Education is a battleground in Georgia governor’s race
A state schools superintendent, a small-town mayor and the husbands of two teachers are in the race for governor. So it shouldn’t come as any surprise that education has emerged as the focal point of their campaigns.
Gov. Nathan Deal and his rivals each agree on an abiding principle that flows through each of their campaigns: Education is economic development. Just how to harness that theory, though, has provoked starkly different views of government’s role in education between Deal and his GOP challengers in next week’s election.
The governor worries that Georgia students are losing ground to global peers, but he believes his policies along with a new influx of cash will boost graduation rates and test scores. State Schools Superintendent John Barge and former Dalton Mayor David Pennington see wasted opportunities and a government that often gets in the way.
Tuesday's victor will face Democrat Jason Carter, an Atlanta state senator who aims to be viewed as the education candidate. Carter, whose wife is an Atlanta Public Schools teacher, has sought to lure teachers and parents with a promise of a separate education fund to protect school budgets from political tinkering.
Check out the full story at myajc.com. You can also read our breakdown of where the candidates stand on the economy and ethics.
About the Author
Greg Bluestein is the Atlanta Journal Constitution's chief political reporter. He is also an author, TV analyst and co-host of the Politically Georgia podcast.
