As Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Meria Carstarphen moves forward with plans to close or merge low-performing schools and put others under private management ahead of potential state takeover, two left-leaning groups are ramping up the campaign against the constitutional amendment that would allow state takeover.
Center for Popular Democracy and Rise Up Georgia will jointly release a report today that outlines their case against Gov. Nathan Deal's Opportunity School District plan.
A constitutional amendment to authorize Deal's Opportunity School District goes before voters in November. If it's approved, the state would be able to take over a limited number of Georgia's lowest-performing schools and close them, run them or convert them to charter schools.
The Center for Popular Democracy/Rise Up report says the Opportunity School District would "take control over educational priorities away from students, parents, residents, and educators, and confer it to wealthy developers, out-of-state charter school boosters, and an overwhelmingly white state administration."
Deal and supporters of the Opportunity School District plan say allowing the state to take over low-performing schools would give families “hope for a better future.”
“We have a moral duty to do everything we can to help these children,” Deal said when he unveiled Opportunity School District legislation.
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