RINGGOLD, Ga. – Georgia’s lieutenant governor says the local communities need to work toward charter schools and career academies and keep state involvement to a minimum.
“A one-size-fits-all educational curriculum cannot work,” Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle told a group of supporters Friday at a rally in Ringgold. “The state can’t run the classroom.”
Cagle is running for re-election against Democrat Carol Porter and Libertarian Dan Barber.
The Gainesville resident mentioned the slumping economy and urged Republicans to get out to vote, but spent most of his time talking about education.
He said today’s students need more technical training to go into skilled trades and industrial jobs and communities should be able to make more decisions locally. The state should hold only the systems accountable, rather than setting the curriculum, said Cagle, who state Sen. Jeff Mullis, R-Chickamauga, introduced as an “ultra-conservative.”
“We need to make sure they have a world-class education,” Cagle said.
Cagle said he envisions an education system in which students would get training in high school for technical jobs and then choose to go into that career field or a technical school for more training.
He also explained that, with Volkswagen and other industries growing, such a system would be great for Northwest Georgia.
Catoosa County Schools Superintendent Denia Reese attended the event and said she appreciated Cagle’s focus on education.
“The charter school movement could provide more flexibility for school systems to address the needs of the local community,” she said. “Career academies provide unique opportunities for students to graduate ready to enter the work force.”
Contact Andy Johns at ajohns@timesfreepress.com or call 423-757-6324.