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Open Letter to State School Superintendent on AP Course Funding

Click here for PDF Version


July 29, 2024

Richard Woods
State School Superintendent
Georgia Department of Education
205 Jesse Hill Jr. Dr., SE
Atlanta, GA 30334

Dear Superintendent Woods:

We hope this letter finds you well. We are writing to express our concerns regarding the recent decision to deny funding for the AP African American Studies course in Georgia. This decision raises several questions that we believe need to be addressed for the benefit of our students and the integrity of our educational system.

Firstly, we would like to understand the rationale behind the decision to deny funding for
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8/2/24 Letter to Georgia Attorney General

 
August 2, 2024
 
The Honorable Chris Carr
Office of the Attorney General
40 Capitol Square SW
Atlanta, GA 30334
 
 
RE: Funding of AP African American Course
 
Dear Attorney General Carr:
 
We would like to get your legal opinion per the State Superintendent's statement on funding the AP African American Studies course in Georgia. We have included his statement on July 31, 2024, via the link below.
 
 
 
Thank you in advance for your attention to this request. We can
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GA Attorney General Response on AP Funding & Legislation

Georgia Attorney General's Response to Representative William Wade RE: AP Courses and the legislation

Page 1

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ANF - Metro Atlanta schools facing teacher shortages in triple digits (4/4/24)

“Most people, and I hate to say this, in their right mind would not even seek to teach,” said Verdaillia Turner, president of the Georgia Federation of Teachers. Turner surveyed her members and found many have side hustles.

“Teachers are tired,” Turner said. “They are waitresses. They do Uber. I’ve met teachers who actually clean houses. Some of them are receptionists. Many of them work in stands at stadiums [and] do all sorts of jobs to make ends meet.”


Click here for the full segment.

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Weingarten launches new campaign: ‘Real Solutions for Kids and Communities’

Photo of AFT President Randi Weingarten addressing TEACH 2023

The AFT has always been a solutions-driven union, and our new campaign, launched during TEACH on July 21, proves it once again with a fresh, practical approach to strengthening public education. As AFT President Randi Weingarten pointed out during her keynote speech, the $5 million, yearlong campaign, “Real Solutions for Kids and Communities,” stands up against attacks on public schools and offers real-world solutions to build up, rather than break down, our communities.

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Smears vs. solutions

Randi Weingarten at a Massachusetts high school

Summer is upon us, and parents, children and teachers are winding down from what has been an exhausting and fully operational school year—the first since the devastating pandemic. The long-lasting impact of COVID-19 has affected our students’ and families’ well-being and ignited the politics surrounding public schools. All signs point to the coming school year unfolding with the same sound and fury, and if extremist culture warriors have their way, being even more divisive and stressful.

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What unions do

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In AFT President Randi Weingarten’s latest New York Times  column, she describes what it is exactly that unions do. Though unions are the most popular they have been in decades, anti-union sentiment still thrives in red states and across the nation. “Several years ago, The Atlantic ran a story whose headline made even me, a labor leader, scratch my head: ‘Union Membership: Very Sexy,’” Weingarten writes in the column. “The gist was that higher wages, health benefits and job security—all associated with union membership—boost one’s chances of getting married. Belonging to a union doesn’t actually guarantee happily ever after, but it does help working people have a better life in the here and now.” Click through to read the full column.

In defense of public education

Randi Weingarten and NYC teacher Tamara Simpson

Attacks on public education in America by extremists and culture-war peddling politicians have reached new heights (“lows” may be more apt), but they are not new. The difference today is that the attacks are intended not just to undermine public education but to destroy it.

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BESE Update: October 2022

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On Tuesday, October 11th and 12th, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) held their regularly scheduled October meetings. There was increased interest and scrutiny because of a few controversial issues on the agenda: funding and accountability.

FUNDING & RAISES

Tuesday’s committee meetings began with a public hearing to receive public recommendations regarding the Minimum Foundation Program (MFP), which is the funding formula for Louisiana public schools. As expected, advocates from the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents, the Louisiana School Boards Association, and

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The December Edition

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​Special Message from President Carter I want to thank all of LFT members for their dedicated service to the students of Louisiana. I know that this year has been difficult and when I look around this state and see so many teachers and school employees finding success and joy in the midst of difficulty, I feel inspired. But we cannot overlook that the role of teachers is rapidly evolving, becoming in many ways more difficult. The COVID-19 pandemic has severely disrupted education systems across Louisiana, the country, and around the world; changing what classrooms and learning looks like on a daily basis. All school personnel have had to navigate a constantly shifting landscape with the health of students, teachers, paraprofessionals, office professions, custodial staff, food service staff, bus drivers, and the community at large at stake. MORE