This Q&A is part of our coverage of the 2024 elections. To contribute to our election coverage fundraiser, click here.

All Decaturish elections coverage can be found at Decaturishvotes.com

DeKalb County Board of Education District 3 includes the DeKalb School of the Arts, McNair High School, and Oak View Elementary School. To see a district map, click here. Early voting in the May 21 primary election begins on April 29. To view your ballot for the May 21 primary election, visit the Georgia Secretary of State’s My Voter page by clicking here.

The DeKalb County Board of Education District 3 candidates are incumbent Deirdre Pierce and Deidra Rossell Wright. Decaturish has invited the candidates to participate in a forum on Wednesday,  April 17, from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. To see the forum on Facebook live (click here) and on Twitch (click here). The forum will also be uploaded to the Decaturish YouTube Channel, which you can see by clicking here.

Here are the candidates’ responses to our Q&A. They are presented in the order in which they were received and have not been edited.

Deirdre P. Pierce (Incumbent)

Campaign website and social media pages: @deirdreppierce; dppierce.boed3, Facebook

What is your occupation? School board member, District 3

What is the neighborhood you call home? Gresham Park in South DeKalb

Can you tell us anything about yourself or your life that you think is important for voters to know?

I am a lifelong learner, have been a world-traveler, and am a staunch advocate for social justice and public education.

Why are you running for this position?

I am running for re-election because I firmly believe in the transformative work that is being accomplished and the amazing opportunities that lie ahead for our youth.

Why are you a better candidate than your opponents?

I have spent the last 3 years & 3 months actually serving on the board, and I feel that my accomplishments, team efforts, and dedication to improving our district have ignited a sense of hope and accountability in our district.

If elected, what are your top two or three priorities? 

My top priorities are: to continue to keep everyone safe in our schools; address and provide additional resources that target the social/emotional concerns of our students and staff; and support the superintendent’s plans to Improve student achievement by having highly qualified teachers in all classes.

In your opinion, what is the role of a school board member?

To hire a Superintendent to implement the vision and mission of the district and oversee its daily operation; set and review policies that govern the district; continually review curriculum choices for evidence-based results benefitting students; and provide transparency in reporting information to stakeholders.

How, in your opinion, should school board members conduct themselves?

Board members must conduct themselves professionally and respectfully at all times; work collaboratively to benefit all students and employees; be prepared for board meetings; and as role models to many, never, under any circumstances publicly demean another individual.

What is your opinion of the school board’s current structure, and what changes would you make, if any?

In my opinion, our current structure of seven board members is very effective. Though each board member is elected by voters from specific areas, our overall job is to support the entirety of DeKalb students/employees. I don’t support adding super-district members again since current board members already serve as support members in areas that tend to overlap.

What is your experience in managing budgets, and what is the largest budget you have personally managed?

My prior experience in managing budgets was with relatively small community based groups, but since being elected to the Board of Education, the largest budget I’m now responsible for, along with my six other colleagues, is our current $2+ billion dollar budget that supports and estimated 93,000 students and 14,500 employees.

What should the school district’s spending priorities be?

Our spending priorities should always be focused on Instruction – to improve the academic and social-emotional outcomes for students; Operations – to keep everyone “safe, warm and dry” by upgrading and maintaining our facilities on a regular rotating schedule; and provide quality pay for our employees.

How do you plan to address the current challenges facing our school district, and what strategies do you propose to address them?

As always, I will collaborate with our superintendent, my colleagues, stakeholders and our legal team, if needed, to come to terms with whatever it is we need to deal with. Based on the data provided, I will be fair and equitable in my decision-making.

Can you provide examples of successful initiatives you’ve undertaken that demonstrate your ability to bring about positive change in educational settings?

Successful initiatives are – requiring district leaders who are requesting approval of agenda items to include detailed, evidence-based information at board meetings; serving as the Audit Committee Chair with other team mates has improved transparency; utilizing Robert’s Rules of Order and our Board Code of Ethics has been helpful in decision-making; and hosting five (5) Cluster-based Town Hall meetings that specifically targeted the achievement levels and plans for improvement at all schools in each cluster.

How do you propose addressing teacher burnout and streamlining bureaucratic processes to ensure educators can focus more on teaching and less on administrative burdens? Can you provide specific proposals you have in mind to alleviate these challenges?

The implementation and expansion of in-school ZEN rooms and S.(school) A.(and) F..(family) E.(engagement) centers have been very helpful in providing safe spaces for teachers and students to decompress during the day. The new Area Superintendents alignment provides a full range of support team members for school personnel. Our Para-to Teachers and Teacher Residency programs will also take some of the pressure off of our teachers. I fully supported our 2024-25 calendar which includes two additional weeklong breaks to allow teachers and students to rejuvenate.

What is your opinion of the current superintendent? Would you support renewing the current superintendent’s contract?

Superintendent Dr. Devon Q. Horton is a breath of “fresh air” to DeKalb! He is a visionary whose dedication to advancing student achievement through well-thought-out processes and accountability is ever present; he communicates regularly with stakeholders via The Thought Exchange; he respects and supports teachers and school leaders; cares about students and their families, and works collaboratively with our board. Yes, I support renewing Dr. Horton’s contract! Stability with accountability is of primary importance to me.

Do you think it’s time to examine school attendance zones? If so, what will be your approach to rezoning in DeKalb County Schools?

Yes, we must address school attendance zones as we have experienced population shifts. Though this may be a difficult process, consistently providing real-time data with a proposed plan that involves rigorous stakeholder engagement will help in its acceptance. I fully support Supt. Horton’s “proposed” plan to establish a Student Assignment Committee to start the process of reviewing all aspects of our district.

In April 2022, Gov. Brian Kemp signed House Bill 1084, also known as the “Protect Students First Act,” that outlaws the teaching of “divisive concepts” related to race. What is your opinion of this legislation?

While race plays an integral part in American History, I signed the required state document signifying my /our district’s adherence to the law.

In April 2022, Gov. Brian Kemp signed House Bill 1178, also known as the “Parents Bill of Rights.” The bill says parents have a right to “direct the upbringing and education of their minor children.” It also says schools cannot withhold information about children from parents. What is your opinion of this legislation?

I have no problem with our district allowing parents the right to information about their minor children. However, there are specific stipulations included in the Bill that, as a board member, I have to trust the judgement of those in charge to make the appropriate decisions.

Do you support allowing transgender students to use school facilities that align with their gender identity?

In the absence of a clear district policy and Georgia law, if a school can provide designated facilities for transgender students, that would be preferable.

Cognia, the school district’s accrediting agency, has criticized board members for pursuing narrow personal interests over the district’s needs. Do you agree with that assessment, and if so, would you be willing to prioritize the needs of school communities outside your district?

COGNIA previously stated that our board appeared not to be acting in the best interest of the district as a whole, but our 2024 rating was “improving” in that respect and I’m very proud of that. I will always work cohesively with our superintendent and my colleagues for the benefit of ALL students throughout the district and not just for my own.

If elected, do you promise to conduct yourself in an ethical and transparent manner? What will you do to promote ethics and transparency in government?

I absolutely do promise to continue operating in that manner. We sign our Oath annually. The best way to promote ethics and transparency in government is to model it, and then hold others accountable, by way of our documents, to do the same.

Deidra Rossell Wright

Campaign website and social media pages: www.linktr.ee/dwfordistrict3

What is your occupation? Teacher

What is the neighborhood you call home? South DeKalb/Newberry Downs Subdivision

Can you tell us anything about yourself or your life that you think is important for voters to know?

I am not only a candidate running for this school board office. I am a mother, wife and teacher that is passionate about helping my community members and students reach their potential in the midst of a broken system that often fails to acknowledge the needs of the under resourced and under informed community members.

Why are you running for this position?

To make real change to make school safe emotional and physically for my children and the children within my community.

Why are you a better candidate than your opponents?

I have worked and advocated for progressive change in education for years. I have attended meetings, served as a member of the principal advisory council at Columbia Elementary, wrote board members, and legislators advocating for change in the curriculum and school safety. It hasn’t always been easy to access my board members and I aim to be hands on and visible in the community as I already am. Alongside working for change in legislation I am constantly working to be a more informed and equipped educator. I was recently awarded the Pulitzer Center teacher fellowship for 2023-2024 and recently I was awarded the Foreign Policy Association Teachers Fellowship. I am constantly researching, studying to figure out solutions to improve education. I also worked with PAHLS a non-profit to bring schools in my district grants and support to start and fund gardens. I have also secured funding for my school. I work hard to bring resources to my community and I am sure my opponent has done a lot but I come to the table with a different lens that’s authentically progressive and ready to put in the necessary work to bring change for ALL. I aim to be a hands on board member, on the ground and engaged with the community to hear the needs of the community and support the needs of the people.

If elected, what are your top two or three priorities?  

1. Teacher Retention! and Refinement 2. School Safety

In your opinion, what is the role of a school board member?

A school board member guides, builds, supports, and directs the school district. Hires, creates programming and advocates for change in legislation that can positively impact the students within the district. A board member also seeks to inform and educate the parents, teachers and students within the community.

How, in your opinion, should school board members conduct themselves?

School Board Members should conduct themselves as professionals, must transparent, GREAT with informing the public, stay in the loop about educational legislation and policies and be committed to serving the community and growing professionally.

What is your opinion of the school board’s current structure, and what changes would you make, if any?

The structure is not fine. I would implement advisory councils for each district that would meet regularly and a finance advisory council. It is important to open space at the table for multiple perspectives to be heard. Clayton County has a board advisory council for each district and I have served on the board for three years to advocate for change.

What is your experience in managing budgets, and what is the largest budget you have personally managed?

My husband and I had a cleaning service for 20 years and I managed his records for him and our budget was 250k and I had a hair business and our budget was 500k a year.

What should the school district’s spending priorities be?

1. School Safety and Student Support Services 2.Teacher Retention and Refinement/Professional Development 3. Facilities Upgrades and Upkeep/ Curriculum and Instructional Materials and Support

How do you plan to address the current challenges facing our school district, and what strategies do you propose to address them?

Overcrowded classrooms is a major challenge that all districts are facing and I propose that teacher retention programs are implemented to keep our teachers. If we are fully staffed and the staff is happy then our students are happy and eager to learn because the environment is a pleasant one.

Can you provide examples of successful initiatives you’ve undertaken that demonstrate your ability to bring about positive change in educational settings?

The teachers morale was extremely low at the high school that I work at and to combat the negativity I started the Sunshine Club at our school to support the staff and improve our school climate. I worked to connect Columbia Elementary School with Hands on Atlanta to do a school enhancement beautification project on MLK day and connected the school with Emory University to create a mural. Working hard to make sure that the school climate is positive is what I do.

How do you propose addressing teacher burnout and streamlining bureaucratic processes to ensure educators can focus more on teaching and less on administrative burdens? Can you provide specific proposals you have in mind to alleviate these challenges?

Teacher retention and hiring more support staff are all important in eliminating teacher burnout. We can reduce the amount of instructional days to allow teachers time to review and complete administrative tasks. For example: Students will attend study hall on Monday’s to catch up and teachers will have the opportunity to review data, grade and tier assignments. That is one proposal that I have to alleviate some challenges that we face as educators to retrieve data, track it, analyze it and customize assignments.

What is your opinion of the current superintendent? Would you support renewing the current superintendent’s contract?

He has jumping in and started working with the mess he was given. He has came through on a lot of his promises and he has more work to do. I would support renewing the current superintendent’s contract to give him time to continue the work he has started to be able to make a clear decision on if he is competent or not.

Do you think it’s time to examine school attendance zones? If so, what will be your approach to rezoning in DeKalb County Schools?

No.

In April 2022, Gov. Brian Kemp signed House Bill 1084, also known as the “Protect Students First Act,” that outlaws the teaching of “divisive concepts” related to race. What is your opinion of this legislation?

I fought against this legislation and lobbied against it. It is unclear and it censors teachers from teaching the truth.

In April 2022, Gov. Brian Kemp signed House Bill 1178, also known as the “Parents Bill of Rights.” The bill says parents have a right to “direct the upbringing and education of their minor children.” It also says schools cannot withhold information about children from parents. What is your opinion of this legislation?

I am not opposed to sharing my plans with my parents and students because I upload my plans at the beginning of the year but at times my plans change based on my students interest or lack of and I do not have a problem with providing parents access to the materials I teach because I want my parents to be involved and connected to the learning process. However, I have been called out for teaching about reparations by parents who disagreed with what I was teaching and to be called into the office over teaching truth was hurtful. If the state wants to retain teachers we should trust their judgement and let them do what they are professionally certified to do, which is to teach.

Do you support allowing transgender students to use school facilities that align with their gender identity?

Yes, I do. I also support teachers adhering to pronouns.

Cognia, the school district’s accrediting agency, has criticized board members for pursuing narrow personal interests over the district’s needs. Do you agree with that assessment, and if so, would you be willing to prioritize the needs of school communities outside your district?

I am willing to prioritize the needs of ALL students within my district.

If elected, do you promise to conduct yourself in an ethical and transparent manner? What will you do to promote ethics and transparency in government?

I will conduct myself ethically and transparent and in order to do this I plan on going out into the community, sending newsletter out and hosting engagement events to talk with community members and work to bring needed change.

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