Education
Education

APS school chief: Atlanta has history of inequity. School system is ‘canary in the mine.’

Inman Middle School is one of the most desirable schools in APS, and parents have and would resist any rezoning efforts. (APS Photo)

Credit: Maureen Downey

Credit: Maureen Downey

Inman Middle School is one of the most desirable schools in APS, and parents have and would resist any rezoning efforts. (APS Photo)
By Maureen Downey
March 1, 2017

THIRD OF NINE VIDEO SEGMENTS

With Atlanta Public Schools proposing school closings, I sat down with Superintendent Meria Carstarphen for a long and far-ranging video interview on the district. AJC multimedia journalist Erica Hernandez broke the interview into nine short segments. (Two to three minutes.)

Here is a link to the first.

Here is a link to the second segment.

Here is a link to the fourth segment

I will share the rest over the next two weeks.

In this segment, Carstarphen addresses Atlanta's history of inequities, which she describes as deep and wide.

About the Author

Maureen Downey has written editorials and opinion pieces about local, state and federal education policy since the 1990s.

Follow Maureen Downey on facebookFollow Maureen Downey on twitter
More Stories

Keep Reading

A 1-year-old receives the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine at a clinic in Texas. Of the nearly 2,000 U.S. measles cases reported this year, 93% of those who were infected were unvaccinated or their vaccination status was unknown, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Images)

Credit: Getty Images

Will measles outbreak spread to Georgia? With holiday travel, it could.

Georgia health experts recommend getting up to date on vaccinations before traveling for the holidays.

Rockdale parents call for change amid complaints of teachers assaulting kids

Rockdale County faces scrutiny as parents push for better safeguards after teachers allegedly harmed students.

Fulton schools police officer put on leave after allegedly tasing a student

A video of the incident, which involved a student at Langston Hughes High School in Fairburn, is making the rounds on social media.

The Latest

A 1-year-old receives the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine at a clinic in Texas. Of the nearly 2,000 U.S. measles cases reported this year, 93% of those who were infected were unvaccinated or their vaccination status was unknown, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Images)

Credit: Getty Images

Will measles outbreak spread to Georgia? With holiday travel, it could.

Rockdale parents call for change amid complaints of teachers assaulting kids

Clayton County school superintendent announces retirement

Featured

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney — pictured during a hearing Monday, Dec. 15, 2025 — has cleared the way for Georgia's State Election Board to obtain Fulton ballots and other documents from the 2020 election. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC

Judge keeps alive subpoenas of Fulton County’s 2020 ballots

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney clears the way for Georgia's State Election Board to obtain Fulton ballots and other documents from the 2020 election.

Winter’s here, but warmer forecast means snow is far from certain

Despite recent frigid temperatures, this season might feel more like a typical late fall in the Peach State, making for slim chances to see any snow.

Philanthropy helped shape Atlanta. Here’s how that legacy endures.

Philanthropy helped shape Atlanta. And foundation-giving has had huge ripple effects not only in the metro area, but far beyond Georgia.