Tenure makes it harder for teachers to be fired and allows those facing dismissal to appeal. The spirited rally was organized by the Georgia Association of Educators (GAE), the local affiliate of the National Education Association, a national teachers' union. The state house of representatives has already passed Gov. Roy Barnes's "education reform" bill, which is endorsed by the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE), leaders of the state Parent Teacher Association, business organizations, and associations representing the state's school superintendents and school boards.

"PAGE was originally set up by school administrators as an 'alternative' to the union formed when separate white and Black teacher organizations merged in the early 1970s," said Brian Westlake, a GAE member. "But a lot of their members support our fight for tenure."

Many at the rally held printed signs such as, "Pass a Better Bill," or "Governor speaks with forked tongue." Jim Cox, a librarian at West Elementary here, said he joined the protest "for future teachers who will care for the children. This is about more than one rally. It's about the future of our children."

A group from Walker county explained that the governor's bill would mean large numbers of them will be laid off with no guarantee that trained teachers would be found to replace them.

Maureen Dinnen, president of the Florida Teaching Professionals, the NEA affiliate in Florida, spoke at the rally alongside local union leaders. She said afterwards that when Florida governor John Ellis Bush "tried to end affirmative action, he only consulted with a few Black business people. When this governor created this education bill, he didn't ask teachers what they thought. I see similarities in these two fights." Dinnen said that the Florida Teaching Professionals has chartered buses to bring teachers to the March 7 rally for affirmative action in Tallahassee.

The Georgia state senate is slated to begin debate on the governor's bill this week.

Floyd Fowler is a member of the United Steelworkers of America.  
 
 
Front page (for this issue) | Home | Text-version home