State Governor May Handpick who is Running the Schools

Governor Sonny Perdue of Georgia may be allowed to handpick school board members if a recent bill that has been discussed is passed.

Local school boards have opposed the legislation, saying it holds them to rules that aren't required of other elected boards, including city councils and county commissions. Board members testified during the committee meeting that the legislation takes power away from voters by allowing the governor to remove elected officials.

Michael Fullan states in "The Moral Imperative of School Leadership" that in order to affect positive change, the system must enact policies that improve the infrastructure to increase accountability and the capacity of educators to perform in new ways that impact student learning. He calls when school do not do this a "System-Imposed Barrier, An Absence of a System Change Strategy." If you live by what Fullan has to state, then this bill is overstepping their line by destroying the infrastructure of the school system.

Although the School Boards disagree with this bill, many residents are welcoming it.

Clayton County residents had asked the governor to take over the 50,000-student district.

If you do not know about Clayton County Schools yet, let me share some light. Clayton County Schools lost their accreditation last year which caused a mass removal of the school board, either on the individuals free will or being forced out. The new school board is working on gaining their accreditation back so students who graduate can gain some scholarships and admssions into colleges once again.

I do not see the Governor need the power to handpick board members, but needs to make them more responsible. I believe the people need to keep each board member accountable to their roles and help them to stay focus on student learing. Fullan states,

"New directions and new contexts require both individual and system action, independently, and, where feasible, conjointly. Individual initiatives is requried because we can't wait for the system to get its act together (or, more accurately, the system won't move in this direction unless pushed by individuals at all levels); system action is necessary because it creates new contexts, expectations, and support for individuals to change their ways." (Fullan, 62)

We need the right people on board and change or create a cultural change in these schools to become something great. As you build a house you start with the cornerstone, not the roof. The roof can be looked at as Governor Perdue and the Corner Stone is the "Right" Principal. The support beams are the School Board, with the walls being the community. When done the right way bulding the infrastructure first, resting your walls on the great cornerstone, the school will be flourishing with expensive decor ( Teachers and Students). I hope that anaolgy didn't sound too corny and that you can picture what I at least meant to say.

As they say in marriages, the most important aspect is communication. Let us open this line of communication between the community and the school board to improve student learning. No need to get someone else involve to fix our problems. That will never fix something in long terms. There will be no cultural change by having the Governor bail us on short term hiccups.

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2009/02/11/238583gxgrschoolboardreform_ap.html
Photo: http://flickr.com/photos/reallyboring/2722956199/