Catoosa County Republican Party Chairman Jeff Holcomb said he does not support the death of public education, saying a portion of his party’s new official platform is misunderstood.
The statement reads: “We believe that government control of education should be ended.”
In a statement, Holcomb said this week: “In my personal view, society could not function without a Public School System, we no longer live in the era of ‘Little House on the Prairie.’ The Platform never said anything about eliminating the school systems, rather it said eliminating total government control, which I interpret as giving parents more input into their child’s education.”
The platform, approved by a majority of the 45 Republicans at the county party’s convention March 18, drew criticism from some local elected officials and members of the school system. In particular, planks about ending tax incentives for businesses and forcing Georgia schools to get funding approval through the county commission drew their ire.
Right now, local Georgia school boards levy their own taxes, whereas in Tennessee the school systems get funding through the county commission. The Republican Party’s platform does not have legal authority: It is merely supposed to be the guiding light for conservative elected officials.