Or they never expected to be faced with the problem of having their wishes granted. There are signs Barnes' popularity is slipping as he pushes harder and harder for education reform. Even a savvy trial lawyer such as Barnes must be stunned at what he has found in this quest for better schools. Teachers want more pay, but they don't want more accountability. They want guaranteed jobs.
Administrators ask for more state money.
But they don't want state-mandated smaller classes. That might sop up too much cash. It also might reduce the school system's payrolls by eliminating the jobs of some paraprofessionals. Bill Shipp is editor of Bill Shipp's Georgia, a weekly newsletter on government and business.