Education bill tops concerns

Web posted September 28, 2000

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By Clarissa J. Walker
Staff Writer

Local voters say their children will become unhealthy because the Georgia education reform bill eliminated the physical education requirement in schools.

They say students need the arts and gifted programs that were lost when Governor Roy Barnes' House Bill 1187 was enacted.

Cherie Foster: House candidate says she disapproves of budget cuts for science education. FILE/STAFF

Teachers want to know which state government candidates will support a substantial pay raise for public school faculty.

And who will keep the promise to push the student-teacher ratio reduction?

Statewide, the 173-page document was the centerpiece of the party primaries in July. And if the south Richmond County political forum this week was an indication, residents are making the bill the hot topic for the general election as well.

During the weeks leading up to the Nov. 7 election, Augusta voters are keeping education reform out front. As voters grilled state and local candidates at the forum on their position regarding education reform, one thing was consistent. The candidates, even those who had voted for the bill last year, each told voters that they know there is room for improvement.

``There are some things in there that is bad,'' said state representative George DeLoach, R-Hephzibah, who is a supporter of House Bill 1187. ``And that's what legislation is for, to amend and improve on.

``Some of the things that I like about the bill is that it does away with tenure and will do away with bad teachers. And it puts a nurse in every school,'' he said.

On Tuesday night, residents heard candidates for Richmond County sheriff, Ronnie Strength and Leon Garvin; Richmond County chief civil and magistrate judge, William D. Jennings and Ben Jackson; Georgia House District 115, Jack Connell, D-Augusta, and Cherie Foster; Georgia House District 119, Thomas Atkins and George DeLoach, R-Hephzibah; and state senate, D.L. Johnson. Mr. Johnson will run against Sen. Charles W. Walker, D-Augusta, who did not attend the forum.

Ms. Foster, who served on the school board for several years, listed problems she has with the way education is being handled in the state: She doesn't like the cuts to the science education budget. She said nothing in the legislation would prevent students from being promoted when they are ill-prepared, and that it doesn't address students' discipline problems.

Her opponent, Mr. Connell, said the reform would improve high schools so graduates may go on to improved colleges.

``Most of us believe that it should have been done a long time ago,'' Mr. Connell said. He added that the bill would reduce the student-teacher ratio and, ``If we do that, then we will need more classrooms. There is an anticipated $100 million on the table from the appropriations committee,'' he said.

After the recent high school shooting in New Orleans, local voters said they were even more concerned about school safety and want to see an increase in the school system's security.

``We are fortunate here, but we are not exempt,'' Mr. Strength said, adding that he has met with Richmond County schools superintendent Charles Larke about the issue. ``We are interested in getting our folks patrolling the campuses.''

Mr. Garvin said more of the sheriff's department funding should be routed to the DARE program, which is an anti-drug and anti-violence program police departments implement in schools nationwide. In Richmond County, only two deputies are committed to this program, Mr. Garvin said. ``The presence of that deputy is a deterrent,'' he said.

Reach Clarissa J. Walker at (706) 828-3851.

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