More deceptive language in Amendment 1

There has been a lot of discussion about the constitutional amendment that will seek voters’ approval on the November ballot. The language of the question, as we have explained previously, is something every Georgian would want: “Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended to allow the state to intervene in chronically failing public schools in order to improve student performance?”

As November approaches, Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp is required to publish the official preamble for the four ballot questions. Kemp is just doing his job in publicizing the preambles as an explanation to voters of what the amendments mean. He can take no pride in authorship. That honor belongs to the Constitutional Amendments Publication Board, chaired by Gov. Nathan Deal with members from the state House and Senate. The preamble for Amendment 1 quoted above, states: “Provides greater flexibility and state accountability to fix failing schools through increasing community involvement.”

This may be one of the more deceptive preambles of all time, with the exception of referendums in California that are famous for meaning the exact opposite of what is stated. Such is the case here. If voters approve the amendment, the state will form an Opportunity School District authorized by legislation passed in 2015. Local control is nowhere in the legislation. The Opportunity School District would, in fact, take away all local control.

It would work like this. If a school is failing (has scored below 60 on the 0-100 scale College and Career Readiness Performance Index) for three years, the state could take it over. Everything from the buildings to the desks to the computers to local tax money, would be in state hands. It could fire and hire teachers and administrators without local input. It could turn the school over to a for profit charter management company. If there are community complaints, where do they go? Who know? The OSD has no governing board, just a superintendent that answers only to the governor. Does that sound like increased community involvement?

The Georgia PTA is against the amendment as is the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, Georgia School Boards Association, the Georgia School Superintendents Association, the Georgia Association of Educators and many school boards across the state, including Bibb County, that passed a resolution opposing the amendment Aug. 16.

We could delude ourselves into thinking the lawmakers who constructed this language did so by accident. Rather, we think Sir Walter Scott had it right when he wrote, “Oh, what a tangled web we weave ... when first we practice to deceive.”

This story was originally published August 27, 2016 at 9:01 PM with the headline "More deceptive language in Amendment 1."