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Health & Fitness

A Great First Step to Restore HOPE in Georgia

Molly Read Woo lays out the first step to restoring HOPE in Georgia.

OK Georgia Friends and Family — I got it down to about a minute .... Here's a very simple and direct first step to restoring HOPE in Georgia. Please watch this video and if you agree, forward it, contact your legislators, make some noise while the Legislature still has time to do something about this — and let's keep HOPE in Georgia!

I put in a call yesterday to my representative, Ed Lindsey, and he called back this a.m., and sounded very open to the suggestion that we can make this happen for Georgia! I e-mailed him a bit more info and talking points on the issue, which I will also share with you here. (And you can share with your friends and families and legislators too!)

Hi Ed —

Thanks so much for the call back today. As I mentioned, yesterday, at NAPPS we had this discussion about the possibilities of funding HOPE, and the question of whether there was a law, or just tradition, that the funding was limited to lottery proceeds.

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One of the principals noted that yesterday they were expecting a ruling that teachers and administrators involved in the APS cheating scandal who had wrongfully earned bonuses based on their students' misrepresented test scores would be required to return those bonuses — which could mean millions flowing back into public funds. Wouldn't it be nice to know the state had the right to draw on those kinds of funds — and any other monies — federal grants, contributions to a state scholarship fund, and any other kind of resources we can find to make good on a promise we've already made to Georgia's hardworking students, to keep them — and the huge dividends that will will come from the great investment we've already made in their education — in our state.

OK — enough talking (and writing) on my part already. Here's the text that I've sent out with my video on Facebook. I'll also post it on a blog on Buckhead patch.com today, and share it with friends in the media, and any other legislators who might want to consider a conversation on new ways to make good on a long-standing promise to our kids — and to keep the payout that's already coming from the best investment we've ever made in our state!

As always — thank you for your consideration and all the good work you're doing for Georgia. Best of luck and God speed to you.

— Molly

You can also read a few thoughts on the benefits of HOPE on my website, woosnews.com.

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Working together, we can restore HOPE for Georgia — but it's going to take a little faith and some hard work too.

For more information on the drive to restore HOPE in Georgia, check out the Hope4Ga.org site, too.

Wishing us all Good Luck and Godspeed -

Molly Read Woo

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