By John R. Alston Trotter, ED, JD 

Why did I think that Sonny Perdue might be able to go a full two terms without beating up on teachers? No one wants to admit to what the real problems are in public education…(1) Defiant & Disruptive Students; (2) Irate & Irresponsible Parents; (3) Angry & Abusive Administrators; (4) Widespread, Systematic Cheating; and (5) Naive & Spineless Educational Policymakers (including legislators, school board members, and even the current governor) in the State.

If the authority of teachers were substantively and substantially restored and if the teachers were fully supported in the area of student discipline, then the State would see measurable changes after some time. Until then, all of this Race To The Top (Obama’s) or All Star Teachers (Perdue’s) is like p_ssing in a tsunami! Things will only get worse! Mark my words…things will only get worse! As we always say at MACE: You cannot have good learning conditions until you first have good teaching conditions.

Oh, by the way, please tell your representatives and senators to vote a big “No” to Sonny’s attempt to take away the people’s right to elect their own Constitutional Officers. On this, I agree with Cathy Cox! When is it good to downsize democracy and put the positions in the hands of the Oligarchy? Pretty soon, we will be letting the Gridiron Wannabes actually run the State. (In their minds, some already imagine that they do.) I actually have more faith in the “peasants” and their “pitchforks.” Those who toil the soil and engage in trade. Not the sophists but the honest. I trust the “unsophisticated,” not the self-inflated gnostics. (c) MACE, February 8, 2010.