I am still so incensed by certain provisions of Governor Barnes new education reform package that I’m compelled to continue to write about them. I’m also really bothered by Governor Barnes attitude.

In a speech to Georgia Education Association members on Sunday, February 6^th, the Governor said there were only two ways to make the changes Georgia needs to improve education. Get rid of bad instructors, or go with private school vouchers. I agree with State Senator Mike Crotts when he says, "Our governor just doesn’t get it. We believe we are still in a democracy, and the governor believes in a monarchy."

What’s the deal here? Are we teachers now the sole, or at least the prime reason Georgia stacks up so poorly against most of the other states? I don’t think so! State Senator Bob Guhl said, "We have been criticizing teachers unjustly when we should be trying to get to the root of the problems."

There are some "bad" teachers, to be sure. But not many! And our current laws include provisions for competent administrators to rid their system of any teacher for "any good and sufficient cause…"

We all see the same educational problems that Governor Barnes does. The problem is that he’s "looking for love in all the wrong places!" When a system isn’t working, the place to start heads rolling is at the top, not in the trenches! We don’t blame the naval crewmen aboard the ships for what happened at Pearl Harbor, do we? Come on now, a school administrator has 540 workdays to evaluate a teacher, before our current law requires a hearing. If a "bad" teacher passes this point, isn’t it time we looked at the administrator’s judgement, instead of the teacher?

In an issue close to the hearts of Carroll Star readers, I agree with what Michael Kramer, General Counsel for the GAE said: "The public and journalists normally support access to governmental decision-making. Eliminating fair dismissal hearings will end public oversight. After all, if an administrator doesn’t have to give any reason, let alone a "good reason" for a teacher firing, the public’s inquiries will be met by silence. School administrators’ personnel decision-making already takes place behind closed doors subject to the exemptions under the Georgia Open Meetings Act and the Open Records Act. The fair dismissal hearing of a teacher is often the only public airing and accountability of school-based personnel decisions."

Let’s re-direct our Governors efforts towards getting to the "root of the problem" as Senator Guhl so aptly said. After all, the governor works for us, doesn’t he? Don’t just sit there and complain! Contact Representative Stallings at tstallings@legis.state.ga.us. Contact Representative West at jwest@legis.state.ga.us. Or contact Speaker Murphy at tmurphy@legis.state.ga.us. Have them remind Governor Barnes who his employers are… Isn’t life great? See ya next week! tomiswho@mindspring.com