Georgia chartered the school's decision could set a precedent

The Georgia Legislature is hotly debating a bill that would allow the state to cover the costs of charter schools even if local school boards reject them, setting up a case that could set national precedent on educational reform.



"In the education reform battle often times things boil down to a turf battle, and that's what we have here. We have some local school systems that are worried that by metal stamping virtue of having state charter schools that some of their turf is getting interfered. But it's about the children and the choice," said state Rep. Ed Lindsey, R-Atlanta. "It's a control issue, and it always has been."


The amendment would codify the authority of the Georgia Charter Schools Commission, an organization created by the state in 2008 after complaints that school boards were turning down charter school applicants, preventing competition. But the commission began approving and funding charter schools even at the objection of the local boards, illegal under current law. That's when the Georgia Supreme Court stepped in.



The legislation to amend the state constitution would allow the Peach State to create its own parallel K-12 system to local boards, drawing on the same limited pool power cord of Georgia's taxpayer funds -- a decision that the Georgia Supreme Court said was illegal just one year ago.


"The Georgia Constitution says local boards control where local dollars go, so if a charter school only gets state approval and not local approval, no way can they receive local funds. They can only receive state funds," said Tim Callahan, spokesman for the Professional Association of Georgia Educators or PAGE, which opposes the funding. "The people who are putting this constitutional amendment on the ballot are trying to do that in our Senate right now -- are really trying to do a run-around the Supreme Court ruling."


Critics say the move to create a state board will damage the public education system because the amendment would allow the state to siphon money from cash-strapped districts at a time when they're facing almost $1 billion in cuts.



"This bill in no way touches any kind of local funding," Lindsey said. "In fact we put in to the Constitution a specific provision that guarantees there will be no local money used for these state charter schools. But keep in mind also electric winch that these school that are in the more rural areas. It's a lot of these kids that need charter schools the most and it's the children in those areas we're most concerned about."


Lindsey said charter schools are a beneficial addition to the education world -- they build, not break down, community education.


"Our state is very strapped in terms of funding," Callahan said. "We have cut by over $2 billion the education budget over the past eight years or so, and we have a funding formula that dates back to 1985 (and) has not been updated for inflation."


Education spending accounts for almost half of the state's yearly budget but GOP leaders promise no money will be taken from school districts.



"Parents are hungry for the latest thing -- whatever may be the best for their children," he said. "And that's understandable, but we all need to step back a little bit and take a deep breath. The best research we've solenoid valve had on charter schools and its pretty comprehensive says that only 17 percent of charter schools actually do better than the public schools they replace."


"Charter schools are part of an overall tool in the tool box for education reform," Lindsey said. "It, along with the myriad of other programs, is extremely important in terms of giving parents and students a greater choice in what is the best education for a particular child and it encourages education achievement and success along the way. It creates innovation."


But Callahan said Georgia charter schools don't outperform public schools.



The amendment is supported by Republican Gov. Nathan Deal, who has gotten involved in the push to get the legislation passed. Lindsey said he is confident the bill will pass digital thermometer the Senate with strong bipartisan support as it did in the Georgia House.

Crystal Cathedral announces changes to TV-ministries board

John Charles, who has held various administrative positions over the last 15 years and most recently served as the church's spokesman, will take over as interim chief executive and president.



Officials later acknowledged that Jim Penner, the executive producer of "Hour of Power" since 1999, also left the electric winch board. Penner is married to Schuller's youngest daughter, Gretchen.


In an e-mail, Penner said he was "very pleased" about the move because now he can focus more on his role as a pastor at the church and as the television ministry's executive.


The diocese plans to convert the 10,000-pane cathedral for Catholic worship in three years. In a statement released that day, Schuller Coleman said the ministry had begun a search for a new home for the "Hour of Power," one that is within 10 miles. She asked congregants to "embrace" her vision. "Be assured that this ministry is not about a church building," she said. "It is about building a church!"



"The leadership changes to the board of ac power cord directors for Crystal Cathedral Ministries are temporary, and we believe that they will be good for the Crystal Cathedral during this time of transition," according to a statement released through a public relations firm.


The statement said the changes were made to avoid a potential conflict of interest with the congregation board, a separate entity that is not under the umbrella of Crystal Cathedral Ministries. The move also would allow Schuller Coleman to "concentrate on her duties as pastor and on casting the vision for the future of the ministry."



Schuller Coleman took over leadership of the entire ministry in June 2009, after her brother, Robert A. Schuller, resigned from the senior pastor position. Sixteen months later, Crystal Cathedral Ministries filed for Needle valve bankruptcy, citing $50 million in debt that was blamed on the economic downturn.


"I'm very grateful for John's help and support at this time," Schuller Coleman said in the statement. "We're prayerfully considering many options regarding the new location for the church and the ministry and are excited about the future. We're confident we will end up where God needs us most."



The news announced Wednesday came after speculation over the weekend by longtime congregants that Schuller Coleman and Penner had been fired from the board of directors of the Crystal Cathedral Ministries. On Monday and Tuesday, the shower drain church did not return repeated e-mails and phone calls requesting comment.

U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan night raid homes shot and killed 16 civilians

Afghan Presidential Palace on the 11th issued a statement saying U.S. soldiers deliberately shot and killed 16 civilians in Afghanistan, President Hamid Karzai expressed the Digital thermometer strongest condemnation, that this is an act of murder.


The statement said: "Afghan President Hamid Karzai, NATO soldiers in Kandahar province early this morning shot and killed civilians in the event that the strongest condemnation of the Afghan government has consistently condemned the NATO military operations that caused civilian casualties, but the U.S. soldiers deliberately killed 16 Afghan civilians is murder. "


The Afghan Defense Ministry issued a statement condemning the incident, "I hope that the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) as soon as possible to bring the perpetrators to justice.



According to local government officials in Kandahar province, on the 11th morning, a U.S. soldier broke into several houses in a village in the province Jack Pan Wye area near the U.S. military base opened fire to the house of civilians solenoid valve, including women and children The 16 civilians were killed.


The NATO Zhue International Security Assistance Force that morning, said in a statement: "A U.S. soldier was arrested this morning in connection manufacture of civilians shot dead U.S. troops in Afghanistan with the Afghan authorities in Kandahar province and this an investigation into the incident, relevant information will be announced at the appropriate time. "


At the same time, Adrian Bradshaw, deputy commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) on the 11th of this event expressed regret and promised to investigate and severely punish the perpetrators.



Jacobson, the NATO Zhue International Security Assistance Force spokesman, at a news conference, said: is not today's events and protests over the past few weeks with the present situation, with individual behavior we are investigating vibrating screed the motive of the perpetrators. "


Hayden, White House National Security Council spokesman, the same day that the White House is very concerned about the Afghan civilians were shot event, to follow developments.


On Feb. 21, the Afghan national outbreak of large-scale protests, protest the U.S. military at Bagram Air Base to the burning of the Koran, there are two U.S. military advisers and four U.S. soldiers shot during the protests continued to be Afghans.