Yesterday I asked But what does the joint resolution actually say? Karen Noll has supplied the answer, in the form of a PDF of the signed resolution, transcribed below. This thing makes the education paragraph in the Occupy Valdosta Mission Statement sound mild-mannered. We’ve already seen the state’s response. -jsq

LOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
AND
VALDOSTA CITY BOARD OF EDUCATION
JOINT RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF
QUALITY PUBLIC EDUCATION

WHEREAS, the Lowndes County and the Valdosta City Boards of Education believe that, without quality public education, there can be no substance to the promise of equality and freedom, no possibility of developing and realizing individual capacities, no possibility of children overcoming disadvantage, or of every sutdent having the opportunity to receive a first-class education; and,

WHEREAS, the Lowndes County and the Valdosta City Boards of Education hold that, without quality public education, there will exist a great divide between the educated and the uneducated, corresponding to a divide between the rich and the poor, the strong and the weak; and,

WHEREAS, the economic condition of our state has resulted in a significant decline in an already underfunded public education system, resulting in overcrowded classrooms, shortened school calendars, insufficient textbooks and other curricular supplies and employee furloughs, with no end in sight; and,

WHEREAS, the lack of support for public education by those advocating for school vouchers, state-approved charter schools, and other programs that allow public school funds to be redirected to private schools and for-profit charter schools serves to deepen inequalities and the promise of opportunity for every student to become a part of an educated citizenry, achieve the American dream and contribute to the greatness of this Nation; and,

WHEREAS, the Lowndes County and the Valdosta City Boards of Education believe that the Georgia Supreme Court ruled correctly in declaring it unconstitutional for an appointed state commission to approve charter schools over the objection of the duly elected local board of education, which is accountable to the taxpaying public; and,

WHEREAS, the Lowndes County and the Valdosta City Boards of Education believe that development of a separate and distinct funding system for calculation of a local funding share to be unilaterally taken away by the State from the critically-needed funds provided for the education of students in local public school districts and provided instead to state-authorized charter or private schools is unconstitutional, inequitable and threatens the integrity of the existing statewide system of providing for and propely funding quality public education; and,

NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Lowndes County and the Valdosta City Boards of Education request that the Governor and State Legislators commit their support to adequately fund a first-class K-12 public education for students in Lowndes County and Valdosta City and across the State of Georgia, believing and affirming that public education lifts people from poverty, equalizes opportunities, reduces crime and violence, builds bright individual and collective futures, and makes democracy real and sure; and accordingly, the Boards hereby request that voters of the State of Georgia not support the Constitutional Amendment related to state charter schools, which will be on the November 2012 General Election ballot, as a result of House Resolution 1162.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Lowndes County and the Valdosta City Boards of Education authorize and direct the Superintendent to transmit an official copy of this resolution to the Governor, appropriate State Representatives and Senators, the State Board of Education and the Georgia Department of Education.

Lowndes County School System [signed] Fred Davis, Chairman [signed] Fred Wetherington, Vice Chairman [signed] Mike Davis [signed] Brian Browning [signed] Jason Wisenbaker [signed] Dave Clark [signed] Philip Poole		Valdosta City School System [signed] Jeana Beeland, At-Large Chairperson [signed] Trey Sherwood, Vice Chairman [signature missing] Annie Fisher [signed] Vanassa Flucas [signed] Warren Lee [signed] Dean Rexroth [signed] Bill Love [signed] Debra Bell [signed] Kelly Wilson
[signed] Wes Taylor, Superintendent		[signed] Dr. Bill Cason, Superintendent

-jsq

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