Cobb Approves Partial Math Book Funding

by Wendy Parker

Cobb math teachers and students will be getting some new instructional resources for the coming school year after all.

The Cobb Board of Education voted on Wednesday to approve $2.9 million for digital resources that are expected to be available when classes begin on Aug. 7.

But the board, which rejected spending $7.5 million on resources in April, engaged in another protracted discussion about the matter that echoed previous arguments. 

The partial amount was proposed by board member David Banks as a compromise to provide resources following protests over Common Core standards. 

But East Cobb board member Scott Sweeney tried to restore full funding, saying that digital resources don't necessarily serve every student. 

"I'm deeply concerned that we're providing for some, but not for all," he said.

His motion failed by the same 4-3 board vote from April, with Banks and South Cobb's David Morgan voting with him. Sweeney and Banks later approved the reduced funding. 

Common Core opponents have protested the textbooks recommended by a committee of Cobb math teachers, saying the standards -- approved in 45 states, including Georgia -- amount to a federal takeover of education. 

But while Common Core is not mandated by the U.S. government, Republican lawmakers in Georgia want to get the state removed from the standards. 

Frustrated math teachers also lashed out at previous board meetings, but another vote on the subject didn't come up until Wednesday.

Board chairman Randy Scamihorn of North Cobb and Kathleen Angelucci of Northeast Cobb vigorously opposed spending the $7.5 million, citing the greater expense that would have to be used to purchase additional resources not geared to the Common Core. 

When Sweeney suggested that the likelihood of the state getting out of Common Core was unlikely, Scamihorn asked chief academic officer Amy Krause how many recent major changes in state educational standards had taken place. 

When she said there had been three such changes, he snapped, "I'm sorry, throw a rock at me."

Sweeney said that while he's no fan of the Common Core, "I'm 100 percent focused on getting resources into the hands of teachers and students and doing it quickly."

The board also voted down a motion by Angelucci to delay the $2.9 million purchase because she wanted the public to have more time to examine the proposal.

"I don't see changing anyone's mind," Scamihorn said. "What value would there be in postponing this another month?"

Angelucci and Tim Stultz of Smyrna voted against final passage.