As a parent and leader in our public schools, I see first-hand the challenges facing our children in the classroom. Unfortunately, we have a board majority ill equipped to meet the moment because they have made the choice to disengage from the community. I am running to change the culture of our board to actively engage all families in Cobb County and make sure your voices are part of the decisions we make.
Micheal Garza for Cobb County School Board
Dedicated Father. Public Schools Advocate. Community Leader.
I am a small-business owner, long-time Cobb resident, husband, and father of a nine-year-old who attends a Cobb elementary school. I’m an active leader in our public schools, as a leader in PTA, as co-founder of an organization that advocates for our students, and as a member of state educational advocacy groups who frequently holds town halls and community events about legislation that affects our schools.
In my work in our schools, I strive to be a positive role model for my daughter in how we connect with those around us and stand up when we see a need in our community, even when it doesn’t affect us personally.
Supporting Positive Learning Environments For Our Kids
As a community leader, I have seen the positive things that can happen in our classrooms when we foster healthy relationships between parents and educators. The laughter of a classroom when a father reads a passage from their kid’s favorite book. The smile on the face of a caregiver when their child with exceptionalities is recognized for their achievements throughout the year.
While we may be divided politically, I see the promise of what we can do when we come together to do what is best for our kids. And I see first-hand the role positive school environments play in student success, leading to better student engagement in the classroom.
Board Leadership That Values Our Educators and Families
We have incredible teachers and staff who do fantastic things in our local schools, but we have board leadership that does not value that work. They have fired teachers for reading books, wasted millions of dollars defending election maps that divide our county along race, and overseen the elimination of special education options for families.
I am running for our school board to stand up for our students, families educators in ALL of Cobb, not just Post 4. As your board member, I promise to you that my focus is going to be on actively listening to your concerns, on going out into the community regularly to engage with you, and on providing the best educational experience for our children.
Centering Our Students in the Decisions We Make as a Board
Healthy schools lead to thriving communities. My vision for Cobb County is to build a leadership culture that values the academic success and emotional well-being of every student in Cobb and regularly engages with families throughout the county to give them a voice in the educational experience of their children. My priorities as a school board member are…
Improving Student Safety & Well-Being
Parents, teachers, and community leaders play vital roles in promoting a safe learning environment for our kids and should be part of our plans on safety and mental health.
Strengthening Parent-Teacher Relationships
Our leadership should recognize that our children do better when parents and teachers are seen as partners, not adversaries, in our children’s education.
Saying No to Partisan-Driven Board Leadership
Policies and actions by our board are being driven by political partisanship that has done harm to our students and our teachers. Our focus should be on education, not elections.
Better Serving Our Children With Disabilities
We should measure student success not just by Milestone scores or graduation rates but on how well we provide services to students with IEPs and in special education.
Building Critical Thinking Skills In Our Kids
Rather than banning books, we should trust educators to prepare our kids for the real world through robust discussion of diverse perspectives in the classroom.
Support Our Campaign
Your contribution will help us spread our message to the residents of Post 4 and maximize turnout for our campaign. Every vote matters and will determine the direction of our school district for years to come.