Nancy Jester’s Coffee Talk Highlights
Speakers
- US Rep Jack Kingston
- Kelly Cadman
- Ga State Sen Fran Millar
- Michael O’Sullivan
- Rich Thompson
- Melvin Everson
- Ga State Rep Tom Taylor
Of most
interest to Dunwoody would be the words of Rep. Tom Taylor on HB 486, which
would allow the creation of new school districts:
HR 486
I dropped HR 486, state constitutional amendment, last session. It was pretty well received. You have a lot of career entrenched educrats. The last thing they care about is students. I was disappointed that they Governor removed the DeKalb Schools board. Out of 23 members of the DeKalb Delegation, only 6 of us stood with them and supported them. Which means the other folks were satisfied with the status quo, which was failing. That’s unacceptable.
I’m swinging for the fences with HR 486. In 1983, the constitution was amended to not allow any more school systems. I don’t think the contemplated school systems this size. 1 in 10 students in Georgia is in a Gwinnett County school, 168,000 kids. Dunwoody is doing well, but the system is failing. It affects property values and companies are reluctant to locate here.
There are some counties with school systems with less than 500 students K – 12. What HR 486 does is allow cities that have been incorporated recently to form either stand alone city school or a combo cluster city school that can cross county lines. There is a lot of support from the power players in metro Atlanta. It’s a high bar. A constitutional amendment requires 120 votes in the house and 2/3 majority in the senate. The Republican Party has a super majority in the senate and we are only one seat shy in the house but that does not translate to an ultimate passage as this will need to be a bipartisan effort to be successful.
My theory is, if you can’t join ‘em, beat ‘em. In many counties, the largest employer in town is the school system and they loath to shake things up. Have 200 people from Dunwoody in the hearings is a lot different than 1 or 2 people from Dunwoody and a bunch of lobbyists. Moms standing up demanding for change is a powerful thing.
I dropped HR 486, state constitutional amendment, last session. It was pretty well received. You have a lot of career entrenched educrats. The last thing they care about is students. I was disappointed that they Governor removed the DeKalb Schools board. Out of 23 members of the DeKalb Delegation, only 6 of us stood with them and supported them. Which means the other folks were satisfied with the status quo, which was failing. That’s unacceptable.
I’m swinging for the fences with HR 486. In 1983, the constitution was amended to not allow any more school systems. I don’t think the contemplated school systems this size. 1 in 10 students in Georgia is in a Gwinnett County school, 168,000 kids. Dunwoody is doing well, but the system is failing. It affects property values and companies are reluctant to locate here.
There are some counties with school systems with less than 500 students K – 12. What HR 486 does is allow cities that have been incorporated recently to form either stand alone city school or a combo cluster city school that can cross county lines. There is a lot of support from the power players in metro Atlanta. It’s a high bar. A constitutional amendment requires 120 votes in the house and 2/3 majority in the senate. The Republican Party has a super majority in the senate and we are only one seat shy in the house but that does not translate to an ultimate passage as this will need to be a bipartisan effort to be successful.
My theory is, if you can’t join ‘em, beat ‘em. In many counties, the largest employer in town is the school system and they loath to shake things up. Have 200 people from Dunwoody in the hearings is a lot different than 1 or 2 people from Dunwoody and a bunch of lobbyists. Moms standing up demanding for change is a powerful thing.
