Get Schooled

By Ernest

July 30, 2008 8:56 AM | Link to this

Everything should be on the table. While I would not cut teacher’s salaries entirely, I would ‘consider’ reducing the increase by no more than 1%. With this being an election year, I doubt if legislators would consider it.

Wonder what those who supported Speaker Richardson’s GREAT plan are thinking now? We would REALLY be in trouble had that passed.

By jim d

July 30, 2008 9:07 AM | Link to this

SOME teachers aren’t worth what they are currently being paid. SOME teachers are worth much more. That being said, I support merit raises not across the board increases.

Merit increases based teacher input to include classroom management skills; preparation of lessons; knowledge of subject matter; instructional techniques; management of student, staff, and public relations; professional ethics; and perhaps professional growth.(degrees or training)

Currently many schools award money on outputs, (student test scores)which to me seems rediculous.

Now as to where the state can cut? Let’s start with the millions they spend every year on testing. Let’s get back to placing a little faith in our teachers ability to judge if or if not a child has learned what it is they are teaching and if the child is ready for the next level.

But then that is JMHO

By Mike K.

July 30, 2008 9:18 AM | Link to this

“Let’s get back to placing a little faith in our teachers ability to judge if or if not a child has learned what it is they are teaching and if the child is ready for the next level.”

I’d add one more thing jim d: Lets find some administrators who would actually back teachers if they decided that a child needed to repeat a grade.

By simon

July 30, 2008 10:23 AM | Link to this

All leaders should show their leadership by subjecting their salaries for reduction first. Those leaders include, Governor, LG, Sec’s of all departments, superintendents of school systems, school board members (are they paid?), principals and ap’s, etc.

By Old School

July 30, 2008 10:28 AM | Link to this

I’m in jim dear’s corner on the merit pay idea mainly because standardized testing covers only the academic areas and not CTAE (vocational) areas.

While even a modest raise would be lovely, I understand the hardships this lousy economy is heaping on everyone and I hope our government will do the right thing and serve the greater good.

BUT, if they give themselves another raise, I say break out the tar and feathers! Wouldn’t it be a nice gesture if every lawmaker whose personal worth was over 1 million (a modest amount for many) declined his or her salary or donated it to the state coffers for 1 year or even 6 months? I seriously doubt if any of them would go lacking or lose their houses (unless they are lousy at handling their personal finances.)

By Janine

July 30, 2008 10:28 AM | Link to this

RE the question: where else can the state make cuts? I remember one other time , years ago, when the budget got really tight and someone in the legislature came up with what was a really good idea. It didn’t involve the state money for teachers or any personnel who had direct contact with students. However, this plan involved cutting back the excessive numbers of administrative personnelin the central offices of the state’s school systems. The state funds would only pay for ONE Superintendent and ONE A*’T Super for each system …no more. Any more than that would have to come from local funds. There were also cuts in state funds for “consultants”, and other administrative positions working at county offices. Sounded good at the time, and still sounds good.

By jim d

July 30, 2008 11:16 AM | Link to this

a few more cuts—

some that teachers won’t like.

eliminate parapros, stop forcing 5 year olds into all day school,increase class sizez by one student,get rid of graduation coaches,and just exactly how many counselors do we need in each school?

then there’s a few that Admin. won’t like.

How about creating documented procedures for executing a purchase orders to keep school spending in check? decentralizing budget management, making principals responsible for budget management in their buildings? provide principals with monthly budget variance reports and hold them accountable for managing the budgets in their buildings. Why not roll over any budget surplus at a school into the next years budget, encouraging principals to reduce spending?

Then we might outsource maintenance and evening custodial operations.(savings in just benefits alone would be astronomical.)

God, there’s so many ways to reduce spending without cutting into teachers salaries. Although it may require they give up their “summers off” LOL

By catlady

July 30, 2008 11:20 AM | Link to this

Someone please tell me how the state can get out of a bunch of legally signed and notarized contracts that the school systems (on behalf of the state) and the teachers signed back in April????

My contract says I will teach for 190 days. It also says they will pay me x amount state and x amount local for the 190 days. How can that be changed without my agreement?? I know I can’t break the contract without their agreement.

All certified staff at the state and local levels of supervision (Cathy Cox, etc) should be called into duty to teach a quarter of the school year in places where there are unfilled job openings. They can continue to draw their regular salaries, but save the salary of the teaching position they fill. Also, that would cut out the meetings, trips, conferences, etc, and that would save money, too. We might just get some changes in policies if the supervisors got a dose of the real world. We could also require school level administrators, graduation coaches and counselors, etc, to teach a couple of periods a day. (I remember until 1987 our principal taught one class every day. He said it kept him current with the classroom, and I can tell you he was a jim-dandy principal.)

Or they can figure out a way to give us the 2.5% some other way, like crediting our health insurance copays or something. Mine would cost them about $1800, but most teachers’ credited amounts would be less, based on degree and experience.

By Tony

July 30, 2008 11:27 AM | Link to this

The state leaders have repeatedly renigged on promises to teachers, and this effort would certainly fit right into the established pattern. If they are going to cut teacher pay raises, they should increase flexibility at the local level. Believe it or not, local leaders have the ability to prioritize spending based on the community’s needs rather than state mandated funding formulas.

Folklore always creeps into discussions like this one. The state funding formula for district level administration has always been grossly underfunded and many districts run with very lean staffs.

It amazes me that so many teachers shun professional learning and want nothing to do with it. Often lumped under the catch all phrases of “cure du jour” or “consultants” too many teachers are quick to reject the idea they might need to improve their skills from time to time. These funds should be restored rather than cut.

When it comes to budget crises, all options (unfortunately) must be on the table. These options should be prioritized rather than applying across the board cuts. I must agree with what catlady said about this. Let me pick the 2 1/2% I don’t want to do anymore.

By jim d

July 30, 2008 11:30 AM | Link to this

cat,

you may want to read the “fine print”

By jim d

July 30, 2008 11:38 AM | Link to this

Tony,

Just out of curiosity. Think if they allowed to to roll over any surplus budget funds that you could find a way to reduce spending?

By catlady

July 30, 2008 11:45 AM | Link to this

Ah, the old ” continued availability of funds” clause. Humm. What if teachers were “not available”? I know teachers who have tried to get out of their contracts to go to another system and been told they would lose their certificates, etc. But it is okay for the state not to do what it said it would do? Isn’t that the old bait and switch?

As for me, just let me out of the idiot duty and the ad nausem “staff development”. I’d even contribute an extra 2.5% for that any day. LET ME PLAN, IMPLEMENT, AND EVALUATE INSTRUCTION.

By Teacher

July 30, 2008 11:51 AM | Link to this

Ever since NCLB teachers have been portrayed as enemy number one. Unfortunately, there are people out there that believe that.

I wish I could say I’ll be strong another year. I’d like to say I’m a dedicated teacher. I work very hard and have made differences. See, I work with my kids from 6AM until about 7-8 PM every night. Then I drive an hour home. I work at school with a very diverse population of incomes. I coach a debate and speech team, so I try to get the lower income students to join. That way, they see success in words and not violence. Sadly, to give those lower income kids the chance to compete, I have to buy them dinner, buy their notebooks, supplies, and whatever else they need to compete.

With rising gas prices, food prices, etc..I can’t afford to teach in Georgia any more. I don’t want to get rich. If I did, I would have never become a teacher. It isn’t about the money. It’s the sentiment that comes with the money. The idea that “you matter.”

I love this state. I was born here, grew up here, celebrated holidays with my family here, but I can not live here. I am a teacher. It is what I was born to do. If I can not teach, I can not live. Since I can not afford to teach here, I can not afford to live here.

My husband has been trying to convince me to move up North where teacher pay is better and where there are less people like Otis Leroy who have let one or two bad teachers sully their opinion of education forever. For years, I have told him, “No, it will get better. You’ll see.” I just don’t think I can say that anymore. I hope some day people of Georgia will stop listening to the Otis Leroys of the world and realize that until education is a priority, crime and poverty will continue to rise.

By jim d

July 30, 2008 11:52 AM | Link to this

Cat,

look at it this way, At least this year they plugged a figure in!

By teachgeorgia

July 30, 2008 1:12 PM | Link to this

Folks, my wife and I both teach. We need the raise. The raises will go back into the economy. It’s not like we make enough to save. Teachers were just beginning to get back on their feet. With insurance, groceries, gas, etc.. goin up, you can not continue to make the same thing year after year and pay expenses when the expenses keep going up.

By catlady

July 30, 2008 1:23 PM | Link to this

jim, every year we initially (in April) are asked to sign a blank contract with *s on it that say “when the state salary schedule is set”, and then a month or so later we sign the revised one with the actual amounts put in.

I guess I am just distressed that it is such a one way deal. They can use me for whatever they want, at whatever school they want, they can change the amount I am paid after the contract is signed, but if I refuse to do my end of the deal I am taken to the PSC and my certificate is revoked. Seems pretty one-sided to me. Yeah, yeah, I know. We need to show some backbone. I guess anyone with backbone either gets out or never goes in to education in the first place.

Teacher, it began way before NCLB, but NCLB has accelerated the deterioration. You would have probably enjoyed teaching back in the 1970s. Teaching the ESOL kids now, at least where I am, is a lot like teaching used to be: parental support being the most visible part. As the maestra, I am accorded a degree of respect and treated as though I am there to help the child.

By nell

July 30, 2008 1:24 PM | Link to this

Same ole-Same ole, teachers have been getting the shaft for years. NCLB and the expectations of teachers keep rising, but they keep screwing with teachers. They could easily cut the programs they are spending millions on and cut other wasteful spending, but that would be too easy. Why not go to four day work weeks to cut down on diesel and gas used by buses and DOE employees. Or, just go to four day work weeks for all state employees except schools.

By Teacher, Too

July 30, 2008 1:31 PM | Link to this

Lose the ALT’s (Area Lead Teachers), the graduation coaches, and the academic coaches.

By jim d

July 30, 2008 2:25 PM | Link to this

I’m sorry cat,

But for the life of me I fail to understand how or why an educated person would basically sign a blank contract and they actually get ALL of you to do it! It is just an unimaginable concept!!

Can we all say Thralldom

By MRK

July 30, 2008 3:09 PM | Link to this

jim d, we actually signed two contracts. the first without the pay raise, then the second contract after it was approved by the legislature. we can not back out of our contract now (regardless of the reason), but the state can back out of it? crazy, isn’t it?

By jim d

July 30, 2008 3:35 PM | Link to this

MrK,

Sounds to me like y’all should already be signing contracts for 09-10

By jim d

July 30, 2008 3:42 PM | Link to this

Mr.K,

we’ve been here before on thses blogs, and I’m not advocating a work stopage, but one can’t help but wonder, with the HQ requiremts of NCLB, what a state would do if several thousand teachers refused to just go along with the program and decided to take a year or two sabbatical?

I suspect it could get rather messy!

By Tony

July 30, 2008 4:18 PM | Link to this

jim d, the point you make about rolling over money to the next year is one that I have asked for repeatedly. Government budgeting imbeds this rule that you must spend the funds during the current year or you lose the funds. This is a fundamentally flawed strategy when it comes to sound financial management. I am very tight with the resources allocated to us and follow procedures as closely as possible. It is very unfortunate that we have the “use it or lose it” financial management system! I personally believe that school level accountability is the most effective reform strategy.

Yes, catlady does need to review the fine print of the contract. Unfortunately, the state can do what they want. Just a few years ago, the legislature passed the law requiring school systems to include the salary within the contract. Most of us issue contracts before the state budget is finalized because we have another law that has an April 15 deadline. I find it very disengenious that our leaders impose requirements that they have no intention of honoring.

As for saving money, there are hundreds of ways to save money. If our school system had to impose a 3.5% cut, we would first need some flexibility granted by the state. The class size rule would be a good starting point. Relaxing some of the NCLB requirements would also help. Every “program” mandated by state and federal rules comes at a cost to the state and local education budgets.

By FYI

July 30, 2008 5:05 PM | Link to this

The salary is conditioned upon the continued availability of state funds under appropriations acts, as well as all amendments thereto, of the General Assembly, with all salaries subject to upward or downward adjustment according to increases or decreases in state funding from the level provided for at the time this contract is signed.

Above is from the contract on the state DOE site..I called myself “FYI” - maybe I should’ve called myself “CYA”

By Dr. Craig Spinks

July 30, 2008 5:35 PM | Link to this

The vast majority of GA public school teachers will receive annual step increases regardless of what they, state politicos or their students accomplish, vote or learn, respectively.

By thomas

July 30, 2008 5:38 PM | Link to this

All I have to say is- I WANT MY MONEY.

Need I say more?

By catlady

July 30, 2008 6:08 PM | Link to this

I hope teachers will remember EVERY SINGLE elected person who goes with the idea of balancing their largess (pork, special tax incentives) on the teachers’ backs, and VOTE THE RASCALS OUT.

I think if the state changes the salary after the contract is signed, that means a valid contract must not have been signed back in the spring, and teachers would be free to abandon their (now) not agreed upon duties. If we did, en mass, there would be quite a scramble for help. A person might just name their price…..

This may be the last year for me, folks. Those retirement bells are a ringin’. Take-home retirement pay is less than 1000 dollars less, I have been told by a couple of folks. Why do it for that kind of difference? Gonna do some SERIOUS checking into.

By jim d

July 30, 2008 6:12 PM | Link to this

Tony,

it is like you said “the state can do what they want” so all they need to do is change the policy to allow schools to roll over any funds left in their budgets. This is just sound money management. I work for several large corporations that not only allow the money to remain but they offer management cash incentives to stay under budget, allowing them to pocket a percentage of the funds they don’t spend.

By Joy

July 30, 2008 6:21 PM | Link to this

My hats off to all teachers. Your job is NOT easy and you deserve your raises , bonus and hazzard pay and much more. Thank you and i hope you get what you deserve!!

By just a teacher

July 30, 2008 6:28 PM | Link to this

Union, anyone?

By michele

July 30, 2008 6:33 PM | Link to this

Teachers, send your legislators an email and then don’t forget to vote! If these legislators are unsupportive, vote them OUT!

By iteachlit

July 30, 2008 6:55 PM | Link to this

Just a teacher- Oh, how I would love to see teacher unions here. As a former teacher in a strong union state, I was appalled when I started teaching in GA. This is a slave mentality. If I live long enough, I’m retiring in 4 years. I won’t put up with this crap one minute longer that I have to.

By TheBlogger

July 30, 2008 8:34 PM | Link to this

jimd - Your posts clearly shows your discontent for teachers and public education. Don’t let your emotions control what you know to be fair and right.

For the past many years, teachers in GA did not even get an increase to cover the cost of living. And, in some school systems (Fulton, for example), the promised step increases were frozen for a number of years. This basically means that the teachers in this State live at a lower standard of living than we did years ago.

Now, the State wants to take away the petty 2.5% from teachers???? That, which was already promised to us???? That, which was in our contract that both parties signed????

Sure, there is fine print. But, that fine print only benefits the “business” side or the State side, and not the “employee” side or teacher side.

One point that you are correct on - the contracts that teachers are forced to sign if we want a job are horribly unfair. The *only * solution is to change the State laws to allow a real teacher union and to give those unions full power to represent teachers.

Then, we can make a difference. We can force fair contracts. We can force fair pay. We can force a good learning environment for our students. Basically, we will have leverage as a whole rather than allowing the State and school systems to abuse us individually.

If all teachers could not go to work just one day - in the entire State and without pre-announcing it - I would bet they would sit up and take notice. Or, if teachers could really strike until a fair and binding contract is reached they would take notice. Or, if teachers could force school systems to spend more money inside of the classroom for the students rather than for new office furniture or salary for their sister who is their secretary - they would take notice.

However, until the people of GA force the State legislatures to change the laws, we are screwed (this includes the teachers, the students, and the future of GA).

I wonder if good ‘ol Sonny P. is taking a pay cut in these “hard times?”

By Janine

July 30, 2008 9:09 PM | Link to this

I may be wrong, [since I have been retired for a little more than a year,]but in my county, every year we sign contract with the amount we are presently making….no raise of any kind included. We never sign another like some of you mentioned. Does anyone else ???

By HS Teacher Too

July 30, 2008 11:23 PM | Link to this

Catlady, jim d, and others:

Gwinnett is notorious for that contract b.s. A few years back I had an attorney tell me to sign it, but with “u.d.” next to my name. “U.D.” stands for under duress, and it essentially means that you signed the contract because you “had” to, not because you were fully aware and agreeing to all its terms. Further, you can cross out line items in the contract that you disagree with and initial next to them. Now, it’s not binding in the sense that it makes the contract void/voidable, but it does mean that you have a leg to stand on when you later say you contest the terms and the boilerplate, pro-county, screw-the-teacher terms. It would make their taking away your certificate at least that much more difficult, at any rate.

I never did go through and cross out the line items, but I DID sign my contracts “UD,” and in six years not a person asked me what the H-ll it meant.

Oh, but when I asked to take my contract home to — god forbid — actually READ it, I caught all SORTS of flak! (flack? It’s too late for me to spell-check right now.)

Anyway, something to consider for future contracts.

By Lee

July 31, 2008 12:11 AM | Link to this

It’s hard for me to get too upset about rescinding a pay raise when I see IN-SCHOOL SUSPENSION TEACHERS MAKING $90,000+.

Please, oh please, allow me to make some budget cuts.

Please, please, please, purdy please.

By jim d

July 31, 2008 2:48 AM | Link to this

Blogger,

Any dissatisfaction with teachers comes from years of listening to complaints from people unwilling to help themselves. From watching a system unable to repair itself, continuing to spiral downward out of control. But it is far from being an emotional issue.

“Fair and right” in education? You really don’t want to travel that road with me, I could write a book on the injustices I’ve seen perpetrated against young children and parents by our public schools.

By sarah

July 31, 2008 8:22 AM | Link to this

Cut out all ISS positions. In school suspension is a waste. Students sleep and don’t do work in ISS. The ISS supervisor has plenty of time to write papers and work on extra degrees to earn more $$$. Has anyone done a study on whether or not ISS shows any improvement in undesired student behavior? Academic coaches and graduation coaches could also be cut. These positions are luxuries that our systems could do without. Especially middle school grad coaches. Believe me I know how little they actually do. These are real fluff jobs. I know the governor will not touch these precious positions because he would never like to admit his pet project is a waste of money. The middle school grad coach in my school spends most of her time surfing the net and working on her advanced degree so the state can pay her more $$$ for surfing. Very little time is spent with students and these people are not held accountable like teachers. If you cut the ISS teacher, grad coach and middle school grad coach in every school you have made a hugh dent in the budget. This is three salaries and benefits. If you go on and cut academic coaches which are totally unnecessary then you will not have to cut into the salaries of the teachers that are on the frontlines everyday.

By fedup

July 31, 2008 8:34 AM | Link to this

I would like to address the 190 days that most teachers are contracted to work. Teachers work 190 during the school year. Have you ever asked a teacher how many weekends and summers are spent working without pay on classrooms, lesson plans, workshops to keep certification, etc. What about the PTA meetings and other evenings teachers spend at school instead of with their families? During this summer I have spent more time working for the school than I have spent with my family. This was all unpaid. I would say I spent 5-6 weeks of my summer working on school related stuff. I also had to pay for daycare for my children when I wasn’t being paid to work. Many teachers spend weekends going on school trips with students, but the teachers are not paid. A bus driver transporting the student is paid for every hour he/she is gone. How is this fair? Teachers more than earn their salaries. I’d like to see teachers earn comp time for all of the extra hours they spend on school. Maybe we should put teachers on the clock and pay them their hourly rate- this would allow people to see how many hours are worked by teachers. Lots of overtime!!!

By WFC

July 31, 2008 9:00 AM | Link to this

In my first year of teaching (1976) I joined GAE. We voted for a one day walkout 58%-42%. The GAE higher-ups said that this wasn’t enough and voided the vote. During my next 30 years in teaching, I never joined GAE and laughed at those who did. Bogus organization!

We used to sign contracts with the raise numbers written in. Then one year (late 1980’s maybe) there were hard times and the raises were cut and there was a big hassle. Ever since, our new contracts contained our old salaries. Teachers tucked their tails and put up with it. No real union would have accepted this but Georgia teachers fancy themselves “professionals.” No true professionals (lawyers, doctors, CPA’s, architects, etc.) would ever tolerate such treatment. Wake up and smell the coffee!

BUT, THERE IS GOOD NEWS, TEACHERS! Tough it out for 30 years as I did and there is hope! I retired in 2006 and have since received a nice check each month. That, plus money from real estate investments allows me to live in a nice 5 bedroom, 3 bath home in Riverwalk and drive a paid for Mercedes convertible. Living well is indeed the best revenge.

By Gwinnett Educator

July 31, 2008 9:11 AM | Link to this

I know that this school yr, I will not go over and beyond like I have done in the past. I spent all day yesterday working on my classroom and getting things ready. (FINALLY had the things I needed in my class…the county sent over the wrong stuff). If it is time to leave at 315..I am gone. I plan to stay on top of grading, lesson planning, center planning, etc. No late afternoons and weekends for me. That is for the birds.

MY CHILD goes with out while Im being super teacher and doing extra things for unapprecitive adminstrators, etc. NOT ANY MORE.

By Gwinnett Educator

July 31, 2008 9:19 AM | Link to this

unappreciative

By fedup

July 31, 2008 12:17 PM | Link to this

AMEN. It is time to take care of your own.—-Unlike some people.

By catlady

August 2, 2008 9:31 AM | Link to this

Only we browbeaten Georgia teachers would sign a contract that says we agree to be employed SOMEWHERE doing SOMETHING and that our duties will include WHATEVER WE ARE TOLD TO DO and that we will get paid SOME AMOUNT (which is usually DEVOID OF AN ACTUAL DOLLAR AMOUNT when we sign the initial contract in April) UNLESS THE EMPLOYER DECIDES THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO DO IT. But, God help us if WE decide to change our minds. The more I think about it, the more unbelievable it is.

By sav teach

August 3, 2008 2:17 AM | Link to this

Just another shinning example of how we adults are all talk and no action. How we truly do not care about our own children, and how when we have to make “painful” cutbacks we do it on the backs of our kids. This is a disgrace and if teachers do lose their pay, I hope every legislator loses their job come election time. The first salary I would cut is Kathy Cox, then I would cancel the contract for whoever designed the CRCT test, then fire all those in the department of education who signed off on that exam. Raise the cigarette and liquor tax across the board. You shouldnt be smoking anyway. I would bring some type of gambling into the state. People will much rather do it here than drive to Mississippi or Florida. Raise all the fines across the boards from traffic tickets on up. Increase the corporate tax rate for companies that do business in the state.

Stanley Kubrik, probably the greatest director who ever lived, had a very simple comment about all the great movies he made. He said it all boils down to, “do you care enough or not?” Obviously in GA we STILL dont care about education.

By ironmaiden

August 5, 2008 9:12 AM | Link to this

According to Dr. Craig Spinks, the vast majority of teachers get “annual step increases”. THAT IS SOOO INCORRECT!! My county, and many others, stop step increases at 21 years of experience. Since the state of Georgia requires 30 years for full retirement, that is 30% of a teaching career with no chance of a step increase. Additionally, these raises are used like carrots, effective every 1-to-3 years initially. Approaching the 21 year mark, they only occur every 3-to-4 years. There is a multitude of experienced teachers who are trying to hold on with only an occassional, small state raise. Additional note: States we like to regard as inferior, Alabama and Arkansas notably, require fewer years of service for full teacher retirement. They must have some grasp of the physical, mental, and emotional toll this job actually has on teachers.

By ironmaiden

August 5, 2008 9:16 AM | Link to this

In these hard times, I thank God that I even have a job. Just needed to set the record straight.

By Mr. Teacher Man

August 5, 2008 3:22 PM | Link to this

As an educator, a parent, and a grandparent, let me say that cutting teachers’ salaries is tantamount to treason. Children are Georgia’s greatest natural resource, and developing their minds is, in my estimation, the greatest service one can provide to the state. Yet, whenever there is a cashflow shortage at the state capitol, the immediate reaction is to cut funding for education. I teach in Fayette County, the only metro school system to have all its schools meet the Annual Yearly Progress standards set down by the state, a feat which I feel should be recognized. However, instead of a pat on the back or a simple acknowledgement of the hard work that our teachers put into achieving this goal, we are faced with the possibility of not only losing our meager 2.5% cost of living raise but with the possibility that many teachers in our system will lose their jobs entirely at the end of the year. Where is the justice in that? I only hope the good people of Fayette County will recognize the value of their children’s education and pass the SPLOST initiative when it appears on the November ballot.

In the private sector, people are rewarded for doing a good job. Not so in education. Our jobs are subject to the whims of elected officials who make arbitrary decisions based, not on merit, but on their political agendas. In this case, that agenda seems to be the dismantling of our state’s public education system by the Perdue administration. Sonny could not destroy public education in our state through the implementation of ridiculous standardized testing requirements, so now he has simply decided to stop paying teachers a livable wage. Perhaps he should cut back on some of those guys leaning on shovels and holding up traffic on I-75 or some of the state highway patrolmen who use up valuable gasoline by sitting beside the road with the engines running in their cars. Oh wait! I remember now, Governor Perdue told us that “Georgia is too busy to sit in traffic” in his state of the state address. That must be why we have those lanes closed on the interstate.

By ironmaiden

August 6, 2008 9:32 AM | Link to this

I concur that Sonny’s first cut should be his “middle school grad coaches”. My students saw this person one time last year when personal life stories were related to class - very little application to current/future economy. Our “coach” was rarely seen out of her office or with a student. If anything, this position has the possibility of easing student contact on guidance counselors so that they can concentrate on the God of AYP.