Georgia Supt Smarter Than a Fifth Grader, but Declares Bankruptcy

This from ABC News:

Despite Declaring Chapter 7,

Ga. Schools Boss to Give Away $1M Game-Show Prize

Kathy Cox, the Georgia state schools superintendent who recently won $1 million on the TV game show "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?," declared bankruptcy last week, another victim of the housing crisis.

Georgia State Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox has pledged to donate the $1 million she won in September on Fox's "Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?" despite declaring bankruptcy following the collapse of her husband's homebuilding
company.

A spokesman for Cox said she will uphold her promise to donate her winnings to two schools for deaf children and a school for the blind, despite declaring personal bankruptcy with more than $3.5 million in liabilities and less than $650,000 in assets -- which is separate from her winnings.

Cox is the co-signer on loans for husband John Cox's home-building business, Pebble
Hill Homes, but otherwise has no role in the business, according to the couple's Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition filed Nov. 17 .

Cox, who earns around $125,000 a year, said she could not support the couple on her salary alone after a downturn in the home-building industry and as creditors sought the couple's assets...

For the Georgia Schools Chief, Geography and History Pay Off

This from the New York Times, Photo by Mike Yarish/Fox:

The Georgia state school superintendent, Kathy Cox, won $1 million last Friday on the Fox game show “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?” and said Monday that “the primary beneficiary of the money” would be two state schools for the deaf and one for the blind...

There was some risk in going on the show, said Ms. Cox, who is an elected official, acknowledging critics who had worried that she would embarrass herself and the state school system if she missed questions.

“I thought, ‘Well, there’s risk in everything,’ ” said Ms. Cox, who earns about $130,000 a year. “ ‘I’m in politics, why not?’ ” ...

Superintendent Criticized for Game Show Appearance

This from Teacher Magazine:

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia schools Superintendent Kathy Cox is drawing fire for an upcoming appearance on a popular game show.

Cox is scheduled to appear on Friday's season premiere of Fox's "Are you Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" but her Hollywood debut isn't going unnoticed by state lawmakers and educators upset over Georgia's low test scores and planned budget cuts for schools.

"I'm sure she's smarter than a fifth grader, but I question the judgment of such a decision and the message it sends about her priorities," said Tim Callahan, spokesman for the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, the state's largest nonunion organization for educators.

A spokesman for Cox did not immediately return a call for comment Thursday...