Dear Parents:
Over the past few months you’ve probably heard or read that the Cherokee County School District is considering make some classroom-impacting cuts because of State budget shortfalls and cuts handed down to them from our State Legislature. While we understand that the economy might have played a small part in this shortfall, the fact remains that in the State of Georgia the law states that the State Government must fully fund public education, but it consistently hasn’t for well over 7 years. Did you know that since 2005 the Cherokee County School District has held a rolling IOU, which now totals over $43M, that the State has not paid? Even when the economy was strong the State failed to uphold its legal obligation to fully fund our schools. But we have not held our representatives accountable and now we only have 20 days to save our schools!
We must act NOW! If we do not let the Legislature know that we value education over everything else and that we want our public schools fully funded we can and will see the possibility of the following:
- increased class size again
- art and music classes discontinued
- loss of bus services
- charging for the ability to play in school sports programs
- loss of technology
- a freeze on refreshing text books
- ½ day Kindergarten
The list goes on and on. This will affect the quality of your child’s education. Please don’t think it won’t or can’t happen.
We are asking you to join us by participating in an eraser campaign –
“Don’t erase the Future of Public Education”
It’s simple and here’s what to do!
Gather as many erasers as you can (they can be used).
Divide them equally into envelopes for each of the following list of representatives, and put a copy of the [letter below] in each envelope.
Address the envelopes as follows (Cherokee Reps below - customize for your own rep):
Sen. Chip Rogers P.O. Box 813 Woodstock, GA 30118
Rep. Charlice Byrd 1417 Old Forge Lane, Woodstock, GA 30189
Rep. Sean Jerguson 1107 Toonigh Road, Holly Springs, GA 30115
NOTE to Dunwoody folks - send a letter to Fran Millar - Vice Chair of the Education Committee -
417 State Capitol, Georgia 30334 Phone: (404) 656-5064
Atlanta/Fulton folks - Write Kathy Ashe - also on the committee
409 Coverdell Office Building, Georgia 30334 Phone: (404) 656-0116
To look up your own state legislator, follow this link.
IMMEDIATELY stamp and mail the envelopes before March 26.
Together we can help save the future of our exceptional education system. Never under estimate that a few, determined people can make a difference.
Thank you.
DON’T ERASE THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION!
As your constituent, we don’t want you to forget the over (100,000) publicly educated students in (DeKalb) County and that with each budget cut you are erasing their future and their right to access free QUALITY public education.
As parents of these 100,000 children, we will not forget your voting records at the polls when the time comes. We are facing shortfalls not from the economy but from our State Legislature and Governor not upholding the law to fully fund public education. It’s time to fully fund education so that our children receive the quality education that they not only deserve but need to succeed in a dynamic, ever-changing world. Don’t erase the future of public education for all of Georgia’s students! Don’t give in to the pressure of special interest groups. We are your constituents. As parents of (DeKalb) County we won’t be silent anymore!
Stop the rhetoric. Stop the excuses.
DON’T ERASE THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION.
FULLY FUND OUR SCHOOLS.
