Emory University students live in a city where public school teachers are so desperate to gain extra funding for their classrooms that some would even falsify standardized test scores, risking prison sentences. As students in Atlanta, it is our duty to help ensure that teachers do not have to risk their livelihoods to provide an adequate education to their students. Cast your vote on Nov. 7 for representatives who have students’ best interests in mind.
The Atlanta Public Schools (APS) board directly oversees the city education budget, which currently sits at $1.66 billion, and manages the education of roughly 50,000 K-12 students in metro Atlanta. The board is directly involved in drafting education policy and selecting the APS superintendent, a leader who manages the budget, hires staff and has the highest say in setting the goals of the district. The latest APS superintendent was ousted this past June. With the permanent superintendent position now vacant, the upcoming APS board election is even more important.
Atlanta’s public school system has historically been weak compared to other American metropolitan areas and other parts of Georgia. A 2019 Georgia Department of Education report found that 13 Atlanta public schools ranked among the state’s bottom 5% performing schools. According to state assessments, roughly 70% of APS’ third through eighth grade students perform below expected levels in English Language Arts and 74% in mathematics, indicating that students struggle to read and understand the math concepts expected at their grade level.
It is clear that APS is underperforming, but this does not have to continue. Certain APS board candidates have addressed specific issues and initiatives by which they seek to improve educational policy, often citing the issue of illiteracy. Tamara Jones, for example, who is running for a District 7 at-large (or citywide) seat, cites that the “illiteracy crisis disproportionately affects” Black, foreign and poor students. To combat this inequity, Raynard Johnson, who is running in District 5 (Collier Heights, Adamsville, Grove Park), seeks to develop after-school literacy programs taught at recreation centers by local college students. Such a program could also directly involve Emory students, allowing us to impact the larger Atlanta community.
Casting your ballot in the election is especially pertinent now, given that educational policy has become hugely contentious in American politics. For instance, Florida Gov. Ron De Santis’ 2022 “Don’t Say Gay Bill” introduced a prohibition on classroom discussions about sexual and gender identity. Similarly, Idaho lawmakers issued legislation preventing transgender students from using bathrooms aligned with their gender identity this past March. PEN America, a nonprofit dedicated to free expression, found that there have been a record number of book bans in 2023, an issue that continues to restrict intellectual freedom in American public schools.
These are only a few examples of the contentious debates taking place surrounding education policy in our country, which often overlooked school boards have the critical potential to impact. Because nearly all K-12 students are below voting age, they cannot influence these discussions and their own educational futures. Emory students of voting age can play a critical role in advocating on their behalf.
While the outcomes of the APS board election may not directly impact Emory students, it is our obligation as a premier university in Georgia to work toward a more equitable educational system for our state. That means taking action to select board members who will work to expand access to quality education for students who have historically not received it by combating illiteracy and other inadequacies prevalent throughout our city’s public school system.
To vote in the APS board elections, you must already be registered to vote in Georgia. Emory students are eligible to vote in the District 3 and at-large seats 7 and 9 races, but not in the District 1 or District 5 races. Young Democrats of Emory will be hosting three different “walk to the polls” events on Nov. 7, Election Day, at noon, 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. The polls will be open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. These walks will start in Raoul Circle and will end at the 1599 building next to Emory Point and the Emory Conference Center Hotel. If students are not registered to vote in Georgia, Young Dems can still update their current residency and state affiliation to participate in future elections.
In a world where our actions may sometimes seem inconsequential, it is important to remember that engagement in local politics truly does make a difference — especially in a purple state like Georgia. We may not be able to directly influence many hot-button issues at the national or international levels, but we have the chance to make a direct impact in our communities right now by casting a vote.
The above editorial represents the majority opinion of the Wheel’s Editorial Board. The Editorial Board is composed of Marc Goedemans, Sophia Hoar, Carson Kindred, Justin Leach, Eliana Liporace, Lola McGuire, Shruti Nemala, Sara Pérez, Maddy Prucha, Jaanaki Radhakrishnan and Ilka Tona.
