Voters should be aware that there are several amendments to alter the Georgia Constitution on the November ballot.  Amendment I will affect schools in Georgia and the Georgia PTA, leading several school boards to make proclamations that their communities are against the amendment.  A class action lawsuit has been filed stating that the language of the amendment is deceptive and should be altered or disregarded.

This is the language from a sample ballot from the Secretary of State’s “My Voter Page,”

“Provides greater flexibility and state accountability to fix failing schools through increasing community involvement.”

Senate Resolution No. 287

Act No. 309

Ga. L. 2015, p. 1498

“Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended to allow the state to intervene in chronically failing public schools in order to improve student performance?”

A grassroots effort began several months ago and has grown to include teachers associations, school districts, parent groups and others. There has been a massive social media wave against Amendment I and Governor Nathan Deal’s plan to remove failing schools from local control and give them to private charter school businesses. This plan has failed in other states as there is no written plan for recovery of these schools.