is devoted to bring you the information you need about the hottest contests in Cherokee County. Here are a few of the races and issues to watch. Bookmark this page for updates. School Board Vice Chairwoman Janet S. Read vs. Danny Dukes: For the first time, voters will get to elect the chair of the Cherokee County Board of Education. Before Gov. Nathan Deal signed a controversial redistricting measure that created the elected chair position, school board members appointed a chair and vice chair. This will be a contest between two of the key players in the county's divisive school choice debate. House Resolution 1162: Gov. Nathan Deal chose Cherokee's first charter school as his …
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Gov. Nathan Deal signed House Bill 797 at Cherokee Charter Academy in Canton, where he was awarded the 2012 Champion for Charters Award from a national charter schools group.
With Cherokee Charter Academy students flanking him, Gov. Nathan Deal this morning signed a bill that he said will provide Georgia families with choices when it comes to public education. "We have every confidence to believe that Georgians all across this state embrace the idea that parents should have more options and that parents should be more involved in the process of the education of their children," he said moments before he signed House Bill 797, which will restore the state charter schools commission if voters approve a corresponding constitutional amendment in November. "Charter schools are, in my opinion, a key ingredient in the future educational success for the state of Georgia. We know that when you promote competition, …
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
The governor's office made the announcement today.
Gov. Nathan Deal will be in Cherokee on Thursday morning to sign House Bill 797, which will restore the state charter schools commission if voters approve a corresponding constitutional amendment in November. Deal's office announced this afternoon that the signing would take place at 10 a.m. at Cherokee Charter Academy, which has been ground zero in the county's school choice debate. In a 4-3 decision last May, the state Supreme Court struck down the Georgia Charter Schools Commission as unconstitutional, which nullified its authority to grant charters to schools rejected by local school boards. The court said the state commission could not force school districts to pay for charter schools the local school board had rejected, such as …
Friday, April 20, 2012
The Cherokee County School Board voted 4-2 to approve a resolution, which asks Georgians to vote down the charter school amendment in November.
After a discussion that, at times, seemed to grow heated among the Cherokee County Board of Education, school board members on Thursday night voted 4-2 to approve a resolution asking that Georgians vote down a constitutional amendment that would restore the state’s power to approve charter schools. Board member Michael Geist, who with Kim Cochran voted against the resolution, said that although the school system lost $2.1 million this year because it had 575 fewer students than anticipated, the county saw $4 million more this year than it would have otherwise because of the funding that was allocated to Cherokee Charter Academy. And, that money is being spread among all the students because Cherokee County School District students attend …
Sharpie
9:05 am on Monday, November 5, 2012
Make a special note to watch the Free and Equal Election Debate between third party candidates for the Presidency, Gov. Gary Johnson (Libertarian) and Dr. Jill Stein (Green) to be aired tonight on Monday evening, Nov. 5th from 9:00 - 10:30 pm Eastern Time. Perform a worthwhile civic duty, and be certain to listen in on this historic debate so that you can make an informed decision on voting day. … more ›