Opinion and Columns on Atlanta and Georgia News from The AJC

"Every public school follows the same state standards. Students take the same Georgia Milestones assessments. They all leave with the same diploma. On paper, it sounds equal. Unfortunately, reality is more complicated," write the op-ed authors. (Natrice Miller/AJC 2023)

GUEST COLUMNISTS

Georgia high school diplomas should mean something, but playing field is not level

In Georgia, more than two thirds of third graders were not reading at grade level and the state faces a teacher shortage. Students in poverty are particularly affected.

PATRICIA MURPHY

The quiet habit behind Sen. Jon Ossoff’s success

U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff sets aside a block of several hours dedicated to calling Georgians who are not expecting a call from him. The results are showing up in the polls.

NEDRA RHONE

Michelle Obama Park offers lessons about land swaps and the price of promises

Michelle Obama Park is a long-awaited addition to DeKalb County, but its history offers lessons about public land, land swaps and what communities can lose along the way.

Vickery Mill Elementary School English teaching

GUEST COLUMN

Fulton Schools superintendent: A diploma is a promise worth keeping

Fulton County Schools superintendent Mike Looney writes about the importance of ensuring students not only graduate, but are career-ready.

GET SCHOOLED

Our students are at the core of Atlanta TAD extension discussions

For Atlanta Public Schools, our decision whether or not to extend TADs carries a significant weight.

NEDRA RHONE

Nikole Hannah-Jones and the difficult school choices Black parents have faced for 150 years

Nikole Hannah-Jones’ recent New York Times essay about school choice echoes a debate Black families in Georgia have faced for generations.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson (left) at a rally in Columbus on Aug. 13, 2026, and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms at a rally in Atlanta on May 31, 2026. (Abbey Cutrer for the AJC; Arvin Temkar/AJC)

PATRICIA MURPHY

A billionaire, a one-term mayor and the most powerful job in Georgia

Republican Rick Jackson and Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms are battling for a Georgia governor's office uniquely full of power, perks and politics.

OPINION

Let’s have open and intelligent conversations with our children about AI

As lawmakers talk about the safety of artificial intelligence, schools and parents must have conversations with children to make them feel at ease with the technology.

PATRICIA MURPHY

Cathy Woolard, the consummate Atlantan, has left Atlanta for good

Cathy Woolard, former Atlanta City Council president, has relocated to North Carolina because of Atlanta's traffic, taxes and affordability. "I never thought I'd leave."

OPINION

Atlanta’s history of magnet schools offers lessons for its future

Atlanta Public Schools can learn from its history to create educational opportunities that can help all students.

NEDRA RHONE

New CDC director must overcome credibility contradiction

Dr. Erica Schwartz inherits a CDC in crisis. After her first public appearance, questions remain about whether she can restore trust in the Atlanta-based agency.