Atlanta Board of Education District Races Preview: District 5

Broadcast version of this story.

The district 5 winner will become one of the newest members of the APS Board.

IT software developer and candidate Raynard Johnson says the new board needs to tackle the issue of overcrowded classrooms.

“We need to trim the administrative costs with a scalpel, not a butcher knife from downtown and redirect those savings to hiring more teachers and lowering the classroom sizes.”

Mary Louise Palmer is an academic coach that works with APS high school students.

She says doing that type of work has now prepared her to become a school board member.

“I know that we have a disconnect between our parents and our community. And we have a disconnect in terms of our resources.”

Palmer says she sees and hears on a daily basis the frustration parents have with the district.

Charles Lawrence says he’s proud to be a product of the Atlanta Public Schools.

The Howard graduate and real estate business owner told WABE he hopes to bring a parental viewpoint to the Board that he believes has been overlooked.

“I think the Atlanta Public Schools system should advocate for all schools across all income levels.”

A fourth candidate Steven Lee did not return calls for an interview.

Notes of disclosure.

Candidate Raynard Johnson was a recent panelist on a high school dropout forum sponsored by Public Broadcasting Atlanta and the American Graduate partnership.

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