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AJC.com > Legislature > Blog > Archives > 2007 > March > 07
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Committee wants to ease path toward teaching
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The House Education Committee passed a bill today that would allow professionals with advanced degrees to teach in high school before first gaining full certification.
House Bill 603 would help address the state’s teacher shortage, one of the sponsors, Rep. Karla Drenner (D-Avondale Estates), told the committee.
The Georgia Professional Standards Commission, the state organization overseeing teacher certification, opposes the bill.
The state already provides ways for career-changers to become certified teachers, the commission’s executive secretary, F.D. Toth, told the committee.
“I just don’t see where it’s needed,” Toth said.
The bill says a person holding a master’s degree, a doctoral degree or a juris doctor degree could begin teaching while taking up to three years to acquire certification.
The bill now goes to the House Rules Committee.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Categories: Education
Bill would limit pressure on teachers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A bill that would make it an ethics violation to pressure a teacher to change a grade passed out of a House subcommittee today.
The Grade Integrity Act of 2007 says a school board, superintendent or administrator cannot force a teacher to change a grade if the teacher followed the rules. An administrator can still change a grade, but who made the change will be noted in the student’s records.
A popular Dacula physics teacher was fired in 2005 when he refused to change a grade for a student who slept in class. Gwinnett School Board policy forbids using grades to punish students. Teacher Larry Neace argued sleeping in class was an academic not a disciplinary problem.
Senate Bill 9 now goes to the House Education Committee for a vote.
Permalink | Comments (4) | Categories: Education
Former speaker assists ag commissioner
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin has hired former House Speaker Terry Coleman as a consultant.
Irvin confirmed today that he named the fellow Democrat as a part-time special assistant in January, paying him $2,000 a month. Coleman, of Eastman, is helping Irvin set up meetings with state lawmakers and is assisting with the Agriculture Department’s programs and budgets, Irvin said.
Irvin said he values Coleman’s 34 years of experience serving in the House. Coleman served as House Appropriations Committee chairman for 12 of those years. Irvin said he plans to keep Coleman on the payroll at least until the end of the state’s 40-day legislative session, which is scheduled to run at least until late April.
“He has been a great value to the department up until this point,” said Irvin, who won reelection in November. “I am lucky to hire him for the very little money I am paying him.”
Coleman said he most recently helped Irvin respond to a major animal cruelty case in Pike County, where Irvin declared a state of emergency. In all, the state removed 99 horses and 29 dogs from a 600-acre farm in that case.
Coleman joked that his new job could help him get politics out of his system.
“I wanted to continue to see friends and stay involved,” said Coleman, who served as House speaker in 2003 and 2004. “It’s pretty hard to go cold turkey after 34 years.”
Coleman is not ruling out another run for public office. But he says he has no immediate plans to put his name on a ballot.
“You never say never,” he said.
Permalink | | Categories: politics
Bill against dog fighting clears House committee
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A bill that would toughen Georgia’s anti-dog fighting law cleared a key legislative committee today and is moving toward the full House for a vote.
Current law targets only people who cause dogs to fight for sport or gaming purposes or who run such events. House Bill 301 would broaden the law to apply to people owning, training, transporting and selling canines for dog fighting or betting on such events.
Those convicted of breaking the proposed law would be guilty of a felony and face up to five years in prison and/or a minimum $5,000 fine. A second conviction would carry up to 10 years in prison and/or a minimum $15,000 fine.
State Rep. Bobby Reese’s (R-Sugar Hill) bill also targets spectators at dog fighting events. Those convicted under that provision of the bill would be guilty of a misdemeanor.
The House Non-Civil Judiciary Committee approved the legislation. It is now on its way to the House Rules Committee, which sets the agenda for House floor votes. A similar bill passed the Senate on March 1.
