Georgia School Boards Association - Year 2000 Legislative Positions
D. Michael North
Post 3, Walker County, GA Board of Education
The Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) Delegate Assembly has officially adopted the GSBA legislative positions for the year 2000. This act of the Delegate Assembly officially states the legislative priorities of the Georgia School Boards Association.
This is not a meaningless or symbolic act by any means. The GSBA has the power to influence not only legislation, but also the administrative rules adopted by the Georgia Board of Education to administer the law.
Many of the positions adopted are positive, assuring that the GSBA will lobby extensively for the continuance and strengthening of local control over public schools. Many of their positions are disturbing, however. It is my intention to bring to light several of their stances that concern me, and to explain why I opposed them when the GSBA contacted each local Board of Education to ask for our input.
The following legislative positions are taken directly from the GSBA website. The commentary, appearing in red italics, is mine.
1.2 Selection of State Superintendent of Schools
The State Superintendent of schools should be appointed by the State Board of Education.
The Superintendent of Georgia Schools is currently elected by the people. This insures that the will of the people is always considered by the Superintendent. The Georgia Board of Education, including its' chairman, are appointed. The appointment of the Superintendent by an appointed Board will absolutely guarantee that the people will lose what little voice they have in the adoption and implementation of state policy.
1.5 Non Public School Students - Access to Activities
GSBA opposes any requirement which would permit non-public school students to participate in activities which are provided to enrolled public school students.
1.18 Home School Programs
GSBA opposes legislation or State Board of Education rule which mandates access to public school programs, facilities and funding by home school and private school students.
The parents of "non-public school students" pay the same property, sales, and income taxes to support the public school system that the parents of public school students pay. They have an absolute right to access those resources.
While many home school parents do not choose to access those resources for fear of opening themselves to state control or mandates (a justified fear, I'm sure), the moral obligation of the system to open its doors to those who finance it is clear.
2.3 Alternative Revenue Sources
GSBA supports an amendment to the Georgia Constitution to authorize the General Assembly to enact legislation which would allow local school systems to receive revenues from tax sources other than local property taxes.
The expansion of taxing authority is what all governmental bodies crave. However, I would support this provision if it were coupled with a repeal of all property tax collections. Speaking of property taxes:
2.4 Property Tax - Basic to Educational Funding
Maintenance of a sound tax structure is necessary to ensure adequate revenue generation to support and improve Georgia's schools. The property tax continues to represent stability in funding schools. GSBA supports retention of the current property taxing authority as the fundamental element in education finances.
If you pay property taxes, you do not own your land and/or home. I repeat: If
you pay property taxes, you do not own your land and/or home. You merely rent it from the government. If you do not pay for a period of years, the government will seize your land and sell it on the auction block. I support the absolute and unequivocal end to property taxation, replacing it with another form, most likely a sales tax. If Karl Marx could see us seizing and auctioning away an elderly person's home to support a government school, he would think he had died and gone to Socialist Utopia.
2.14 Technology Funding, Psychoeducational Center Network
GSBA urges that psychoeducational centers be included in the state technology grant program.
The intrusion of psychology into the public school system has been one the leading factors in our moral and social decline (read more).
2.20 Pre-K
GSBA urges the State Department of Education, when establishing facility guidelines/regulations which include formulas, to recognize Pre-K classrooms as part of facility needs.
Our government continues to support legislation and policy which removes the children from their parents at an earlier and earlier age.
2.41 Minority Teacher Recruitment
GSBA urges legislative funding for new approaches to minority teacher preparation as it relates to teacher certification with educational certification, recruitment, and hiring in order to increase minority representation in the Georgia teaching force.
Any recruitment effort than focuses on any objective other than qualifications will ultimately lead to failure.
4.2 Parental Responsibility for Firearms
GSBA urges the General Assembly to adopt legislation to hold parents, guardians or other adults in the home responsible for preventing school age children from taking firearms from the home to school and into the community.
4.3 Parental Liability for Violent Acts, Theft and Vandalism
GSBA urges the General Assembly to adopt legislation holding custodial parents and guardians liable for school-age children committing violent acts, theft, or vandalism on school property. Liability shall include damages, medical expenses, and court costs related to those acts by the child.
No problem, on the surface, and if properly written, acceptable in most cases. I assure you however, that these provisions, if fully enacted without restraint, will make children wards of the state. Parents, totally fearful of liability for actions beyond their control, will cede all authority to school system for the rearing of their children, 24 hours a day, on and off campus.
5.5 Support Public Education, Not Tax-Funded Vouchers
Reallocation of billions of tax dollars into private schools will weaken, not improve, public education. Parents are concerned about crime, drugs, and discipline. Vouchers will not solve these problems -–parents and communities can. Vouchers could send public money into unregulated, ill-qualified or financially unstable private schools with no public accountability. GSBA urges Congress to reject vouchers and to work with GSBA to improve the public schools. This statement could have come directly from the NEA Handbook. While I myself have certain reservations about voucher programs, I do not believe that private schools and home schoolers are the enemies of public education. Each serves a specific purpose, and fills a specific need.
Read the complete GSBA Legislative Position Statement at:
All original material on this site is protected by Copyright Ó 2000, D. Michael North