Celeste Johnson, Florida Bound

On August 31, 2009, Celeste Johnson will formally resign her District 75 seat in the Georgia House of Representatives.

The Clayton County teacher was facing another tough reelection campaign.

Johnson was up for re-election in 2010, and she did announce she was in the race. But she was facing a lot of scrutiny. Out of 26 bills she sponsored while in office, 15 of them were recognitions and condolences only. Her challengers in the 2010 election, Yasmin Neal, Clayton County Police Officer, and Ray Johnson, business owner both accused Johnson of not working for her constituents.

Another politician in it for the glory, not the people? Had she been taking secret trips to DC when no one was looking, to learn at the feet of the very best? Shocking, just shocking.

Johnson had already resigned her teaching job on June 30 and lined up another in Florida.

Starting in February of 2004, Johnson worked for Clayton County Public Schools as a school improvement specialist for the Fine Arts Magnet School at Mt. Zion High School in Jonesboro. According to School District Spokesperson Charles White, she resigned from her school-system position on June 30.

"She's been associated with the Fine Arts Magnet School from the beginning, and the school is in it's third year," White said. "Based on the information that we have, part of the resignation process is that they answer certain questions. When asked if she was planning to continue in education, she said, 'yes.' When asked where, she said, 'Florida,' but that's about as exact as we can get."

The news of Johnson's resignation came as a surprise to members of the Clayton County Legislative Delegation, some of whom were not notified of her resignation.

[...]According to [Rep. Glenn] Baker [D-Jonesboro], Johnson informed him that she had accepted a position with a school board in Florida.

I wonder if her husband, Rod Johnson, he of former BOE fame, will seek a leadership position in education as well? You remember Rod, of course. He was removed by Governor Sonny Purdue's Executive Order when Clayton County lost it's SACS accreditation. Two peas in a pod.

Georgia's gain is Florida's loss.