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A week after his primary opponent was endorsed by the leading teachers' group in the county, Cobb Board of Education member David Banks has lashed out at both.
Banks, who is seeking a second term to the Post 5 seat in East and Northeast Cobb, was highly critical of the Cobb County Association Association of Educators for its support of Lisa Hanson in the July 31 Republican primary.
"The one thing that is very apparent and should be of utmost concern to all Post 5 voters is the fact that teacher union support is totally predicated on absolute adherence to their agenda," Banks said in his e-mail newsletter distributed on Monday.
"I support and have strongly supported Cobb teachers when that support was in the best interest of student education, but I will not be held hostage by any union simply to garner their endorsement."
Banks did not detail what the CCAE's "agenda" was.
He also accused Hanson, a parent in the Lassiter High School district, of being "supported and financed by the same group that supported the anti-Balanced calendar candidates in 2010."
Banks was a stalwart foe of the school board's vote to revert to a traditional calendar, starting with the 2011-12 year, a year after following the balanced calendar he preferred.
He tried several times to get the board to reconsider its decision, without success.
CCAE president Connie Jackson told East Cobb Patch that while her group agreed with Banks on the calendar issue, it took issue with his efforts to "spend down to the reserves" to balance the Cobb County School District budget.
"We're more conservative than he is" on that issue, according to Jackson, who said the CCAE believes Hanson "has more realistic ideas in general" and was impressed with "her willingness to learn."
Hanson has been critical of Banks for his support for the aborted Teach for America proposal in Cobb schools that was strongly opposed by the CCAE. She also questioned decisions to spend reserve funds and raise property taxes.
Stephanie Henry, a parent in the Pope and Hightower Trail districts, is the other candidate in the three-way GOP race for the Post 5 seat, which includes portions of the Pope, Lassiter, Sprayberry and Wheeler high school districts.
In his e-newsletter, Banks reprinted a comment from a July 5 column in The Marietta Daily Journal that mentioned Hanson's endorsement by the CCAE, which is affiliated with the National Education Association but is not a union with collective bargaining authority.
The anonymous MDJ reader alleged that the "NEA is an inhibitor to quality education and any endorsement of a candidate to the School Board by an organization that is aligned with that organization should be highly suspect."
Banks finished his e-newsletter by saying that "the best endorsement from Teachers is their vote for me on July 31st."
Who gets your support between David Banks and Lisa Hanson and why? Tell us in the comments!
In This article
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Cobb County School District
514 Glover St SE, Marietta, GA -
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Pope High School
3001 Hembree Rd NE, Marietta, GA -
Hightower Trail Middle School
3905 Post Oak Tritt Rd, Marietta, GA
Jack S
5:12 pm on Wednesday, July 11, 2012
"Held hostage"? Really Mr. Banks, is that how you felt over the past four years? "The one thing that is very apparent and should be of utmost concern to all Post 5 voters is the fact that teacher union support is totally predicated on absolute adherence to their agenda," Wow, a little flair for the dramatic are we? Are you saying you were the NEAs/CCAEs puppet and you had no original thoughts or position? Do you not recall accepting money and endorcements from the CCAE back in 2008 when you ran your first campaign, or was the $1000 not enough to jog your memory? This year the CCAE chose a different,better more trustworty and honorable candidate and you start screaming "it's not fair".
lisa56
12:02 pm on Thursday, July 12, 2012
This is an issue that will continue to haunt the Cobb County School Board until the elected members of the board do what is best for the students and teachers. A 3 year trial balanced calendar was hijacked by new board members in a year although a board approved survey indicated a majority of survey participants chose to continue the balanced calendar. The ridiculous and embarrassing behavior of certain board members over the last few years not only makes the board members look foolish but diminishes the reputation of the Cobb County School System. If the CCAE were a union teachers could not be constantly bullied by adminstrators until they capitulate, quit, or are fired. One year contracts for teachers and the continued increase in class sizes not only effects teacher morale but diminishes Cobb County's reputation for having great schools, as housing values and the tax digest continue to fall. My family moved to Cobb County 25 years ago due to the fine reputation of the school system. My children received marvelous educations due to the advantages offered them by the Cobb County School System. I wish I felt that the same was occuring now. My experience with David Banks and Linda Crowder Eagle, who has decided not to run again for her board position, has always been positive. Emails I sent to all board members were answered only by Banks and Crowder Eagle, neither of whom are my district representative. Beware newcomers who have predetermined agendas due to their donors.
Dan H.
3:46 pm on Thursday, July 12, 2012
Jack S, as is typical of most who want to "skew" the truth, you fail to mention that the CCAE endorsed both of Mr. Banks opponents in the 2008 Primary election, giving both $2000. In the runoff election CCAE gave both Banks AND his opponent $1000. Hardly an endorsement, more a cover your behind move in case he won, which he did.
Jack S
2:00 pm on Friday, July 13, 2012
Dan H. I only saw what was in his disclosure statement from the Nov 2008, not necessarily the contributions from the primary runoffs. Regardless, to slam CCAE for endorsing his current opponent, went beyond childish.
Peter S.
9:27 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
As I sit and watch the opening of the Olympics, I am rooting for our Athletes to win gold. If tearing down your opponent's signs were an recognized sport, David Banks and/or his supporters would win a Gold Medal. Can't wait until the real voices of post 5 speaks at the ballot box, it is time for a new board member.
Tim Burson
10:49 am on Monday, July 30, 2012
Neither Banks nor Hanson is good for our children. Banks acts like he has been for a calendar extending the school year, when he ran against it and then became an outspoken advocate for it after election (and after getting teacher union support). Now we have the teachers unions supporting Hanson. Banks must be voted out of office and if Hanson is the one carrying the ball for the teachers unions now, we cannot elect her. Time for someone to tell us what Stephanie Henry supports. We need lower school taxes, lower operating costs, less paperwork for the teachers and more imput from parents that believe in discipline and consequences for bad behavior and lack of performance from students and teachers.
Stephanie Ives
10:02 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Unfortunately the new school board post district maps have bastardized representation whereby you can live in one post and only get to vote for board members that represent your elementary school or middle school but not your high school. Without a doubt David Banks has been the most in tune to his constituency and constantly updates all interested Cobb Residents as to the going ons of the illustrious school board. As a previous poster mentioned, only board members Banks and Crowder-Eagle are responsive to constituent emails. That should speak volumes as to which board members are really represenative.