The race for the Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education continues to heat up, and another candidate has entered the race against District 4 incumbent Nancy Meister.
Taryn Chilivis Bowman, small business owner and film production accountant, has announced that she will run for the District 4 Atlanta Board of Education seat.
Here is her official release:
"Bowman views the desire for more APS achievements, lower class sizes, a balanced budget, and giving each cluster control of its own budget to promote greater community involvement as her primary reasons for seeking office.
'Instead of raising the budget, we need to effectively manage the budget. It's not right to expect teachers to manage more and more students while allocating budget money to administrative costs. That money should go into hiring new teachers and fairly compensating the ones that we have. Principals need to be empowered to hire the teachers that they deem qualified within their given budget. That is what is best for the students and what is best for the teachers.'
Bowman pointed out that we need to transform the budget and cut unnecessary spending rather than increasing property taxes to compensate for a mismanaged budget.
Bowman also noted the importance of hiring a new superintendent.
'Hiring a new superintendent with experience, proven integrity and leadership skills will impact Atlanta for years to come. What we need is an A team. Right now APS is not on that level. I can help accomplish this.'
'I really believe that APS is at an impasse,' said Bowman. 'When you look at my opponent’s record, I do not think you will find any evidence that she has been an integral part in moving APS in the direction of excellence.'
Bowman noted that the current interim superintendent has been in office for more than two years now without any prospects of a new superintendent on the table. Bowman is a strong supporter of the Atlanta Public School system, with three daughters attending APS schools.
She has a passion for education and a heart for children. Bowman said that she feels her vested interest in public schools will serve as a great motivator to spurn change within the school system.
'All children deserve the opportunity for an excellent education. The APS is poised to excel if we commit to raising the bar and not settling for apathy and politics impeding our progress!' says Bowman.
Taryn Chilivis Bowman is a former teacher and youth director, as well as a former employee of the Georgia Department of Labor's Distance Learning Center. Bowman has also worked as a budgeting executive in the film industry in Georgia and California. She is an active member of the Church of the Apostles."
Bowman can be reached at 404-848-9898 or by email at voteforbowman@gmail.com. More information can be found at her website at www.voteforbowman.com.
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