Gwinnett schools Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks isn't shy about sharing his thoughts on what's happening in the Legislature. We sat down with him to get his opinions on this session. Here's a condensed version of the conversation:

Q: How would you describe the tone of this session as it applies to education?

A: Obviously one of heavy involvement. It seems everyone has a silver bullet or idea on how to help education. In my humble opinion, we have enough laws on the books with education.

Q: It seems like many thorny issues that would have a large impact on schools —- funding, teacher quality and class size —- have not been tackled. Why?

A: The complexity of them. Funding is always a political football tossed out there. ... I'm sure we don't give them enough credit for the balancing act they do in putting together the budget with every agency requesting more funds. ... Still, we've seen more of a focus on political agendas, many of them national political agendas, on education.

Q: There's been a lot of discussion about reform on property taxes, income taxes and the ad valorem taxes on vehicles. How will these bills affect Gwinnett?

A: I have high hopes for the process, and I think at some point they will have to take a comprehensive look at the tax code. It just doesn't need to be looked at piecemeal. ... They need to remember we have bills to pay, too. Cutting the ad valorem on vehicles will cost us almost $40 million. That's $40 million when we continue to grow every year. We can almost build an elementary and middle school with that.

Q: There's been a lot of support for charter schools, home schooling and private schools. Some see these bills as healthy competition for public schools. Others say it shows the state has abandoned traditional public schools. What do you think?

A: Most of the real organized effort to use public money for private schools or otherwise is promoted by people who already have children in these schools, so it is a reimbursement for them. I don't think of it as competition at all. Public education is already competitive. ... We take all students, and we do it gladly, no matter what challenges they may have. I think people want to run away from our diversity, and they want a more homogenous school.

Q: Several bills focused on what some would consider local issues, such as bullying and when students make false accusations against school employees. Will these bills help schools?

A: None of those bills are worth a hill of beans. We already have discipline codes and rules. We don't need another law to deal with it. Having another law won't make you deal with it any better or worse. I don't know anyone who likes a bully. It is a serious problem and we're dealing with it. ... It seems like we have some political bullies this session.

Q: What are your thoughts on HB 881? (The bill would create a state commission that could override local school boards when they vote down charter schools and make the school boards give these schools local tax money.)

A: It's not needed. We already have a charter school bill ... You'd think they'd realized they don't print money down there. How do they have the legal authority to tell the citizens of Gwinnett that while their local school board may not have approved this school, the state says we're going on ahead and give them your money anyway.

Q: How do you think the session will end?

A: You never know. I just hope it ends well.

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