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A4 Lake Oconee News Friday, April 21,2017 Start the conversation Send us your opinions by Monday at 1 p.m. news@lakeoconeenews.us Classroom teachers We’ve all heard this before: “I would love to be a teacher and have my summers off.” We also hear official talk about how they can fix failing schools, raise test scores and lower drop-out rates. Since we all have attended school at some point in our lives, it now seems that everyone is an expert on educational matters, especially politi cians. Perhaps this is a good time to think about class room teachers and what they do in their jobs. As for being off during summers, well, we some times forget that most teachers are paid on a nine months contract with their pay spread over a 12 month period. This insures that money is available to buy groceries and pay bills during the summer months. Also, during the weeks of June and July, many teachers are attend ing professional confer ences and preparing their rooms for the next term; some are teaching summer school or working a side job to make ends meet. By the way, Georgia teachers aren’t union ized and most wouldn’t join anyway. Classroom teaching is not about the money. Let’s talk about the workload. Teachers must follow state and local mandated plans and a pre scribed curriculum, doc umenting each student’s response to learning ini- Hank Segars Lakelife Associate Editor tiatives. If a student is not making progress, differ ent strategies for learning must be devised and im plemented. Instruction must somehow be made interesting and relevant to each child in the class room. To put this in per spective, think about this realistic example: A class of 23 students will often include special ed. students, those below grade level, some who are delayed in learning, those now learning English and the habitually absent and tardy. The rest are regular students doing grade level work or better. Instruc tion for each student must be differentiated to meet learning levels - no matter if the student is on grade level, above or below. It makes your head spin. That’s not all. Added to the classroom mix are a wide variety of abilities and now incorporated SEE SEGARS » A5 The realities of parenthood My son walked into our living room the other night with that look on his face, the one that tells me he’s about to ask for something. “Can you get me some food?” he asked with a certain amount of caution. I tend to react poorly to any suggestion that I get off the couch once I have parked my bohonkus upon it for the evening. “Food!” I barked. “I just got you food yesterday. You need more already.” This may sound slightly absurd to most folks, but parents know exactly what I mean. When you have a child, they never stop asking T. Michael Stone Associate Editor for stuff, with food chief among those requests. If you are among those who think that having a child will bring joy into your life, I’m here to tell you, dear reader, that’s not all they bring. As I mentioned, children demand to be fed from day one of their existence. Most of them want to be fed at least three times per day with assorted gedunk in between. And you can’t just open a can of pork and beans for lunch and dump them in a bowl, either. Children want chicken nuggets, ice cream, gummy worms and suchlike. And it doesn’t end there. When children are very young, you not only have to spoon the food into their maws, you also have the pleasure of wiping it from their posteriors when they are done with it. If you have an aversion to excrement and urine, you will either get over it quick or put your child up for adoption. If that sounds offensive, I’m sorry. I’m just giving you the unvarnished truth. If you manage to stay ahead of the child’s ravenous appetites, don’t forget that you also have to keep them clothed. Letting a child wander around in the yard wearing only a Pamper is frowned upon these days, especially after they reach the age of 12. SEE STONE » A5 "Adults are hard to understand. My Mom wouldn't let me get away with only cleaning my room once a year!" Georgia’s first ladies make their own mark in state You may have read about the sudden resignation of Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley last week. The “Luv Guv” as he was known in the local media was facing impeachment proceedings for campaign finance vio lations and allegations of some boy-girl hanky-panky with one of his top aides. Bentley is the third Alabama governor to resign since the 1990s, following Don Siegelman, convicted on federal felony corrup- to seven years in federal tion charges and sentenced prison in 2006, and Guy Dick Yarbrough Guest Columnist Hunt, who was found guilty of theft, conspiracy and ethics violations in 1993. Prosecutors said Hunt took $200,000 from his inaugu ral account to buy marble showers and a tractor. You can’t make this stuff up. Bentley, a medical doctor by trade, was divorced by his wife of 50 years after he ac cidentally sent her a sugges tive text message intended for his honey bunny. And you would let this guy take out your appendix? Somehow, I can’t imagine those kinds of shenanigans taking place among our governors here in Georgia and I am pretty sure it hasn’t for the past 60 years at least. As I ponder the resignations of Bentley, Siegelman and Hunt, I am looking at the wall in my office which contains signed photos of every Georgia governor from Ernest Vandiver (1958-63) to our current chief exec utive, Nathan Deal. Two names are missing: Lester Maddox (1967-1971) who I never got around to meeting and Jimmy Carter (1971-75) who didn’t make the cut because of his unconsciona ble racist campaign against my hero, Gov. Carl Sanders (1963-67). A few of Georgia’s gover nors I became acquainted with after they had served their time in office. Several I had first-hand contact with as a part of my job. All were different in personal ity and each had different legislative priorities. Some I agreed with and some I didn’t. But one thing they all had in common: All of the aforementioned gover nors were and are strong family men. For that, let us be grateful. And let us give credit where credit is due to Geor gia’s first ladies, from Betty Vandiver to Sandra Deal. I can’t think of a job much harder. Not only do you have to keep the house hold running back home, making sure the bills get SEE YARBROUGH » A5 , L - Lake Oconee News General Excellence Award Winner 2015-2016 GEORGIA PRESS ASSOCIATION President / Publisher A. Mark Smith Vice President Jo Ann Smith Vice President, General Manager Mark Smith Jr. Vice President, Circulation Matt Smith Vice President Michael Smith Associate Editor T. Michael Stone Sports Editor Justin Hubbard Staff Writer Dave Brown Staff Writer Shannon Sneed Staff Writer Katherine Klimt Display Advertising Manager Vicki Parker Advertising Representative Chelsea Selby Advertising Representative Mary de Guiseppi Advertising Representative Michael Payne Eatonton Messenger Associate Editor Lynn Hobbs Lakelife Editor Beverly Harvey Lakelife Associate Editor Hank Segars National Advertising Manager Amy Hood Legal Advertising/Circulation Becky Meyer Production and Technology Manager Josh Lurie Graphic Artist Ali Henderson Graphic Artist Mark Brill Business Manager Cassandra Fowler DEDICATION Battle B. Smith EDITOR AND PUBLISHER 1956-1988 Micky Smith EDITOR AND PUBLISHER 1989-2003 ADVERTISING, NEWS AND INFORMATION Lake Oconee 1106 MARKET ST. • GREENSBORO 706-454-1290 Fax 706-454-1292 Madison 195 W. JEFFERSON ST. 706-342-9833 Fax 706-342-9839 Call 706-485-3501 for subscription information Subscription Rates One Year Two Years Putnam, Morgan, Greene counties $35 $65 Other Georgia counties $45 $80 Out of Georgia $55 $95 Postmaster: Send address changes to the ,1106 Market St., Greensboro, GA 30642. Periodicals postage paid at Greensboro, GA 30642. The (USPS 024-046) is published every Friday by Smith Communications Inc., 1106 Market St., Greensboro, GA 30642. All rights reserved. Reprints by permission of the and individual writers only. State and Federal Elected Officials Gov. Nathan Deal (R) 203 State Capitol Atlanta, GA 30334 (404) 656-1776 Web/e-mail: gagovernor.org Sen. David Perdue (R) B40D Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone: 202-224-3521 Sen. Burt Jones (R) 407 East Second St., Jackson, GA 30233 Phone: (770) 775-4880 Fax: (770) 234-6752 Sen. Johnny Isakson (R) United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 (202) 224-3643 Rep. Dave Belton (R) 401-B Coverdell Legislative Office Bldg. Atlanta, GA 30334 404.656.0152- Office dc.belton@house.ga.gov Rep. Jody Hice (R) 1516 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-4101 Fax: (202) 226-0776 Rep. Trey Rhodes (R) Room 612-B Coverdell Legislative Office Building Atlanta, GA 30334 404-656-0325 trey.rhodes@house.ga.gov The deadline to submit letters to the editor each week is Monday at 1 p.m. Send letters and other news to news@lakeoconeenews.us
