For Immediate Release
November 18, 2019
ATLANTA – The Georgia Association of Educators (GAE) has long supported the sole use of taxpayer funds being reserved exclusively for public school expenditures, period. “The majority of Georgia’s children attend public schools, approximately 1.6 million,” said GAE President Charlotte Booker. “GAE has long encouraged the adequate and equitable funding that is necessary so that Georgia’s public schools can meet the demands of their continually growing population. This goes hand in hand with contributing toward increasing student achievement and guaranteeing that Georgia’s children can compete in the 21st century global marketplace. Vouchers are clearly divergent to that vision.”
GAE fully expects voucher legislation, in some form, to again attempt to derail the democratic idiom of public dollars for public schools says Booker. “Legislators realized last session’s voucher attempts -- SB 173, and its ‘zombie’ counterpart, HB 68 -- for what they were, listened to the people, and defeated them. GAE will ensure that when, not if, vouchers again are introduced, legislators will hear the people from whom passage of such legislation would impact. GAE will ensure they hear our local teachers, administrators, parents and community members who will all lose funding for their respective schools, should vouchers pass.”
Booker says that we can’t believe the hype that will ensue in January. “Voucher legislation is not about school reform. It’s about politics. Every student has the basic right to attend a great public school. It’s simply unacceptable to attempt to make political points on the backs of our children.”
The 2020 Georgia General Assembly will once again pose a challenge for public education. But GAE, through its members and their local connection to their legislators, will work toward helping those that teach in and support our public schools, receive what they need to ensure a great public education for all of Georgia’s school children.
###