GA Code § 20-2-62 (2021)
2021 Georgia Code|Title 20 - Education|Chapter 2 - Elementary and Secondary Education|Article 3 - Local Boards of Education|§ 20-2-62. Employment of County Agents and Home Demonstration Agents to Carry on Extension Work

 Power is conferred upon the county tax levying authorities of the several counties, as well as the county boards of education, to carry on educational work for the promotion of the extension work in agriculture and home economics under the Act of Congress approved May 8, 1914 (7 U.S.C.A., Sections 341 to 348), and resolution of the General Assembly, under the date of August 14, 1914 (Ga. L. 1914, p. 1243), giving assent of the state to such Act of Congress, by employing county agricultural agents and home demonstration agents and supervising their work and paying therefor. The boards of education of the several counties may employ and pay county agents and home demonstration agents to carry on such extension work.   (Ga. L. 1922, p. 82, § 2; Ga. L. 1923, p. 88, § 1; Code 1933, § 32-944.)   Cross references.   - Cooperative Extension Service of University of Georgia, § 2-6-4 et seq.    Authority of board of regents with regard to federal grants for agricultural extension work, § 20-3-38.    Collection of county taxes for payment of county agricultural and home demonstration agents, § 48-5-220(10).   JUDICIAL DECISIONS   Editor's notes.   - In light of the similarity of the statutory provisions, decisions under former Code 1910, § 1551(116), which was subsequently repealed but was succeeded by provisions in this Code section, are included in the annotations for this Code section.   Counties having schools supported by taxation may employ county agents.    - County board of education in counties having a system of public schools supported by local taxation are authorized to employ, and pay from the school funds of the counties, county demonstration agents, vocational agricultural teachers, and home demonstration agents. Board of Educ. v. Butler, 154 Ga. 569, 115 S.E. 10 (1922) (decided under former Code 1910, § 1551 (116)).   County board may supplement salaries of county agents.    - Board of regents, through the college of agriculture, controls the general scope of the agricultural extension work and is empowered to employ and discharge county agents, while the counties may, if the counties choose to levy the tax therefor, supplement the salaries of the county agents. Royal Indem. Co. v. Humphries, 90 Ga. App. 567, 83 S.E.2d 565 (1954).   County board cannot employ agricultural teacher in independent school system.    - Board of education of a county, in which a system of public schools is supported by local taxation, is without authority to employ one to teach agriculture in the high school of a city maintaining an independent public school system and to pay the teacher with the funds belonging to the former system, although students from the county districts, as well as those from the city, are taught by the teacher, and although the city furnishes the classroom and laboratory for conducting the teaching, especially if it is not shown that the value of the use of the classroom and laboratory is equal to the funds of the county school system applied to the payment of the teacher. Board of Educ. v. Butler, 154 Ga. 569, 115 S.E. 10 (1922) (decided under former Code 1910, § 1551 (116)).   OPINIONS OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL    Section is permissive, not mandatory,  i.e., the county boards of education "may" not "must" employ county agents and home demonstration agents; since the board can employ and pay agents, the board can employ and pay part or all of the salaries of employees of the agent. 1958-59 Op. Att'y Gen. p. 127.   When taxes levied, salaries paid by general governing body.   - If county taxes are levied under Ga. Const. 1945, Art. VII, Sec. IV, Para. II (see now Ga. Const. 1983, Art. IX, Sec. IV, Para. I) the expenses and salaries of the county and home demonstration agent would be paid by the general governing body of the county. 1958-59 Op. Att'y Gen. p. 127.   RESEARCH REFERENCES   Am. Jur. 2d.   - 68 Am. Jur. 2d, Schools, § 349 et seq.   C.J.S.   - 78A C.J.S., Schools and School Districts, § 1074 et seq.