Atlanta School Board candidates debate budget, possible school closures

ATLANTA - Parents, teachers and community leaders gathered Tuesday night at The Ali at Lakewood Center in southeast Atlanta to hear from candidates running for the Atlanta Board of Education.

Thirteen candidates are competing for four open seats in Districts 2, 4 and 6, as well as the citywide District 8 seat. Only eight took part in the forum, where much of the discussion centered on the school system’s nearly $1.85 billion budget and the possibility of future school closures.

What they're saying:

District 8 candidate Royce Mann said the district must stay responsible with how it uses its resources. "We need to ensure that we’re being responsible with the resources that we have," Mann said. "We have a budget of about 1.85 billion right now."

District 2 candidate Stephen Owens agreed that transparency is key. "We need to make sure that we are allocating those resources in a way that parents understand that it’s being used wisely and equitably," he said.

Other candidates raised concerns about how the district has handled money in the past. "There’s no reason that we should have mismanaged over a billion dollars," said District 6 candidate Tyrese Miller. "That just shows the need for a new voice at the table."

District 4 candidate Sanjay Mendonca said the district needs stronger financial oversight. "I do feel that we are lacking somebody with strong financial skills, and I really hope to get on the board to support our board members and APS to get this under control," he said.

The issue of potential school closures also prompted strong opinions. Mann said consolidation could be considered later but not before assessing how facilities are used. "Perhaps some consolidation needs to happen, but we shouldn’t be looking at that until we’re looking at what we can actually do with our facilities," he said.

Owens said community input must come first. "I want to go on record that I don’t want any school closings without deep community investment," he said.

District 2 candidate Tony Mitchell called schools "the heartbeat of our communities." District 8 candidate Aisha Allen Stich said data should guide the process. "I am a data-driven person," she said. "I think in some places we’re going to have to close schools."

What's next:

Early voting begins Oct. 14 and runs through Halloween. Election Day is Nov. 4.