Schools
School Matters Spark East Cobb Bloggers
Introducing two parents who've begun posting for Patch about the local education scene.
Continuing concerns over financial issues in the Cobb County School District have prompted two East Cobb-area parents to go public with their concerns.
John Morris, who lives in the Kell High School district, has presented the Cobb Board of Education with data he's collected about what he says are inequalities in class sizes in district schools.
While school officials question some of the numbers, Morris says he will continue examining the issue on a new blog he has created, CCSD Advocate. He also is summarizing and commenting on his findings on East Cobb Patch.
Concerns over class sizes have grown in the wake of Cobb school deficits that have prompted cuts in teachers, mostly through attrition.
The financial woes of the district have generated recent discussion about whether Cobb should continue granting a property tax increase to homeowners ages 62 and older.
That exemption, which is approved by the Georgia legislature, cost Cobb an estimated $65 million in revenues for the the current fiscal year. While that amount wouldn't balance the entire budget, calls are increasing for Cobb elected officials to reconsider the exemption.
Among them is Eric Stein, the father of two daughters at Eastvalley Elementary School. In his first post for East Cobb Patch this week, Stein called the exemption an "entitlement" and said the school district's reputation for educational excellence is in danger because of its growing budget crunch.
"No one dares touch the third rail of the over-62 exemption," Stein wrote.
Stein has gotten vocal about local school issues following the proposed merger of Eastvalley and Powers Ferry Elementary School by Cobb school board member David Banks, which he called "ill-considered."
He reiterated that point this week to the Cobb school board, which has delayed a vote on elementary school replacement schools until at least January.
If you're interested in having your say on schools or anything else about living in East Cobb, please feel free to set up your own blog here on East Cobb Patch.
It's free (all you have to do is become a registered user of East Cobb Patch if you're not already) and you can post whatever you like, whenever you like.
If you have any questions about getting started, please contact me: wendy.parker@patch.com.
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