Political newcomer Kyla Cromer is running in the Republican Primary July 31 for the newly created Post 1 seat on the Cherokee County Board of Education. Cromer says she is the most qualified because of her educational and leadership background, and that she is not a one-issue candidate and has no hidden agenda, making her right for the job.
Cherokee Tribune/Greg Cuson
Cherokee Tribune/Greg Cuson
Political newcomer Kelly Marlow is running in the Republican Primary July 31 for the newly created Post 1 seat on the Cherokee County Board of Education. Marlow says she believes building a world-class educational system is not a ‘go-it-alone’ exercise of the government, but rather a true partnership between parents, teachers, administrators, and the wider community.
Cherokee Tribune/Greg Cuson
Cherokee Tribune/Greg Cuson
Political newcomers Kyla Cromer, 48, and Kelly Marlow, 45, may be new to campaigning, but are both old hands at being involved on the education scene.
Cromer, who taught for nine years, worked as a director of education for Sylvan Learning Center and volunteered as a PTA president and chairperson, calls herself a consensus builder and listener who possesses the knowledge to help Cherokee County schools.
Marlow, a proponent of Cherokee Charter Academy, has volunteered as room mom, PTA board member and PTO leader and calls herself a lifetime advocate for children. Before she became a mother, she worked as a professional in the health care industry and later as a preschool and substitute teacher.
Cromer, who is married and has two children, says the most pressing issue facing the local school system is the budget and shortfall in funding.
“Because of decreased revenue from both local and state resources and a continued increase in student population, the schools are being asked to do more with less,” Cromer said. “If elected, I would make fiscally responsible decisions for all students, teachers and parents.”
Marlow, married for 15 years and the mother of 9-year-old twins, said she believes the single biggest weakness in the school system is communication.
“With a budget in excess of $500 million, we must find ways to engage the community at large in a more robust conversation,” Marlow said. “No longer should it be acceptable that the only time we hear from the citizens is during a three minute, one-way comment at a monthly school board meeting. As the next school board member in the Cherokee County School District, I intend to hold regular town hall meetings and I will make it my mission to meet with parents, taxpayers, community leaders and lawmakers who both support and oppose the initiatives of the district.”
Marlow said on House Resolution 1162 that she applauds the state legislature for responding to the taxpaying citizens of Cherokee County bu approving a bipartisan resolution that gives the power to the voters.
The resolution sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) allows for the voters in November to decide to give the state the right to create charter schools.
“The decision to allow for a basic right of appeal is fundamental. Do the innovative parents and educators in our community deserve less than the common criminal?” Marlow said. “As an added bonus, the Legislature made sure that the language of HR1162 states explicitly that no local funds will be used to support these public schools over the objection of local boards. It’s simple. Parents want options and teachers want jobs.”
Cromer says the resolution is not really about school choice or charter schools.
“It is about changing the state’s Constitution to allow an appointed board to approve special schools that have been denied by the local school board,” Cromer said. “Any time power shifts away from the local elected body to a non-elected state body, control is taken away. The ability to appeal a local school board’s decision to the state school board already exists; therefore, implementation of this amendment would waste taxpayer’s money by creating another level of state bureaucracy.”
I will be voting for the fiscal conservative Marlow rather than the 'we need more funding' Cromer.
"We Can't" is the mantra of Kyla Cromer, as anyone at the debate can attest.
Cromer's repeated insistence of her inabilities to restrain the current Board's half-billion-dollar budget were enlightening and appreciated. Hopefully, District 1 voters are tired of furloughing teachers while subsidizing the superintendent's chauffeur. Cromer sees such an expense as a necessity, along with the need for interior decorators at the unneeded new ADMIN building.
It's unfortunate Cromer doesn't have the courage to run as the tax&spend liberal Democrat she actually is. Must be an Ohio thing, like her decision to purchase all her campaign materials out-of-state, thus not contributing to the very Ed-SPLOST tax increase she so adamantly fought for.
Regarding the Constitutional ballot initiative, I'm shocked that those who say they support Cherokee County district schools would be against the measure. It would mean that all local funds (even the property taxes of Cherokee Charter students' families) would still support the Cherokee District schools. So, Cherokee students will have additional public school options through the Charter school AND the local school district will have more per student resources in local funds. It's a win-win for everyone!
You may want to check your facts and math related to funding. For any Cherokee County parent that pays local property taxes and then chooses another form of education (private, homeschool, public charter) other than the local school district, then their local property tax dollars still go to the local school district and are used for the local school district students. Instead of being upset at Cherokee county parents who choose a different form of education for their child, you should appreciate them because their choice means more local funds for per district students. At a time when lower property values reduces the amount of local revenue, these parents' decisions help lessen the financial blow.
If you check the Georgia Dept. of Education's website regarding the State's funding for the Cherokee County school district, then you'll see a different picture than the one you paint. In 2005, Cherokee County received $105 million. Since that time, it dramatically increased. In 2013, Cherokee County district will receive a total state funding amount of more than $148 million.
The biggest impact on public education funding has been the economic downturn and decreasing property values...not the increasing public education options for students.
Having some board of elected officials (the very def. of the word 'government') making decisions is the exact antithesis of Parental Control.
I honestly don't know why you people fear parental control so much and why you think parents should have this choice stolen from them by a local board of gov't officials, one of whom is a WWF wrestler.