Why Georgia Cannot Go Back to Barge

Barge has taken thousands in campaign contributions from for-profit education companies and currently works for one.

Paid for by Education Companies. John Barge.
During past failed bids for public office, John Barge received thousands in campaign contributions from education companies that profit off Georgia students and teachers.

In fact – while superintendent, Barge paid tens of thousands of dollars to fly in an out-of-state consultant (who has a multi-million beach house on Cape Cod that was featured in Country Living magazine) and travel around Georgia to tell teachers how to teach. This same consultant’s wife then turned around and donated thousands of dollars to Barge’s campaign.

Barge’s ethics issues continued when, as State School Superintendent, Barge took a trust fund established to support teachers and students and used it to fund overseas trips for himself and his political appointees – taking a $26,900 fund and draining it down to $2,200 in a little over a year. The head of Georgia’s Common Cause, a non-partisan watchdog group, even stated: “This is a shocking abuse of authority and misuse of funds appropriated for students.

As he begins campaigning for State School Superintendent, he's also getting paid by an out-of-state, for-profit education company. When reaching out to school leaders and educators, they never know if Barge is asking for their votes or for their purchase orders -- or both!

Since day one, State School Superintendent Richard Woods has honored his pledge to not accept campaign contributions from for-profit education companies, education PACs, or out-of-state special interests -- a commitment he's kept for eight years. Under Woods, the education of our students will never be for sale.