I don’t know how long this from the Georgia Education Alliance has been up, but it was just brought to my attention yesterday:
Georgia Education Alliance strongly urges its members to not support Ray McBerry in his campaign to be Georgia’s next
governor. Allegations of McBerry’s past actions tarnish the honor and trust that Georgians place with teachers. Insight from
the victim, alludes to McBerry abusing the moral standards associated with the teaching profession for his own selfish,
amoral gains.In 2003, McBerry was accused of using this position as a Youth Minister and teacher to have a relationship with a student.
According to a recent AJC article: “McBerry urged her to cut ties with her high school sweetheart. And McBerry then began
the process of replacing him, Rachel Gandee said. He gave her a cellphone that allowed the two to talk without parental
tracking. The loan of the phone is beyond dispute – McBerry admits to it.
Once school started, she spent the hours between the afternoon bell and evening band practices with McBerry. She said the
future candidate for governor would leave his job at Patrick Henry High and drive 10 miles to pick her up at Henry County
High School, where she was now a junior.McBerry and his wife separated, then divorced.”
Read full text: http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2010/04/29/parents-church-and-judge-told-future-gop-
candidate-for-governor-leave-the-girl-alone/In no form does McBerry represent the thousands of Georgia teachers, or the actions that are expected from fellow teachers
and Georgians alike.GEA urges fellow candidates and education advocacy groups to call on Ray McBerry to end his bid for Governor. He is a
disgrace to the teaching profession and to the potential office of Governor.
When doing a basic Google search to see if either the Georgia Association of Educators or the Professional Association of Georgia Educators had written anything on the subject, nothing from them came up. However, this piece from the publisher of the Augusta Chronicle did show up, and since this was the first time I had seen it, I thought I would pass it along.
Wonder if GAE or PAGE will follow suit?
this may be neither here nor there but conservative teachers that I know are very dismayed at State Rep. Mike Keown and how he has voted against their interests from his first day in the General Assembly. He voted to change their health care plans, cut teacher pay, furlough teachers, increase teacher’s insurance premiums, and increase class size. Keown ought to be given an “F”!