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No pic of Kira? Its a shame. That's who I'm supporting.
ATLANTA --- As parents are settling into the routines of a new school year, they're renewing their frustrations about public education, and the three candidates for state superintendent of schools hope those feelings will help their election efforts.
All three -- Democrat Joe Martin, Libertarian Kira Willis and Republican John Barge -- began their campaigns as mavericks of sorts. All signed up to challenge incumbent Kathy Cox, who resigned within days of qualifying to run for re-election.
The trio describe the absence of an incumbent and voter frustration over budget cuts, teacher furloughs and a test-cheating scandal as a lucky alignment of events for a maverick.
In challenging the current education system, the three share similar positions on many issues. They agree that students take too many standardized tests. They believe the new high school math curriculum needs revision. And they favor smaller classes and charter schools.
Where they differ most is in their backgrounds. All three say the differences should be the deciding factor for voters.
Willis is a 10th-grade English teacher at her alma mater, Roswell High School. She figures her 17 years' experience in classrooms gives her the understanding of how education policy needs to mesh with actual circumstances.
As a Libertarian, she doesn't have the baggage of the two major parties while holding some positions that are classic Democratic issues and some that are Republican.
"What I will do is build bridges instead of building an adversarial, standoff fiefdom," she said.
Martin is a businessman who served 20 years on the Atlanta school board and ran unsuccessfully for state superintendent against Linda Schrenko.
Recently, Martin headed a group of boards that sued the state for increased education funding. Though the group withdrew the suit when it was assigned to a conservative judge, he said the experience prepared him to head the state agency. He has the political and administrative skills, he argues, to run one of the largest government agencies, which would be the state's 10th-biggest corporation if it were a private company.
"My background has been in leadership," he said. "I'm not sure either of my opponents is ready for this type of job."
Barge dismisses Martin's claims, noting that he would not be qualified to either teach or be hired as a local superintendent and that his political relations are likely to be strained, too.
"Mr. Martin would have a difficult time working with a legislature that he has spent the last six years suing," Barge said.
Barge says he has the perfect background as a former teacher, state Department of Education official and current local administrator. His political skills helped him win a two-man race in the GOP primary in July.
Though Martin sued for more funding, Willis and Barge say increased spending is not the solution.
Willis said the issue is how much money is reaching classrooms.
On charter school funding, Willis agrees with current policy that allows the state to direct some of its appropriations for an individual school district to a state-chartered school in that district. Martin opposes that policy, and Barge is reserving judgment until a pending lawsuit on the matter is settled.
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