Charter School issue will be on ballot

[Boss Hogg]

Georgia Charter School Referendum Ballot Committee September 2012

On the November ballot, voters across Georgia will vote on a referendum concerning charter school authorization.
The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement reports for 2011:
State charter schools outperform their attendance district system schools in 4 of 5 subject areas.
The one high school that is a state approved charter had a 26 1/2% higher graduation rate than the county high school in the same attendance zone and 30% higher than GA average graduation rate.
Why do we need another authorizer of charter schools?
When only local boards could approve charters, they didn’t. Most states (39) have an alternate authorizer.

[Just my opinion]

Ellijay cannot afford a charter school right now. Charter schools take funding away from the public schools and give very little back. Public schools are also required to provide transportation to charter school students, which costs a lot in extra gas and time. Obviously Ellijay could not afford to keep Oakland open, so what makes anyone think Ellijay could afford to keep a charter school open?

[Just Saying]

The way the referendum is written it will take all control of local funds for Charter schools out of the hands of local elected officials. It would actually allow a charter school to pull money from the local area, let's say Ellijay, and educated people from all over the country. For example if a internet based charter school was opened in Gilmer county and accepted students from all over the state or country the citizens of Gilmer county would have to pay for the education of all these students. There would be no local regulation of Gilmer county dollars and where they are going. The state would have complete control over the right to grant any charter school application, even one from California to open a branch in Georgia and to use Ga tax dollars to run it. So please really evaluate what you are looking at. Do not let the discussion of a Charter School at Oakland influence this vote. It is not the same thing at all. Oakland wants to school Gilmer county kids but this bill will pull our tax dollars to take care of kids from everywhere and not just our county.

[East Town]

Just my opinion wrote:

Ellijay cannot afford a charter school right now. Charter schools take funding away from the public schools and give very little back. Public schools are also required to provide transportation to charter school students, which costs a lot in extra gas and time. Obviously Ellijay could not afford to keep Oakland open, so what makes anyone think Ellijay could afford to keep a charter school open?

The county couldnt "afford" a lot of things that it has pulled off, be it with a vote or other means.

[Reality Now]

The obscene spectacle of watching the public education industry rally the troops to protect their gravy train at the expense of the children, is a disgrace.

"Sorry about your life kid, but there's no money for you"

"The $50 for my health insurance is more important than your life"

[Amy]

East Town wrote:

<quoted text>The county couldnt "afford" a lot of things that it has pulled off, be it with a vote or other means.

OK..You want us to give up local control and money to an Atlanta commission APPOINTED by the Gov, NOT ELECTED by the people..Not gonna happen!!

[Boss Hogg]

Just Saying wrote:

The way the referendum is written it will take all control of local funds for Charter schools out of the hands of local elected officials. It would actually allow a charter school to pull money from the local area, let's say Ellijay, and educated people from all over the country. For example if a internet based charter school was opened in Gilmer county and accepted students from all over the state or country the citizens of Gilmer county would have to pay for the education of all these students. There would be no local regulation of Gilmer county dollars and where they are going. The state would have complete control over the right to grant any charter school application, even one from California to open a branch in Georgia and to use Ga tax dollars to run it. So please really evaluate what you are looking at. Do not let the discussion of a Charter School at Oakland influence this vote. It is not the same thing at all. Oakland wants to school Gilmer county kids but this bill will pull our tax dollars to take care of kids from everywhere and not just our county.

"How could it possibly lose? Misinformation, scare tactics, and voter tendencies."

[ChartersStink]

Boss Hogg wrote:

Georgia Charter School Referendum Ballot Committee September 2012
On the November ballot, voters across Georgia will vote on a referendum concerning charter school authorization.
The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement reports for 2011:
State charter schools outperform their attendance district system schools in 4 of 5 subject areas.
The one high school that is a state approved charter had a 26 1/2% higher graduation rate than the county high school in the same attendance zone and 30% higher than GA average graduation rate.
Why do we need another authorizer of charter schools?
When only local boards could approve charters, they didn’t. Most states (39) have an alternate authorizer.

Of course they do!!! Why??? Because only parents who care put their children in Charter schools. The Charter school doesn't cause those gains, it is the pooling of all of those type of children in one place much like a private school it the pooling of all high income kids.

Parental involvement leads to better grades and when all of those kids are in one place grades should be better. Plain and simple!!!

[East Town]

Amy wrote:

<quoted text>OK..You want us to give up local control and money to an Atlanta commission APPOINTED by the Gov, NOT ELECTED by the people..Not gonna happen!!

No, I thnk your talking to yourself...again. I wouldnt swear it would happen or not, Word on the street is more conected people than you want it to happen, We shall see.

[Reality Now]

Public Education means "No Child will get Ahead".

It ensures equal Mediocrity for everyone.

[Boss Hogg]

ChartersStink wrote:

<quoted text>
Of course they do!!! Why??? Because only parents who care put their children in Charter schools. The Charter school doesn't cause those gains, it is the pooling of all of those type of children in one place much like a private school it the pooling of all high income kids.
Parental involvement leads to better grades and when all of those kids are in one place grades should be better. Plain and simple!!!

Public education used to work quite well, therefore it can again. We have to identify what went wrong and when and then we have to correct the problems. If we cannot find a way to return our system to the way it was when it worked then we need a new system.

[not even this site LOL]

this thread's missing comment #2 now. ok, who said what to whom?!:))

EXACTLY WHAT is disappearing? is it random, is it particular leanings, is it specific words, is it only certain users losing content?

[TRT]

Oakland will never be a Charter school. It might be a private school someday, but never a Charter school.

[Just My Opinion]

I completely agree with TRT. I seriously doubt Oakland will ever be a charter school. If everyone is so concerned about reopening Oakland due to sentiment, then they can turn it into a private school. I seriously doubt a charter school would not take any money, resources, or time from the public school system. Would the charter school have its own BOE? How about their own transportation system? People never questions the hows and the whys, they are just eager to jump on anything that has sentiment.

[procon1]

Just My Opinion wrote:

I completely agree with TRT. I seriously doubt Oakland will ever be a charter school. If everyone is so concerned about reopening Oakland due to sentiment, then they can turn it into a private school. I seriously doubt a charter school would not take any money, resources, or time from the public school system. Would the charter school have its own BOE? How about their own transportation system? People never questions the hows and the whys, they are just eager to jump on anything that has sentiment.

All of these things are addressed in the application and were addressed at the meeting on September 29th. I guess you weren't able to attend. But if you don't know the facts, then quit trashing the issue. Don't say "people" never question the hows and whys because us "people" DID question them. You "people" apparently didn't attend so don't know the answers.

And the only reason the proposed charter school would be in the old Oakland elem. school is because that is the only building available. If there was another possible location, believe me, they would choose that.

And it may take some resources from the public system, but it would also create competition and then maybe, just maybe, the rest of the schools would do what they needed to do to produce the same results. The charter school kids would get much less money per kid and the teachers would make less. So if they then did better, maybe they had twigged on to something!

[TRT]

procon1 wrote:

<quoted text>
All of these things are addressed in the application and were addressed at the meeting on September 29th. I guess you weren't able to attend. But if you don't know the facts, then quit trashing the issue. Don't say "people" never question the hows and whys because us "people" DID question them. You "people" apparently didn't attend so don't know the answers.
And the only reason the proposed charter school would be in the old Oakland elem. school is because that is the only building available. If there was another possible location, believe me, they would choose that.
And it may take some resources from the public system, but it would also create competition and then maybe, just maybe, the rest of the schools would do what they needed to do to produce the same results. The charter school kids would get much less money per kid and the teachers would make less. So if they then did better, maybe they had twigged on to something!

Really? Don't try to pass that crap off to Just Saying. I read the original charter application and it only covered the Cartacay Area, not even the whole county, but you want all of us to believe that was the only option and they would have rather opened it somewhere else. That does not pass the stink test.

Charter schools do not provide competion, they just pool together the students who have parents who care. This is not the case everywhere, but that is what would happen here, not that it matters anyway since the entire system is apparently going to be a charter system. Hopefully being a charter system will get parents more involved, because that is a major key to student success.

[procon1]

TRT wrote:

<quoted text>
Really? Don't try to pass that crap off to Just Saying. I read the original charter application and it only covered the Cartacay Area, not even the whole county, but you want all of us to believe that was the only option and they would have rather opened it somewhere else. That does not pass the stink test.
Charter schools do not provide competion, they just pool together the students who have parents who care. This is not the case everywhere, but that is what would happen here, not that it matters anyway since the entire system is apparently going to be a charter system. Hopefully being a charter system will get parents more involved, because that is a major key to student success.

It's getting late and I'm not in the mood for arguing, but stop lying. That is the first time I have used that word on this forum, but you have flat out lied by stating that the Charter application was just for Cartecay because you know better.

So you are really 'Just Saying' too. Therefore, you know very well that the application is for the ENTIRE COUNTY. See Item 19 on Page 42 where it says and I will quote:

"The Oakland Academy Charter School attendance zone will correspond to the entire geographical area of Gilmer County, Georgia as served by the Gilmer County School System."

It is so frustrating when you people come on here and just lie through your teeth. We aren't accomplishing anything doing that. If you can't stick with the facts at least write something funny instead of trying to pose as if you know something. But then, I think you do know exactly what you are doing and saying, you are just trying to "stuff the ballot box" with deceit.

And are you saying that most of the parents in this county don't care?? Is that what you are saying? If that was true, then they wouldn't have turned out in droves to vote out the BOE members that won't listen.

And, if you would let the public communicate with the Board, you would find out how many parents really do care.

[TRT]

procon1 wrote:

<quoted text>
It's getting late and I'm not in the mood for arguing, but stop lying. That is the first time I have used that word on this forum, but you have flat out lied by stating that the Charter application was just for Cartecay because you know better.
So you are really 'Just Saying' too. Therefore, you know very well that the application is for the ENTIRE COUNTY. See Item 19 on Page 42 where it says and I will quote:
"The Oakland Academy Charter School attendance zone will correspond to the entire geographical area of Gilmer County, Georgia as served by the Gilmer County School System."
It is so frustrating when you people come on here and just lie through your teeth. We aren't accomplishing anything doing that. If you can't stick with the facts at least write something funny instead of trying to pose as if you know something. But then, I think you do know exactly what you are doing and saying, you are just trying to "stuff the ballot box" with deceit.
And are you saying that most of the parents in this county don't care?? Is that what you are saying? If that was true, then they wouldn't have turned out in droves to vote out the BOE members that won't listen.
And, if you would let the public communicate with the Board, you would find out how many parents really do care.

You said they would rather have it somewhere else, well here is a direct quote from their current application.

"The Cartecay community where the school is to be located has long been a center of education in the eastern part of Gilmer County. Due to the closing of Oakland Elementary School with its 144-year history in the Cartecay area, an educational void has been created. Community members, parents, educational professionals, and others feel that a charter school is best suited to fill this void."

Still looking for the original petition back in 2011. I was at the BOE meeting when it was denied because it only covered Cartacay, wait let me change that, only the Cartacay area first and then if any spots are filled the rest of the county. I was shocked that they did that so I went home and looked it up and read it and sure enough, that is what it said. After that I turned my back on it because they just want their school back open. I will keep searching for the original to show that.

I am not Just Saying no more than you are Reality or EgoBrain. How do I have any control over who they let speak at the meetings? If I did they would get an ear full from me.

[TRT]

procon1 wrote:

<quoted text>
It's getting late and I'm not in the mood for arguing, but stop lying. That is the first time I have used that word on this forum, but you have flat out lied by stating that the Charter application was just for Cartecay because you know better.
So you are really 'Just Saying' too. Therefore, you know very well that the application is for the ENTIRE COUNTY. See Item 19 on Page 42 where it says and I will quote:
"The Oakland Academy Charter School attendance zone will correspond to the entire geographical area of Gilmer County, Georgia as served by the Gilmer County School System."
It is so frustrating when you people come on here and just lie through your teeth. We aren't accomplishing anything doing that. If you can't stick with the facts at least write something funny instead of trying to pose as if you know something. But then, I think you do know exactly what you are doing and saying, you are just trying to "stuff the ballot box" with deceit.
And are you saying that most of the parents in this county don't care?? Is that what you are saying? If that was true, then they wouldn't have turned out in droves to vote out the BOE members that won't listen.
And, if you would let the public communicate with the Board, you would find out how many parents really do care.

Proof that I am not a liar. Here it is the original Charter application where they only wanted to include the Cartacay area. Look it up on the link.
Item 19 page 37 of the document or page 40 on the PDF counter

"The Oakland Academy Charter School attendance zone will correspond to the primary attendance zone of the former Oakland Elementary School with the expansion to the west to Yukon Road. Please see the attached primary attendance zone map as Appendix G."

http://oaklandacademy.files.wordpress.com/201...

[Reality Now]

I can't believe that anyone is still pushing charter schools for Gilmer.

The BOE should have done what I suggested months ago.

Write off Oakland, including the $Millions in renovations, add it to all their other investment fiascos, and then donate the school to the fire department.

Let them get SOME use out of it, to train the firefighters.

Public Education in this county is now SO poisoned, that people should get their kids the hell out of this county, move out, and never look back.

This is no longer a place for parents who love their children.