By LEE N. HOWELL
Politically Speaking

Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes has continued his winning ways during this year's session of the General Assembly.

Last week, in the state House of Representatives, Gov. Barnes' plan to reform education was adopted by a 131-40 vote margin with most of his support coming from the Democrats and most of his opposition coming from the Republicans (though a goodly number of the GOPers did cross over and vote for the bill).

The massive document, numbering more than 150 pages, was amended greatly in committee with the approval of Gov. Barnes' minions.

It is likely to be amended further in the state Senate, which is now considering the legislation.

However, one portion of the bill which Gov. Barnes is apparently not willing to negotiate about concerns the elimination of that misnamed employment right called “tenure” for teachers employed after July 1 of this year.

Contrary to what the term implies, “tenure” for public school teachers does not mean that they cannot be fired.

It simply guarantees that they will have certain rights of appeal which — like the appeals of persons convicted of capital crimes and sentenced to death — simply stretches out the process much longer than most people would reasonably expect.

Now, many casual observers of the current legislative battle over Gov. Barnes' plan must be a little confused over all the furor created by his attempt to eliminate “tenure” for future hires.

After all, Georgia is a right-to-work state, which means that none of the rest of us working stiffs who might be terminated from our jobs have any right to any appeal of the decision or hearing with any higher authority than our boss who has let us go.

Why, the casual observer must be asking, should teachers be any different?

That is a good question — and most of the answers you hear from those teacher organizations which are fighting to keep “tenure” can make no case stronger than that the teachers (or workers) do not trust the administrators (or management).

Of course, what other response would you expect from any union worth its salt whose main responsibility is protecting the job rights — pay, benefits, working conditions, etc. — of its members?

Now, that last statement should not be taken as anti-union, for I strongly support the right of every worker in whatever profession or job category — and regardless of who their employer might be (public or private) — to organize themselves in order to seek and get the best standards of employment possible.

But, sometimes, unions do end up protecting incompetents or forcing their employers to maintain employees in positions which have outlived their usefulness — such as the fireman on a diesel locomotive or the navigator in some of the smaller jets which the railroads and the airlines were forced to keep long after technology had made the positions unnecessary.

There is a vast difference between protecting the right of employees and serving as a stumbling block to insuring the accountability and efficiency of an organization.

The public schools — and all those who work for them — are paid for by the taxpayers and they must be held accountable for what they produce.

If they are not producing the results we who pay the bills want, then it is time to make some changes.

This is all that Gov. Barnes is trying to do — and those of us who really want reform should be supporting him in his efforts.

[Lee N. Howell is an award-winning writer who has been observing and commenting upon politics and society in the Southern Crescent, the state, and nation for more than a quarter of a century.]

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