What is driving the dispute between two of Georgia’s top officials?
A dispute between Gov. Nathan Deal and Superintendent Richard Woods about control over low-performing schools highlights a years-long turf battle over education.
For all of this century at least, governors before Deal have seized more control over education policy from the superintendent’s office. Education is the only job of the superintendent, who, like the governor, is elected statewide to oversee the public school systems and school policy.
This fight is the first instance of a public spat between Woods and Deal, who did not get along with Woods’ predecessor, John Barge. Barge wound up running unsuccessfully against Deal.
The disagreement involves the latest legislative proposal to deal with low-performing schools after voters rejected Deal’s plan to change the state constitution so he could take over “chronically failing” schools.
What precipitated this showdown? Read more here.
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.
