"I imagine a Georgia that gives children the educational opportunity to climb as far and high as their God-given talents allow," Carlotta Harrell said.
"Carlotta Harrell is a phenomenal person, hardworking, and committed to quality. She can make a difference in the life of a child," Sherilyn Ward, an attendee at a Harrell fundraiser in Henry County, on March 16, 2006, said.
Harrell decided to run for office because she saw so much need for improvement in our schools, the candidate told Atlanta Progressive News in an exclusive interview.
In contrast, when Harrell's and Majette's Republican opponent, incumbent Kathy Cox, 41, campaigned in 2002, Cox held up her own Fayette County School District as a successful model for other systems without acknowledging Fayette has the highest per capita income of any Georgia county.
Educators throughout the state also expressed dissatisfaction with the Bush Administration's No Child Left Behind (NCLB) program, which Cox supports, Harrell said.
"If God wanted us all to be the same, he would have made us that way," Harrell said in objection to the federally-required tests.
"This program takes away teachers' creativity to respond to the different needs and talents of our children with one-size-fits-all testing in reading, math and science," Harrell said.
Harrell is also concerned that private companies may be contracted to administer schools which "fail," as is provided for in the NCLB.
"We don't have to reinvent the wheel," Harrell claims. There are many success stories across the country from formerly underachieving school systems. She would like to study their methods and adapt them to Georgia schools. For example, Harrell noted one school district improved dramatically just by asking parents for their cooperation. "The principal and teachers literally went door to door inviting parents to participate. They found most parents had no idea the school was so dependent on them."
Republican incumbent Kathy Cox made a notable misstep in January 2004, when Cox decreed the word "evolution" would be deleted from all state curricula and replaced with the phrase "biological changes over time." The superintendent later withdrew her order.
About the author:
Betty Clermont is a Staff Writer for Atlanta Progressive News. She may be reached at betty@atlantaprogressivenews.com
Matthew Cardinale is the Editor of Atlanta Progressive News. He may be reached at matthew@atlantaprogressivenews.com
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