Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 2008
4A
EDITORIAL
A more educated Georgia
‘New choice laws a leap in the right direction’
With the stroke of his pen, Georgia
Gov. Sonny Perdue has just enact
ed some very significant changes to
Georgia’s education system. Now the
door has been opened to a brighter
future for tens of thousands of Georgia
families seeking a better education.
The first change, House Bill 1133,
creates what are known as “tax credit
scholarships.” Soon, individuals and
companies interested in providing
students with scholarships to attend
private school will be able to donate
to Student Scholarship Organizations.
Individuals will receive a tax credit
for donations up to SI,OOO annually or
$2,500 for couples filing jointly.
Companies will be able to receive a
tax credit for donations made up to
75 percent of their annual state tax
liability.
The beau ty of tax credit scholarships
is that they give public school parents
in Georgia access to financial assis
tance to send their children to a pri
vate school if they choose. This means
that thousands of .families across the
state will have options that better
serve their needs.
The scholarship program is a win
for taxpayers who get a tax break for
their contributions and a win for pub
lic schools too. According to research
released by Georgia Family Council
and others, public school systems in
Georgia could save $94 million from
the reduction in costs that will come
when students leave public schools for
private ones. The state budget would
also see savings of around $6 million
as well.
The governor also signed several
bills that improve Georgia’s charter
school law. Charter schools are public
schools that have more flexibility in
their curriculum and operate without
many of the regulations of traditional
public schools. They are free and open
'fZkJELUs
"...Sonny really ought to watch where he points that thing!"
Rifle shots, cannon blasts and BBQ
They was sure a whole lot goin’
on this weekend, which woulda
been good for my campaign for
city council., ‘cept some prollems come
up.
Me and the boys was over to the Relay
for Life but first we nearly got runned
down on the track, and then I tried
kissin’ some babies an’ they mommas
started screamin’ for no reason what
ever, an’ then I kep’ tryin’ to get my
pichur took, but ol’ Gary Harmon must
don’t like us no more, cause he jus’ kep’
takin’ pichurs of everthin but me.
Then on Sunday I got Aunt Porky
Lou to go downtown with me for that
Confederate monument birthday party.
How was I sposed to know they was
gon’ shoot off them rifles an’ a cannon,
too, and we ain’t talkin’ no toy guns or
no pretend cannon?
That was some kinda noise and
smoke, and Aunt Porky Lou started
squealin’ and runnin’ soon as they fired
the first rifle. She has got a abidin’ fear
of guns due to the fact that her Uncle
Josiah got shot dead just cause of eatin’
all the collards from some lady’s garden
back in 1899.
Bout the time I caught up to her
over ‘round Larry Walker’s law office,
they shot off that cannon and she fell
Randy
Hicks
Columnist rag;
Georgia Family Council BP
to any student and give parents an
alternative to their local school. There
are 71 charter schools currently oper
ating in Georgia - and potential for
many more.
Before a charter school can open, it
must be approved by the local school
board - a process that routinely results
in a denial because of political oppo
sition. Until now, if the charter is
rejected, it could be appealed to the
State Board of Education, but if it was
approved at that level, the charter
school would not have access to local
funding and would be at an immediate
disadvantage financially.
Some have compared this process
to a Burger King having to get per
mission from McDonalds to open a
store nearby. Many local school boards
have not been amicable toward charter
schools.
Now that Perdue has signed House
Bill 881, a state-level charter school
commission will be created to provide
an alternative approval process for
those wanting to open a charter school
in the event the local school board
rejects their petition. The new law also
provides more equitable funding.
This is an important step in equal
izing treatment of Georgia’s two forms
of public education (charter and tradi
tional public schools) and it provides a
more objective process for approving
more alternative school choices for
parents.
Governor Perdue also signed House
Porky’s
Panderings
porky@evansnewspapers.com
flat out. So I dint get no votes cause of
havin’ to look after her, but thas anoth
er one of my platform planks now:
We gon’ have a Resolution that makes
it the law to be kind to yo’ old aunties
even when they ‘bout drivin’ you crazy.
She’s doin’ okay now, but she says
she ain’t never goin’ to downtown Perry
again, cause the whole place smells like
gunpowder now an’ they ain’t no tellin’
when somebody might shoot off anoth
er cannon. I tol’ her they wouldn’t be
doin’ it again ‘till 2108, but she says she
ain’t takin’ no chances.
Course, parta that might be she got
herself a ‘scuse for not goin’ to see
Piggette no more, ‘cause Piggette’s sta
yin’ in the ol’ Muse picture show build
ing.. That’ll show you ‘bout how much
common sense Piggette’s got, with
Danny Evans right ‘roun the comer,
and knowed far and wide for barbecuin’
a whole buncha our kinfolks.
Bill 831, which allows for an income
tax credit to anyone who donates to
the construction or capital improve
ments of a charter school, and House
Bill 1277 that allows charter school
employees to access the same health
benefits plan that other public school
teachers currently use.
We all want kids to get a quality
education. Many are doing so through
a variety of means, but some only have
a single option that isn’t working for
them.
Education is the key to a successful
future. It opens the way to employ
ability and, of course, an income. In
fact, a quality education is one of the
necessary conditions for families to be
strong. Research shows that a boy who
receives a good education is more likely
to have regular employment, higher
earnings and, as a result, a more stable
and happier marriage as an adult.
Reforming the way children are edu
cated takes awhile to have an effect.
Honestly, most efforts at public school
reforms haven’t done much to improve
things. Take funding for example.
Georgia has been steadily increasing
the amount of money we spend on
education. Yet, there has not been
a corresponding increase in student
performance. Georgia still lags behind
most other states in academic achieve
ment.
Certainly there are many students
who do well in public schools. But for
thousands of kids who are not getting
the education they need, something
must be done. We can’t sit around
waiting for reforms to kick in while
students are failing and dropping out
of school.
Are we OK with sacrificing another
class of students that are ill equipped
while we debate new strategies?
Parents and students need immediate
See HICKS, page
I tol’ her, “You might’s well cover you
self with sauce and lay down on some
white bread right now, ‘cause he’s gone
get you.”
80-Diddley ain’t as tackful as me. He
tol’ Piggette, “You ain’t even gon’ be
no pulled pork, ‘cause you too old. You
gon’ be Brunswick Stew, mixed in with
chickens.”
So she ain’t speakin’ to us, which is
all the same with us. We done our civic
duty by warnin’ her.
Like I tol’ you last week, me and the
boys mostly been stayin’ in our hideout
down by Big Indian Creek, so nachrly
once that was in the paper, some of
them Rotarians come stompin’ round
down there tiyin’ to find us. (You know
they tryin’ to make it purty). They dint
even come close though. Then some of
them City of Perry folks come all aroun’
too, carryin’ they cameras, ‘cause you
know they’ll take any ‘scuse for a ordi
nance but they gone need a slide show
first.
Me and Lil Bubba Junior and Bo-
Diddley, we just lay low, eatin’ boilt pea
nuts an’ playin’ Blackjack an’ watchin’
'em through the brambles. They ain’t
exactly no Creek Indians oncet they in
the woods.
"One voice con moke o difference"
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Grading Houston County’s new principals
Student report cards will be coming home in a couple
of weeks and parents/guardians will open them
up to see if their son/daughter passed or failed to meet
the academic standards set by local administrators and
teachers.
Furthermore, parents of students in grades three, five
and eight should know if their child failed to meet the
minimum state standards on the CRCTs, and the options
available to ensure that their child’s education continues
on a progressive course toward graduation.
However, all of the parents and the community do
not have to wait for the Georgia report card to learn
the grades earned by the newly appointed principals
recently hired to fill the vacancies in three of the schools
in Houston County. First and foremost it is important to
understand that report cards are not a gift, nor are they a
bonus from our local board of education or central office
staff to enable constituents to stay abreast to the quan
titative outcomes for groups of students, administrators,
and/or the school system.
In fact, the report card is a federal and state mandate
intended to help parents and the community hold decision
makers accountable.
So, imagine my surprise when I went to the Georgia
DOE and opened the report card link and read that two
of the three recently hired principals were coming from
schools that earned an F - Failure to make progress.
Perhaps more alarming was the data indicating that Oak
Hill Middle School is currently in restructuring status, which
means the state has intervened in the education process.
Oak Hill's principal, Mark Scott, will lead Northside High
School next fall. Not to be outdone by NHS, Houston
County High School is getting the assistant principal of
instruction from Towers High in DeKalb County, which
failed to make minimum academic progress since 2005.
Perhaps being a principal in Houston County does not
require a passing grade from the local decision makers,
but it will be interesting to see what it all means to the par
ents and community of Houston County in November.
- Kathy Brown, Warner Robins
A vote for Talton, all officers
I was so pleased to see that a great friend to all who
seeks justice has decided to run again for Houston
County sheriff, Cullen Talton. The people of Houston
County have been most fortunate to have a man with
Talton’s experience, integrity and dedication. Such quali
ties are irreplaceable.
Even though I have had experience working in law
enforcement, I can only faintly imagine the enormous
knowledge and responsibility it takes to be a county sher
iff. Trying to obtain the necessary funds and dealing with
politicians must be most perplexing.
The job of county sheriff has to be the most difficult posi
tion of any other position in our state.
God bless Talton and his family and all dedicated law
enforcement people in all their daily endeavors.
- Dr. Ballard Rutherford, Fort Valley
Insurance bill will prove harmful
Now that Gov. Sonny Perdue has signed the new,
unnecessary and ridiculous gun bill I will no longer
feel safe in any restaurant in our state.
Fortunately, if you are packing you will not be able to
consume alcohol in your local bar or restaurant. But who’s
stupid enough to even ask?
I have never felt threatened in any restaurant here or
in Europe. But now I fear the threat of vigilante justice as
these concealed weapons holders are literally dying to
replace our local, well-trained police - instead of allow
ing the cameras to record criminal activities and then the
police to catch the bad guys later. The bad guys want the
money - not to shoot innocent citizens.
It’s the new, poorly trained, citizen vigilantes and fellow
diners, the Looney Tunes Brigade, the would-be Marshall
Dillon’s, who will scare the life out of me!
- Frank W. Gadbois, Warner Robins
Mmx&tan Pams Journal
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1210 Washington St.
P.O. Box 1910
Perry, GA 31069
478-987-1823
See us online at
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■ Foy S. Evans 1919-2008
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HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL