Column 58 for October 22, 2000

There were some interesting comments out of Atlanta last week.

According to James Salzer, of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, State School Superintendent Linda Schrenko called the State School Board "both obnoxious and malicious." She threatened to go to court to try to keep the board from interfering in the department of education’s day to day operations.

Most of our current state school board members were appointed by Governor Barnes last year, replacing those appointed by former Governor Miller. They have been quite open with their attacks on Ms. Schrenko too. Several board members argue that the department is being poorly run. They complain that Ms. Schrenko is too busy criticizing the new school reform law to run her department.

School board member Bruce Jackson of Atlanta said, "Mrs. Schrenko is guilty of pursuing the greatest vice of a politician, and that is to put her own political aspirations ahead of the best interests of the people."

Another member, Cathy Henson of Marietta said, "We’d all be happier if the superintendent were doing her job."

Some of the board members said the department employees were insubordinate and rude.

I have my own belief why these comments are being made and why. Consider this: Governor Barnes said, "I am sorry that Mrs. Schrenko has decided to malign and disparage, with personal attacks, everyone who does not agree with her all of the time."

That’s the pot calling the kettle black if I ever heard it! Barnes himself is the one who said to our legislators during the reform debate that if they disagreed with his education reform package they were against good education!

Governor Barnes loaded this school board with his cronies, cajoled and intimidated legislators into supporting his misguided egotistical reform package, and betrayed those in education who worked so hard to support his election.

It is still okay to have different opinions, isn’t it? I wish Governor Barnes was going to be on the ballot next month, but we’ll have to wait a couple years for that. In the meantime, let us not forget those elected legislators who caved in to his arm-twisting. It’s payback time.

Peace. All of my past columns are available online at www.mindspring.com/~tomiswho/columns/columns.html. tomiswho@mindspring.com