Category Archives: Education

June 12, 2015 Radio Commentary

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Great Idea: Elect the State School Board

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, June 12, 2015 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

On May 16th the Georgia Republican Party passed a resolution to elect members of the State Board of Education, and there’s good reason for that. Many folks might not know that state school board members are appointed to seven-year terms. They don’t get paid for serving, but they are reimbursed for expenses.

They are not accountable to voters, although their actions affect all children in public schools. Since they are not elected, state school board members have no incentive to reflect voter values or wishes, even though schools under their control are funded by Georgia taxes that build, maintain and support education. Over half of the state budget is spent on K – 12 schools and higher education, so taxpayers have every right to expect all school board members – state, as well as local – to respect and support the values of students and their parents. While appointed school board members may seek parental approval, their primary allegiance is more likely to be to the person who appoints them, which, in this case, is the governor.

The Constitution of the State of Georgia describes the state school superintendent’s job as “the executive officer of the State Board of Education,” but think about this: The power of the State Board of Education, whose members are NOT elected, supersedes the power of the elected state school superintendent in setting the agenda for each state board of education meeting, in hiring and firing staff, as well as staff directly within the Department of Education. That arrangement subjugates the elected state school superintendent to policies made by 14 state school board appointees that are not accountable to voters. Continue reading →

March 27, 2015 Radio Commentary

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Shadow School Superintendent, Shadow School District

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, March 27, 2015 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

In his state-of-the-state address in January, Governor Deal announced that he would create an Education Reform Commission to implement his “vision for k – 12 education … system driven by student need [to give] local school and district leaders [real control and flexibility].” The 33 people he appointed to that commission will report back to him.

There’s more to the Governor’s statement than meets the eye. To legalize that particular “vision for k – 12” the State Constitution must be amended. So, the Governor had his Senate floor leader introduce S.R. 287 to add a new paragraph to the State Constitution, which allows the creation of a state-wide Opportunity School District. If voters ratify that change in the 2016 General Election, the Governor would appoint a “shadow” school superintendent who could identify and take over, or close, or re-staff, or reconstitute, and manage and control 20 “failing” public schools, annually (up to a total of 100).

That plan means the current constitutionally elected state school superintendent will lose authority over schools the appointed shadow superintendent selects and commandeers. Rather than giving “local school and district leaders real control and flexibility,” the plan strips control from the state-wide elected-by-voters school superintendent and locally elected boards of education. Meaning, the Governor’s plan, drastically, weakens the power of voters and over-rides local control over education. Continue reading →

December 6, 2013 Radio Commentary

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Inferior Standards

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, December 6, 2013 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Good morning, Jim. In July Governor Deal and State School Superintendent Barge announced that Georgia would pull out of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) testing agreement. But, pulling out of the testing is NOT equivalent to dumping Common Core. To make things worse, Georgia was so willing to qualify for a Race to the Top grant, that the state accepted the standards BEFORE they were written. So, it’s unclear how or whether CCSS can be scrapped, even though the testing was rejected.

Creating Common Core was NOT an open process. It is NOT voluntary. It is a national project created in secret without input from teachers, Congress or state legislatures. Since it was attached to Race to the Top grants, states adopted it sight-unseen. Because its implementation activates federal control of school curriculum for charter schools, private schools, religious schools, Catholic schools and homeschooling, it is blatantly unconstitutional. Continue reading →

July 19, 2013 Radio Commentary

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“Coming Out” After Lesson 13

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, July 19, 2013 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Good morning, Jim. This is the concluding report on the 13-lesson K – 5 curriculum introduced in San Francisco public schools in 2001. The first lesson introduced kindergartners to slang words for males and females that practice homosexuality. Subsequent lessons taught them about other sexual orientations.

Lesson ten about “Freedom to Marry” addresses fair/unfair laws, marriage, the history of legal marriage and a homework survey about marriages of lesbians and gay men. About LGBT marriage, pupils are asked: Where to go from here? Should there be a vote? Should there be a law? Should the court decide?

Lesson 11’s key message is: “It’s fine to be transgendered.” To start that discussion, the teacher tells about Wilson who winds up with two moms, because his father begins living as a woman. Another story, illustrated with a picture, tells of a transgendered man, who was born a woman. After the stories, pupils write journal entries describing what they learn about transgendered people and how that knowledge makes them feel. Using journal entries, the teacher leads discussions about intolerance, peer pressure, diversity and teasing then assigns homework on the subject. Continue reading →