Three Georgia education organizations released a statement this week urging the public to educate themselves about the political controversy regarding House Bill 1162, a state constitutional amendment that would allow the state to authorize state charter schools that have been rejected by local boards of education.

In the news release, the Georgia School Boards Association, the Georgia School Superintendents Association and the Professional Association of Georgia Educators  assert that “blatant tactics of bullying and intimidation” have been used recently in attempt to silence two groups that opposed the amendment.

“From the beginning we have been clear that the vote in November is NOT about Charter schools,” the statement said.

The GSBA, GSSA and GPTA “believe in charter schools that are approved at the local level by school boards that answer to their local citizens,” the statement said, adding that current state law already provides an appeals process for charters denied at local levels to be reconsidered by the state board of education.

“Do not believe our opponents’ rhetoric,” they said. “This is a state power grab to set up and fund a dual public school system: One system of public schools approved by local boards of education representing the voice of their communities and another STATE public school system with decisions made by an appointed group with no accountability to local citizens.”