Gathering on the steps of the State Capitol for Education~Sticky post

PLEASE JOIN GAE FOR A Gathering on the Steps of the Capitol!

WHERE: Steps of the Capitol near Washington Street

WHEN: Monday, March 2, 2009 (Legislative Conference Day at the Capitol)

TIME: 10:00 a.m.

WHO: ALL concerned educators, parents, and others who stand for education

ISSUES: 2009 and 2010 State Budgets
(For more information on the GAE Legislative Conference, visit our website – http://www.gae1.org/)

(1) Help Keep our Kids Safe at the School House;
Save our School Nurses Program

(2) Education relief is not spelled VOUCHER

(3) National Board Certified Teachers help raise student achievement
We have invited the Georgia Association of School Nurses and the National Board
of Professional and Teaching Standards to stand with us on this day.

The Georgia Association of Educators understands well that our state is experiencing severe economic challenges unlike any we have endured in quite some time. Market conditions have worsened the fiscal projections for the state. Still in these challenging times it is critical that our state continues to do its part to invest in public education.

The safety of our children cannot be jeopardized due to lack of funding for school nurses.

Each child in Georgia deserves access to a great public school funded by the state—VOUCHERS will encourage families to leave their neighborhood schools to potentially attend a private school at the expense of others.

Vouchers lack the accountability and transparency that taxpayers deserve.

We often speak of investments—National Board Certified Teachers have made investments and personal sacrifices to be the best for Georgia's children—Georgia should keep its promise to them.

In consideration of proposals to eliminate these programs and institute a full-fledge Voucher program, GAE invites you to stand “Shoulder to Shoulder” with other stakeholder organizations to show support for public schools as a whole. The more we demonstrate that all of these issues matter, the more we will be taken seriously.

I know that I will be teaching on this day, but I encourage all that can attend this to please do so!