Nothing more worrying to me than a Johnny Come-lately… I find it incredibly ironic that the role of this year’s Jim Martin will be played by his brother. You remember Jim? He was the guy you cut the checks to when the powers that be decided they needed him to run because Vernon, Dale, Rand, and Josh weren’t palatable.
As a teacher and a former candidate for Georgia House myself, I take our education system and electoral process very seriously. Which is why I find it unsettling when someone as conflicted and aloof as Joe Martin is in this year’s race.
1) Mr. Martin’s literature states that he served on his “local school board.” Which one would that be? City of Atlanta. That is not exact Mayberry RFD. Why distance yourself from it? Because from 77-97, the year’s of Mr. Martin’s service, were not exactly banner years. Plus, that is the big city… with lots of dollars… which brings us to…
2) His literature also states that he was in charge of a “statewide organization to improve education in Georgia for the last six years.” Which organization? The Georgia School Funding Association. The same group that unsuccessfully sued the state to get more funding to the rural counties, at the expense of the suburban and urban ones.
Having survived last year’s RIF in Cobb County by a measly 12-months seniority, had Joe had his way, I would be collecting unemployment. Cobb cut roughly 1000 off the payroll (to hire back 500, at principal’s choice). I wonder how many more teachers would have been cut if Cobb had to pay for nice shiny new administration offices in Wade, Butts, Coffee, Bacon, or Eggs Counties. Ok, I made the last one up, but you get the point. None of these school districts are being held accountable to where they spend these dollars (under QBE) and unless all the rural legislators have a massive change of heart, they won’t be in the future.
I had a conversation with Joe at the recent Cobb JJ Dinner. I asked him to tell me a little about himself and how he saw he was different than the other candidates. He proceeded to rehash his campaign literature. After pointing out that I knew these things to him, I asked him to explain how he would improve the situation with education? His answer was to adequately fund QBE.
Ok…. HOW?! When a teacher asks you to explain your ideas in the verbal equivalent of an essay question, you don’t answer with one sentence. Over a month and a half into the campaign and the answers were just not there. I understand that when it comes to the budget, the Super is much like a teenager asking their parents for money before they go blow it, maybe if you catch the Assembly in a good mood, they’ll throw you a twenty. But at least have ideas that you can push in front of the press as to why and how they can fund your venture.
Simply put, I’m not impressed. Georgia schools, students, parents, and teachers need a fresh new vision to lead us in the coming LEAN years. And someone with the savvy to not only get elected, but get the job done.
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