Atlanta Board of Education District Races Preview: District 4

WABE’s Rose Scott previews APS district 4.

Broadcast version of this story.

The two candidates in the North Atlanta district are incumbent Nancy Meister and challenger Taryn Chilivis Bowman.

Meister admits there were many problems with the board in her first term.

“I learned a lot from that process, but I really haven’t had the chance to do the great work that I think this board can do. And while we had our challenges, I do believe the board really addressed them. Now we’re really in a position to move forward.”

Bowman is a former first grade teacher and has kids in APS.

She says the only way to make the board function is to replace the current members

“They were put on probation. They almost lost accreditation for our high school children because they couldn’t get along as a board and they were fighting and suing each other. You’re a district representative. You have to work as a board and that means you work for the whole Atlanta Public School system.”

And both say changes must be made to ensure the district’s financial health.     

Bowman says that’s an area of expertise she wants to bring to the board.

“I’ve been in the film industry for twenty-five plus years. I’ve studied finance and accounting through college and I ended up in accounting in the film industry and set budgeting in working with multi-million dollar movies and writing computer programs to balance budgets.”

Nancy Meister says it’s the board’s responsibility to set a budget framework not the details.

“That means the board setting priorities for the superintendent and the administration so that they can develop and present a budget to the board that has the board’s priorities in line.”

Both Meister and Bowman agree that hiring a new superintendent is priority one.

*WABE’s broadcast license is held by the Atlanta Board of Education.