Education
Education

Georgia school boards association picks new leaders

School bus in technicolor

Credit: modchik photography

Credit: modchik photography

School bus in technicolor
By Ty Tagami
June 14, 2017

The Georgia School Boards Association elected new leadership at their summer conference.

Representatives from 133 school boards met in Savannah last week and approved the slate of officers for the 2017-18 school year.

Tom Odom, Chair of the Oconee County School Board, was installed as president. Katrina Young, of the Rockdale County School Board, was installed as president elect.

Frank Griffin, Chair of the Lee County School Board, was installed as vice president. Ron Hopkins, chair of the Jefferson City School Board, begins a three-year term as Treasurer.

The association of elected school officials also ratified its legislative priorities, which cover state funding, taxation, pensions, curriculum and concepts such as school vouchers, which the organization opposes.

The association members played a crucial role in the defeat of last year's proposed constitutional amendment to let the state take over failing schools. The association's first legislative item is for local school boards to maintain "exclusive control over public schools" and to oppose any legislation "infringing" on that authority.

About the Author

Ty Tagami is a staff writer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Since joining the newspaper in 2002, he has written about everything from hurricanes to homelessness. He has deep experience covering local government and education, and can often be found under the Gold Dome when lawmakers meet or in a school somewhere in the state.

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