Atlanta
(2009-11-23)
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One member says board policy does not prevent him or his colleagues from publicly supporting candidates.
WABE's Charles Edwards reports
Board members Brenda Muhammed, Ruben McDaniel, Courtney English and Khaatim El want Kasim Reed to use his state legislative ties to bring more funding to Atlanta Public Schools. Khaatim El.
EL: "The critical issue facing public education in Atlanta is funding and we need relationships at the state level to get public education right for the kids of Atlanta."
25 percent of APS' 580 million dollar annual budget is state funding. That's not enough says former board President Joe Martin. He says other school systems get almost half of their funding from the state. But Martin says the endorsement is about more than funding.
MARTIN: "So let me say a special word to all those people who may have voted for someone else in the 1st go around. That's what this gathering is all about."
However, endorsing one candidate over another could be dicey. The school board's ethics code requires members not to use their office for partisan gain. Board member El says he doesn't not interpret the policy to mean he can't make endorsements.
Board member Emmitt Johnson says he doesn't endorse candidates but didn't say why. The other 4 board members did not respond to interview requests.
Charles Edwards, WABE News.
WABE is a broadcast service of the Atlanta Public Schools. © Copyright 2010, WABE
