Schools

Legislators to Hold Education Forum

A public meeting on HR 1162, the Georgia constitutional charter school amendment, will be held Thursday in Smyrna.

The Brighter Georgia Education Coalition and Smyrna Councilwoman Melleny Pritchett have partnered with a group of concerned citizens to answer questions about HR 1162, the constitutional amendment for authorizing public charter schools, at a public forum Thursday evening at Smyrna City Hall.

“Quality schools are critical for stable municipalities and informed citizens,” said Melleny Pritchett, the city’s Mayor Pro Tem and Chair of the Vision & Education Committees for the council.

Leo Smith, of Vining’s Pointe Home Owners Association and Smyrna Education Foundation’s Board of Directors added, “When someone buys a home, ideally the schools in that zone help stabilize value and keeps taxpayers from moving to places like Milton or East Cobb for what some consider better options.”

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That argument was made by a number of proponents of the proposed Smyrna Academy for Excellence charter school, whose application was rejected in June by the Cobb Board of Education, largely for financial reasons. Parents behind the school's efforts are now planning to open it as a private school.

Brighter Georgia supports the charter school amendment. But it is opposed by a number of education groups, including the Cobb County Association of Educators, because it would allow the state to grant charter school approval, bypassing local control.

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The Georgia PTA also has come out against the amendment, for similar reasons, but is distributing a neutral information sheet laying out various reasons to vote for, or against, the measure.

Amendment supporters have prompted Georgia Education Secretary John Barge to remove a statement from the department's website that expresses his opposition to the proposal, saying the declaration is using public funds to influence an election.

Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens expanded that ban on Wednesday, prohibiting all local school boards in Georgia from speaking out in favor of or against the amendment.

Smyrna’s Education Roundtable event starts at 6 p.m. Thursday with refreshments and a free movie. A charter schools presentation begins at 7 p.m., followed by a legislative panel discussion.

Smyrna City Hall is located at 2800 King Street, off Atlanta Road near the Smyrna Village Market.


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