MadisonJournalTODAY

Madison County voters will hit the polls Nov. 6 to choose a president, a sheriff, a District 2 commissioner and three local legislators.

They’ll also offer a “Yes” or “No” on a controversial Constitutional amendment that could significantly alter the Georgia public education system.

The question reads: “Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended to allow state or local approval of public charter schools upon the request of local communities?”

Actually, under state law, local school boards already have the authority to approve charter schools. What the amendment to the constitution, if approved, will actually do is allow the state government to set up an appointed board to make decisions on charter school requests, a move taking that authority out of the hands of local boards of education.

Andrew Broy, the president of the Illinois Network of Charter Schools, formerly served as the associate state superintendent for the Georgia Department of Education where he oversaw charter schools.

He penned an essay in support of the charter school amendment, which was published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Broy says an unelected board shouldn’t trouble citizens.
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My wife’s grandmother used to cook a big Sunday lunch with amazing biscuits, vegetables and pecan pie.
“Take out,” she said as we took a seat at the long, old wooden table.
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