The Atlanta Way: How Education Eats Its Own

Some time ago I began a series on The Atlanta Way. I focused on how various aspects of the city eat their own. I began a piece on Atlanta Public Schools, as I have a child in the system and my neighborhood is divided into two different clusters. Almost every kid around me is enrolled in one of APS’s public schools. In the midst of the experiences with our neighborhood children, my own experiences within the school system, and living and voting in Atlanta, the new APS Superintendent was sought and found. I like him. In fact, he gives me new faith in the future of APS. Dare I say, if he ran for Mayor, he would have my vote. I watched via live stream all of the Townhalls that introduced Dr. Johnson and then I attended all ten of the APS Superintendent Listening Sessions. I’ve gone to every Strategic Meeting they’ve had (I think) save two and while I have come late to others- I’ve enjoyed participating each time. While I had an entire piece written months ago, I had to go back and rework it multiple times over the course of months. As a result, I’ve turned The Atlanta Way series into a subseries, specifically focusing on APS. There’s just too much here to try to cram it into one epicly long piece. This is the beginning of that series and I hope you will allow me the kindness of walking with me through each one. I also have some specific recommendations for legislators, and will list them immediately below, in case you don’t take the time to read the piece.

1. Use APS’s trauma assessment as a model for school systems across the state. Fund and implement this across all Georgia schools.
2. Assess and allocate state funding specifically for wound kits with hemostatic dressing and chest seals for every classroom in Georgia- not just their hallways. Whatever the cost is, it pales in comparison to the loss of a loved one.
3. Invite Superintendent Johnson to meet with Speaker Burns regarding what his schools are doing regarding school safety, literacy rates, and behavioral mitigation..
4. Move the retirement for APS bus drivers in our state from the City of Atlanta managed to a state oriented one, similar to teachers. Maybe other cities/ counties too? Can we create a pool that creates a competitive market for attracting bus drivers to our state? In a nationwide bus driver shortage, that remains after legislators upped the budget last year, Imma need us to be creative AND competitive.
5. While we’re at it, may we provide every student in Georgia with a free public transit option in their locality? Mine is MARTA, and FK uses the Breeze app like a champ. But if we want to address equity, transportation access is a good place to begin.

I have been hesitant to write about Atlanta Public Schools. Generally, I feel like everyone in and outside of politics is really excited about any shiny new thing that is charter schools rather than addressing the deep, necessary changes needed in public education and interactions with minors. We have more data and research than we can possibly employ. And don’t get me started on the ‘wars’ people engage in around kids, curriculum, and who should teach what. I feel like APS gets a lot of flack from Georgia politicos who don’t see the difference between the Board of Education, APS’s administration, or the classroom experience.  To be really frank, I don’t see this nuance from politicos about any district. It’s also always far easier to criticize than to get in the thick of things to create. When one talks about education there’s also just a lot here. So while I had originally written this as a single piece as a part of my series on The Atlanta Way, I found the piece was too long individually and I’ve divided it up into subsets that I hope are more digestible on their own. 

Let me clear something out of the way:

Identity politics regarding bathrooms and sports are primary season issues that get in the way of good governance that recognizes everyone is entitled to respect and dignity in our country. I need less men “protecting” women’s sports and more adequate funding and infrastructure regarding high school sports in this state than any more policies against trans folks. (If you want a common enemy to unite us, may I offer the High School Sports Association? Now those are some folks who need reigning in, IMHO.) An unfortunate by-product of these awful bills mean they also create an environment where kids who just want to be themselves get kicked out of their homes and end up on the street, in foster care, or in prison. Folks thinking they are protecting girls’ sports by limiting how we define genders is really the epitome of misogyny and leaves out a HEAP of history where some of my personal friends competed across defined gender lines in sports. So while many under the Gold Dome think they’re “protecting girls’ sports”, you might confer with Commissioner Powers and Broce, about how your legislation is contributing to their numbers. If you don’t see a link, let’s have a cocktail or coffee, and I’d be happy to explain what my household has personally experienced.

Like the previous pieces, I’ll demonstrate here how Atlanta also likes to eat its own in terms of education. We seem to go through Superintendents like tissue paper. Here, I am going to narrowly discuss things that are my personal experiences and/or experiences with families around me. You know, the usual, I’m using myself as the policy guinea pig. The challenges I present here are not new, yet we don’t seem to be able to do more than weed out certain children and/or kick the can down the road. That’s if and when parents can even get an answer! There seems to be little looking at systematic approaches, which leaves me both puzzled and frustrated. This may seem like small potatoes, but as the nation with the largest per capita incarceration rate on the globe and the state with the highest level of incarcerated people in the country, dare I say unless we’re ok with the idea of private prisons growing as a secondary agricultural industry in Georgia, I will kindly suggest we roll up our sleeves and get into the weeds of how we climb out of this mess. And lest you in the Gold Dome representing OTP districts think this doesn’t require your action, fear not! There are opportunities for you as well! Finally, I will leave you with the hope I have found in the form of the new APS Super. I have reason to believe the light at the end of the tunnel is, in fact, a new higher ground for Georgia, not just another train coming to Terminus.

Let’s start with the structures and system as is and one of my favorite topics: the codified theft that is taxes.

The fact is, APS receives the largest part of my property tax bill and really seems to steward it poorly. The current Superintendent has made the public well aware of the current $105M deficit. I feel badly for him. He didn’t create this problem, but he’s willing to lean in and fix it. The previous Supers and Boards of Education are actually to blame for this situation. I haven’t forgotten about how Atlanta Council Member Matt Westmoreland, Senator/Gubernatorial Candidate Jason Esteves, and Courtney English, along with Super Meria Carstarphen gave Governor Nathan Deal’s advisor, Erin Hames, a $100K no-bid contract even though the OSD legislation failed at the ballot box. I also haven’t forgotten about previous Super Lisa Herring having a luncheon with Affairs to Remember to cater it along with the $300 custom jackets the students wore to it. 

Add in the undervaluing of commercial property by Arthur Ferdinand’s office, as well as the members of the Development Authority of Fulton County (I’m looking at you, newly established, Treasury Secretary Brandon Beach) that give tax abatements to folks like Elon Musk, for graphics cards that will be slag in two years, should be run out of Fulton County on a rail for shifting the fair burden of taxes that those commercial properties should bear to residential homeowners like myself. My understanding is that this is not considered criminal ONLY because you FINE folks in the legislature haven’t found time and ink to make it so. I’m all for inviting business, but I guess I’m old-fashioned and like the idea of growing small businesses in our state versus mortgaging our children’s future for the sake of yet another data center. Arthur Ferdinand’s solid hold on his seat boggles my mind almost as much as how Treasury Secretary Brandon Beach calls himself a conservative after giving away our tax abatements like the Sacklers handed out pills.This mismanagement of our tax digest is not a Democrat or Republican issue. Both wholeheartedly are misappropriating resources, thinking gaining a buck in the short term is better than investing in our children for the long haul. I’m rather tired of the playing fast and loose with the newest gimmick and my tax dollars. 

And what about the school board? 

Like any elected office, APS Board of Education members should be changed early and often. This isn’t meant toward or against any member specifically- I know and admire many of the board members. I just struggle to find a bigger picture approach to thinking there as much as I would like. I find the dearth of problem-solving ability to be sort of shameful. I always want to be kind to Board of Education folks because I feel like they get paid the least to deal with the most ire with the fewest supports. When clients have come to me in the past saying they wanted to run for School Board I genuinely have tried to talk them out of it. Yet I find APS’s Board of Ed seems more of either a means of insurance or a launching point for higher office. I’m not even mad at the latter, if the members running for office have done meaningful work during their tenure, but I don’t find that’s always the practice with the Board of Education here, with more and more board members running for another office while still occupying the seat they currently hold. The names Courtney English, Matt Westmoreland, Jason Esteves and the latest- Eshé Collins-come to mind. 

In contrast, I have found most of the teachers in the classroom to be striving to make a difference. My child had a French teacher this past year whose policies and rigorous discipline was something my husband and I both welcomed. It was refreshing, honestly. His syllabus had to be read aloud to us and signed by us. FK’s Algebra teacher, support team, and coach poured into FK like no other and this ensured FK not only made the Honor Roll, but has a new found confidence my husband and I alone could not provide. FK was in the Honors American Government and Civics class this year- and that’s not because of us. These teachers, coaches, and support staff are the under-resourced change makers and heroes that are literally working miracles every day. I would prefer to give them the salaries found in the central office and the unfettered ability to do what they need to do in their classrooms to make a difference. They know the children in their midst, and know what needs to be done to support them. Anything from rewarding good attendance with hot takis to cotton candy cakes at the end of the year. 

What I’ve also found is that many APS teachers have some background in mental health practices. As in, they’ve worked in mental health facilities and employ some of the same tactics in the classroom as what they’ve done in previous jobs. This may seem like an odd thing to celebrate, but if you’ve been around young people lately, kids are SUPER anxious, need encouragement, A LOT of tolerance with bad attitude and language, and the ability to see that anxiety sometimes often shows up as anger. There’s also a tremendous amount of knowledge and research we have around trauma’s influence on development and behavior. These skills are INCREDIBLY helpful in reaching and modeling for kids who are at super formative points in their maturity and don’t have a lot of positive models around them to demonstrate understanding, empathy, and healthy conflict resolution.  

I was MOST impressed with FK’s new Interim Principal when he spoke to our Parent, Teacher, Student Association (PTSA) meeting saying something to the effect of, ‘Kids aren’t going to say to one another “You hurt my feelings”. Instead, they’re going to say “Try me”. What we, as adults have to do, is some translation to understand what’s really going on.’ I find this to be true on many levels and the relationship building this Principal demonstrates as a foundational aspect of his approach to leading the school is one I believe demonstrates his knowledge beyond his years. He will be confirmed at tonight’s Board of Education meeting as the next Principal, and I believe this was a wise choice.

He also believes in building relationships.

Relationship building is not hard within APS, if you try. While attending the APS Listening Sessions, yours truly made the first comment and the last comment, and both were in regards to getting the systems within the school to work together. I would say that while I may be frustrated that Infinite Campus doesn’t seem to talk to Google Classroom anymore than the Remind app, at least APS has these tools, and I have access to the information within them. I am able to see grades and attendance as they are added to the system AND I can email teachers directly if I have questions. FK’s school needs to update the school website with various contact info, but for the most part, you can talk to who you need to talk to and can develop relationships with folks within APS. It may take months, but it can be done. 

During the Senate Committee Meetings on Foster Care, I wrote previously of APS’s policy to assess the trauma of every single child who enters into their system faces. It is a model my husband has passed onto state legislators in other states while he worked for the Council of State Governments who recognize the impact trauma has on children. Other state legislators recognized Atlanta’s foresight. I ask the state of Georgia to do the same. 

May I kindly suggest to state legislators that we assess every child in Georgia for the trauma they’ve experienced? If APS can do it, so can any other school system here. May we make this a Georgia standard with funding to accompany it? I despise unfunded mandates.

APS does not stop there. 

Their partnership with Chris180 and Hazelhealth are two mental health resources that are trying to work through the needs of APS’s kids, not just ignore them. While I have to patiently wait for Atlanta City Council to grow the budget of PADS, APS has already partnered with these entities to address kids’ needs BEFORE they are legally recognized adults. They provide service via telehealth appointments and within school settings to help normalize mental health wellness in the midst of soccer and drama practice. 

Equity in education is a foundational challenge for APS, and was an oft-discussed topic in the recent townhalls and Superintendent Listening Sessions.  More than just providing breakfast and lunch (as all Title I schools do) APS provides food to the community-no questions asked, an APS Hub that has multiple services, including a grocery store for families to “shop” at that has brand-name items and fresh produce, washers and dryers in some school locations for kids to do their laundry, and all after school events have a transportation component included in their logistics planning because MARTA still can’t figure out how to serve our city effectively while they’re also looking for that $70M they lost and have been fighting with the Mayor over. In a funny aspect of deja-vu, we’re in a nationwide bus driver shortage while we maintain separate buses for MARTA, GRETA, Cobb Linc, the Stinger (GT), Fulton Co. Schools buses, as well as APS buses all while APS’s bus driver retirement is managed by the City of Atlanta due to the two originally being integrated. I wonder if we didn’t have so many individual entities competing over the same drivers if we might have some means of scaling and resolving transportation challenges here. In the classroom, kids are provided computers to do their work, teachers provide hours after-school to help kids beyond just the classroom, and if the kid (like the one in my household) has some off days along the course of the quarter, APS provides them with the opportunity to make the assignments up for partial credit. 

I think APS should be praised for these aspects, aside from the individual work with children each teacher, coach, and parapro does from separating fighting kids to encouraging them in the areas they love. I know of teachers, coaches, and JROTC leaders who personally drive kids home at night after games and activities. For these folks, their work is a calling, not just a J-O-B.

What I find APS schools (and probably Georgia schools as a whole) lack are funds and systems to strategically move from existing to thriving. APS is currently facing a $105M deficit. In the listening sessions I’ve attended, all following the tragedy in Apalachee High, I learned that APS keeps wound care kits in every hall. Wound care kits, I’ve learned from my church, are for active shooter situations and can involve anything from basic bandaids for cuts to super tampons and hemostatic dressing to clot blood to keep victims from bleeding out. My church includes chest seals, in the event of a collapsed lung. But if in a lockdown all classrooms are locked (as they should be during any school day to prevent entry), then putting these wound care kits in the hallway forces folks involved in an active shooter situation to ask themselves if they want to risk their life to potentially save their friend and teacher from bleeding out. 

So while state legislators aren’t ready to regulate guns more, can you please consider providing funds at $500/ classroom in Georgia across all 181 school districts with a wound care kit so they won’t bleed to death? If you need me to do the research for that Fiscal Note, I’m happy to do it. In the meantime, yours truly has committed to raising funds to ensure FK’s school is covered while y’all dither about the dollars and cents. 

I’m willing to put my money where my mouth is… are y’all?

Additionally, if I may be so bold, may I recommend the Speaker of the House invite Superintendent Johnson for some meetings? I am grateful for the legislation Speaker Burns brought regarding gun safety in schools this past session. I also know that APS schools are doing heavier lifting than I see in the City of Atlanta or Fulton County for addressing behaviors in kids that might be criminalized outside the schools. I know personally how hard APS is working to both hold kids accountable, and modeling for kids how they SHOULD act in society- even when they don’t have that example at home. Perhaps the Superintendent might offer some insight to what his teachers are seeing on the ground before (and I hesitate to write this) his students become the new residents of prisons across rural Georgia. We all know that literacy rates in third grade are what prisons use to determine their holding capacity, right?

These aren’t the only challenges within APS or Georgia, and I’m not trying to elevate APS unnecessarily, but I know from my personal experience in the system AND what I see from staff, parents, and the CULTURE here, that the page is turning. I’m planning on being an active participant in making this chapter better than the last. While I have ZERO faith in the City Council of Atlanta, Mayor Dickens, or the Department of City Planning, I can tell you I’ll bet my bottom dollar on Atlanta Public Schools. They’re fighting the good fight, and need our help to do it. I’ll be at tonight’s Board of Education, along with FK and Eric the Younger, my husband. I hope you’ll join us and hear what the new APS budget entails. Here’s the youtube link if you cannot be present in person.