ATLANTA – Georgia House Minority Leader James Beverly (D-Macon) today issued the following statement in response to Governor Brian Kemp’s recent comments on the Atlanta superintendent’s request to prioritize COVID-19 vaccinations for Georgia teachers:
“Governor Brian Kemp seems quick to dismiss the needs of our teachers, yet throughout the pandemic, Gov. Kemp’s plan to reopen schools and keep our teachers healthy has failed to provide our local, neighborhood schools with the resources they needed to bring students back into the classroom safely. Moreover, the governor’s failed reopening strategy has often led to explosive outbreaks, which has forced local officials to end in-person instruction and retreat to online learning. This pandemic has set our children back, and our schools need resources now more than ever. Beyond taking our teachers’ needs seriously, the Georgia House Democratic Caucus calls on the governor to fully fund our public schools that so many Georgia families rely on. For far too long, our budget has prioritized out-of-state special interests and corporate lobbyists over our children who lack the resources they need to have a brighter future.”
As a part of their “Healthy Georgia” agenda rollout today, Jan. 28, Georgia House Democratic Caucus will propose changes to the state budget to provide financial relief for Georgia’s underfunded schools. This relief seeks to provide the funding and resources that the caucus believes public schools need to prepare every child in Georgia for a brighter future.
Representative James Beverly represents the citizens of District 143, which includes portions of Bibb County. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2011 and currently serves as House Minority Leader. He also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation and on the Ethics, Health & Human Services, Retirement, Rules, Small Business Development and Special Rules committees.
###