The new Atlanta Public Schools superintendent doesn’t officially start for two weeks, but Meria Carstarphen has been off and running for two months — literally. In the midst of her nonstop schedule, I talked with her about the job and the expected shelf life of an urban school chief. Separately, a California court decision earlier this month outlawed teacher job protections, saying tenure laws denied students their constitutional right to an education. A guest columnist discusses the controversial court ruling; readers also share their views.

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Public Service Commission candidate Peter Hubbard gets a hug from Brionté McCorkle, executive director of Georgia Conservation Voters, during an election-night party in Southwest Atlanta on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025.  (Ben Gray for the AJC)

Credit: Ben Gray for the AJC