Atlanta school board candidates answered directly to the people their policies would affect during a town hall at Georgia State University on Wednesday evening: students.
The student-led event was planned by education nonprofit redefinEd atlanta, the Atlanta Public Schools Student Advisory Council and Georgia State’s Student Government Association. Dozens of people attended.
Just over half, or seven out of 13, candidates participated in the event. Topics ranged from improving school safety to making sure resources are spread equitably throughout the district. Laila Shannon, a senior at Drew Charter School, and Anissah Baker, a junior at Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy, moderated the event. They kicked off a round of questions before opening it up to the audience.
“What is your plan to promote the perception of safety?” they asked.
District 6 incumbent Tolton Pace said school staff can make a big difference.
“A lot has to do with training those who are hiring the people that are teaching our students, and also ensuring that the building is where it needs to be so that when we walk in, we feel like we’re safe and secure,” he said.
“How can you allocate resources to support students and teachers equitably?” the moderators asked.
“I do think the first step is making sure that people have an understanding of, one, why equity matters, but two, exactly what will happen with those extra resources and that extra funding in schools that need it the most,” said at-large Seat 8 candidate Kaycee Brock.
Ty’Rionna Hightower, a senior KIPP Atlanta Collegiate, asked the candidates if they would expand college readiness programs or dual enrollment, where high school students can enroll in college courses for credit.
The question drew a resounding “yes” from District 6 candidate Jonathan Leon.
“Our students deserve that opportunity to get that early credit and to actually shave off some of the time that you need to spend in school and some of the dollars,” he said.
Stephen Owens, a candidate for the District 2 seat, agreed the district should expand such programs and provide a way for students to get there.
“We need to actually provide the transportation to get the students that want these opportunities to that and not just have (it available for) the folks that can afford to shuttle kids around,” he said.
Credit: abbey.cutrer@ajc.com
Credit: abbey.cutrer@ajc.com
Hightower then asked, “Has the board considered providing free menstrual products in school bathrooms?”
That received an enthusiastic response from at-large Seat 8 candidate Aisha Stith.
“I cannot wait to see what you become in this world,” Stith told Hightower. “That is an incredible question. We have been asked a hundred questions, but no one has had the gall to ask that. I would absolutely support a policy that would provide menstrual products for young people and for all people who need them.”
Credit: abbey.cutrer@ajc.com
Credit: abbey.cutrer@ajc.com
Younger students had some questions too.
“What would you do to help students with learning challenges or disabilities so they don’t get behind?” asked Noorah Benson, a sixth grader at Ethos Classical Charter School.
At-large Seat 8 candidate Royce Mann said schools need to create environments where those students are supported.
“Too often students with disabilities are segregated into learning environments where they don’t have exposure to other peers, and we need to … create inclusive environments where students who have disabilities and students who do not can learn together,” he said.
Isaac Dixon, a ninth grader at Washington High, said several of his classmates have opted for online classes because of a negative school environment. He asked District 2 candidate Tony Mitchell how he would address the problem.
“I think we have to talk to students,” Mitchell said. “ We act as if students don’t have real issues and … poverty is an issue, and we can’t act as if we can solve issues without solving for poverty.”
Afterward, Baker and Shannon deemed the event a success. Despite the work they put into organizing the town hall, neither will be old enough to vote in next month’s election. Regardless, they’re glad they underwent training over the summer offered by redefinEd atlanta to understand the ABCs of how school boards operate.
“When I was going to my principal and counselors, every decision that was made (such as uniform rules and cellphone policies), I thought it was coming directly from them,” Baker said. “I didn’t think it was actually coming directly from the district or APS itself.”
For Shannon, the training provided a chance to share her voice.
“It’s good to know what’s happening behind the scenes, and being a part of that conversation, and being at the table as things are coming up, because it feels makes me feel like I have more control over my education,” she said.
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