A video released on Sept. 19 shows a black man in Tulsa with his hands up before being fatally shot by a white police officer there. The next day, a black man in Charlotte, N.C., is shot by an officer there, too.

Three days later, students at North Springs Charter High School in Sandy Springs stage a sit-in sparked by an incident at the school, they say, while also paying respects to black victims in police-involved shootings.

As students begin conversations on police brutality, racial tensions, even the presidential election, school districts are struggling to define their role. While some say schools offer a space for free expression, recent incidents, including Cobb County's superintendent saying athletes would be benched for taking a knee during the national anthem and Fulton County suspending a teacher for participating in that North Springs High sit-in, show otherwise.

“If there’s an opportunity in schools to use this complex, confusing, frustrating time in our country’s history to embrace it so students can learn from it, I think that’s important for us to do,” Fulton County Schools Superintendent Jeff Rose said recently.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Oluwamodupe “Dupe” Oloyede, the FAMU Marching 100 head drum major, stands at attention ahead of the halftime performance at homecoming on Saturday, Oct. 18. 2025, in Tallahassee, Fla. At many historically Black colleges and universities, the marching band is as popular on campus as the football team. (Tia Mitchell/AJC)

Featured

Housing affordability is the top concern for metro Atlanta residents, according to a new survey. (Ben Hendren for the AJC)

Credit: Ben Hendren