Hello!?

Contrary to what you are reading on TOPIX, while there are certainly powerful teachers' unions, Georgia public school teachers are not unionized. Yes, it is true that due to shortfalls in state funding (about 8 million), there will have to be staff cuts next year. The local BOE is hoping to make cuts in administrators first, followed by asking senior personnel with enough years in to retire to consider going ahead and doing it at the end of this year, and lastly, not renewing the contracts of as many 1st year teachers as necessary after the two aforementioned steps have been taken. Affected personnel will be notified on April 15th. The current maximum class size in Camden is limited to 28. Next year, it will go to 30. No - there will not be a single solitary structure to be funded by the recently approved ESPLOST completed and left unstaffed next year and not the year after that either. Remember, this BOE has a strict build-as-you-have-the-funds policy. They will not borrow up-front against expected future ESPLOST revenues. As sure as the economy will make a comeback, state funding will surely return to previous levels - and higher - in the future. 4/2/09 Update: From TOPIX just 40 minutes ago: "The teacher unions have us by the nads and until we start voicing our displeasure and start showing up at meetings and rallies nothing will change." You can lead an ignorant ass to the waters of knowledge, but you can't make him drink.