Five seeking seat on Atlanta school board

By Ernie Suggs

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

After a few months of relative calm following the July resignation of former Atlanta Board of Education Chairman Khaatim Sherrer El, the school system is getting closer to filling his seat.

On Nov. 8, voters in District 2 will choose a new school board member from among Byron Amos, Angela Brown, Dwanda Farmer, Michael Jeter and Donald Walker.

All are promising, on some level, to restore order to the board and Atlanta Public Schools, which has been rocked by infighting, indecision and the nation’s largest cheating scandal.

Whoever survives the election -- likely to require a runoff -- will spend the remaining two years of El's term representing a district located in the south central part of Atlanta, encompassing the Atlanta University Center and the Bankhead Highway and Hightower road areas.

The winner also will step into the middle of a Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accreditation process and the cheating scandal, in which investigators found that 178 educators, including 38 principals, cheated. Cheating was confirmed in 44 of 56 schools examined.

Of the five candidates, Walker has come closest to actually having the office. In 2009 he finished second to El, who was re-elected with 52 percent of the vote. Walker had 26 percent.

“I am focusing on areas where we fell short in 2009. We didn’t generate support across the region,” said Walker, 50, a psychology professor at DeVry University and visiting professor at Atlanta Metropolitan College.

A graduate of the former West Fulton High School, Walker thinks his psychology background could be helpful.

“I know how to manage conflicts, and when you look at the school board, it was a dysfunctional group,” Walker said. “I think I can make a difference.”

Jeter, 48, a 1981 graduate of Booker T. Washington High School, said he has seen the school board make tremendous strides since El’s departure.

“I really want to show people that if we pull together we can make a difference in our children’s lives," said Jeter, who owns Gordon’s Body Shop.

Jeter has never run for office, but has been a PTA president and has had two children in APS.

“I have worked on school policy and we need a modification of policies that can be felt immediately,” Jeter said. “Right now, our children don’t know who to trust. So I think we can work together and help Superintendent Erroll Davis make necessary changes.”

Farmer, a grant writer, said the board could use new blood since all its members have been in office for the duration of the cheating scandal.

“We have to be honest about the realities and truthful about the choices we are facing,” Farmer said.

Farmer, 45, has run unsuccessfully three times for an at-large Atlanta City Council post.

“My goal is to be able to live in my community safely and not get murdered by a child we failed to provide a quality education to,” said Farmer, who has lived in Atlanta since 1993. “When they graduate, will they be work-ready? Will they be able to gain employment? Will they be self-sufficient and be able to take care of their children? That is what I want.”

Amos, 39, has run for office three times -- including twice for the school board.

“We need to begin to govern again and input from all stakeholders to make sure we have a system inclusive of everyone, capable of educating everyone,” said Amos, a 1999 graduate of Washington High, with three kids in APS.

Amos’ campaign stumbled early when vulgar music videos were discovered on his Facebook page. Amos, who has served as vice president of a small record label, has since taken the videos down and said the episode actually allowed him to reach out to voters.

“I was able to talk to more people and share my vision of APS and how we all have a role to play,” Amos said.

Calls to Brown, as well as social media queries, were not returned. A resident of the historic West End neighborhood, she is the executive director of First African Community Development Corp. and pastors Northern Heights Presbyterian Church.