One year ago, Gwinnett school superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks lambasted Gov. Sonny Perdue for giving Georgia’s teachers a modest pay raise. Wilbanks was upset because the legislature had just passed a bill (that the Governor signed) mandating that 65% of school funds be spent in the classroom… as opposed to, say, spending the money on administrative salaries or generous consulting fees to influential friends or $1000 “retirement” checks to local pastors or… whatever else might strike a school official’s fancy.

Here is the educational math favored by school officials in Gwinnett:

Dumbed-down Curriculum

+ Dumbed-down Tests

+ Dumbed-down Teaching

= Increased Job Security for Administrators

In an earlier posting to our site, T.A.G. suggested that one very important improvement to the school system, and one which is sorely needed and long overdue, would be an objective Office of Employee Advocate (OEA) to help resolve disputes between teachers/support staff and local/district administrators. After all, Gwinnett has a shameful reputation for bullying and abusing teachers and other employees , often merely because someone professionally disagrees with the repressive, top-down management structure and pedagogically unsound academic policies devised by the current leadership group.

Gwinnett school superintendent Alvin Wilbanks is fond of labeling the district as ‘world class’ when attempting to persuade others of the truthfulness of his boast.

Teachers, for their part, understand that whether or not schools will adequately prepare students for life depends heavily on the instructional programs and strategies therein [ also in supporting and keeping your successful veteran teachers by allowing them to decide how best to teach students ].

This past Saturday, March 17, the Teachers' Alliance of Gwinnett attended an organizational conference of the Educator Roundtable at Georgia State University, in Atlanta.

As a result of T.A.G.'s participation, our organization has been accepted and welcomed as a Georgia member of the Educator Roundtable's national alliance for progressive public school reform.

The Chicago-based newspaper SUBSTANCE will begin carrying T.A.G. articles and news from time to time, beginning shortly.

Launched by a determined and courageous husband and wife team, George & Sharon Schmidt, SUBSTANCE is intended for teachers and all authentic friends and supporters of public schools.