They say the first of the year is a time for new beginnings. Well, for me, that day seems to be today. There are so many new things happening, it is difficult to wrap my head around it, but it is a season of incredible opportunities.
I’m teaching, again
First, I am officially an assistant professor again. I had taught for Georgia Military College for six years prior to having to step down in March of 2016. And while I still am not able to teach in person, today is the first day of my class for GMC Online. It is very different, but I am also very excited.
It’s quite a time to be teaching an intro to American government course. For the third time in history, the President is facing a Senate trial following an impeachment. The powder keg that is the middle east is a little more explosive than normal. Not to mention, the presidential election is heating with the primaries starting in the next few weeks. Not to mention since I’m in Georgia, it’s the second Monday in January.
Georgia General Assembly
At 10 o’clock this morning, the Georgia General Assembly was gaveled into session. For the next 40 legislative days, they will decide the state’s budget and hundreds of other bills and resolutions. It’s organized chaos, and I miss it terribly. They have some big issues this year.
The anticipated revenue is down, so budget cuts will be necessary. Obviously, these are always unwelcome. Some state agencies have already instituted hiring freezes in preparation. One way they are looking at improving revenue is the expansion of gambling in the state. This will have strong opposition I’m sure, just as the state lottery did when it was authorized in the early 1990s.
Beyond the budget, the AJC also predicts there will be a push for a change in seat belt requirements (currently, they are not required for adults in the back seat). Healthcare and education are always huge issues. Governor Kemp’s campaign pledge to increase teacher pay will be at odds with up to a 6% cut in the rest of the budget. And of course, there will be plenty of partisan grandstanding.
It’s an election year, so both sides will be playing to their base. SB 281 was pre-filed for the session and bans semi-automatic weapons and magazines that hold more than ten rounds. Meanwhile, SB 224 removes places of worship from the prohibited places list for concealed carry. It also changes the language regarding carrying in courthouses and courtrooms. Likewise, there are bills to ban transgender youth from participating in sports as their presenting gender and that make it a felony for a physician to perform gender reassignment therapies or surgery. Yet, HB 426 is awaiting action in the Senate, which would include gender and sexual orientation as criteria for hate crime enhancements.
A new opportunity
Finally, and perhaps the biggest thing for me personally, is something that I have wanted to do for years, but always seemed a bit beyond reach. But I’m proud to say, it has finally happened. Over the weekend, I accepted a position as a board member for a new charter school. There will be more details forthcoming, but it is an amazing opportunity to be able to influence the education of multitudes of students in the coming years. Lifelong learning has always been important to me, but my work has always focused on college and adult learning. Now, I will be able to be involved with K-12 education as well.
Needless to say, the future is looking bright. I am still dealing with the effects of cancer, but this is a chance for me to be involved and make a hopefully huge impact on future generations.