Lately, talk at Sandy Creek High School has been about the Plus Education Reform Act of 2000, the school-related bill that was passed last month. Many students, as well as teachers, have only read or heard excerpts of this bill and are extremely frustrated with it. Spanning 153 pages, containing 77 sections, the bill explains the changes that will be made in Georgia's schools come July 1, 2000.

The most recent copy of the Bill can be found on the Internet at: http://www2.state.ga.us/Legis/1999_00/leg/fulltext/hb1187,htm.

Some of the highlights include:

ISS will be replaced with immediate dismissal to alternative schools unless the county finds enough funding to come up with their own disciplinary actions. Pagers and cell phones are not allowed “at all” (automatic alternative school). Computer labs will be eliminated for non-vocational courses in high school.

Student-teacher ratios changes to downsize the number of students. If less students are in classrooms then there will be more classes causing the need for more classrooms. All of this means having to build up schools and all of this increases the need for more money. These changes will cost way more than the $5 million we are now being allocated.

Also, all schools are guaranteed 75 percent of the amount of the wealthiest county. This is up from 19 percent. Faculty will be required to get fingerprinted and pay will be changed for certified personnel. Math, science, and foreign language teachers pay will be increased. Graduation testing will be modified. Middle school grants will be eliminated. HOPE coverage will also be changed. No tenure for new teachers. Two-year-olds must be pre-enrolled to insure immunization and mandatory school age begins at age 6 instead of 7. All of this and much more will come into effect in July.

One of our very own history and government teachers, Mrs. Kathy Cox, is working at the Capitol in the House section of the General Assembly. Mrs. Gonzalez and Mrs. Kollias had a chance to go to the Capitol and fight this bill.

Just to let you know, the legislature banned pagers and cell phones making the punishment for having them alternative school because they feel that someone could plant a bomb in the school and then page their friends to notify them and give them a chance to get out. One teacher commented on the legislature's idea, “They seem to be demanding that all students should die equally. To me this is ludicrous.“

Georgia has a great deal of room for improvement in our schools and there are some changes that could benefit the students, but I feel they don't have their priorities set straight when it comes to schools. I asked some teachers if they felt this new bill was necessary and one response was, “Not this new bill. Some changes would make our educational system better, but these changes will only create new, bigger school problems.”

I've come to the conclusion that many teachers completely disagree with this bill, according to questionnaire responses. Another question asked had to do with receiving alternative school for having a pager and was this the proper punishment. In reaction to this, I received many responses: “No, too severe,” “Completely out of the question!”

Some teachers won't be affected by this act but the majority will. I asked the teachers how they felt this bill would affect them. One said, “I plan to keep teaching the way I believe students will learn the best.” Another teacher answered, “It makes me even more cynical.”

Is this bill really for the better? We'll just have to find out when it goes into effect next school year! Besides, it's your own opinion and no one likes having rules but they have to be made. If it helps the school system improve, that's great, but will it help or launch us towards new problems?

Dee Chamberlin

Sandy Creek High School

11th Grade

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