Editorials

Editorial by Shetia Kelty It should have been an unequivocally positive story about Westlake High School graduates preparing to take on the world. Instead, WSB-TV took a sharp and offensive turn when reporter Tyisha Fernandes characterized the school as historically failing and the 30331 zip code as a horrible place students can only hope to escape. I beg your pardon... (Editorial continues below...) Photo: Westlake celebrates the Class of 2017 by displaying the colleges where the students have been accepted. It's the same tired story mainstream media loves to play over and over again. Black students can't simply excel. They have to have overcome some type of hardship - even if it's manufactured. The narrative is not unique. It's not personal. This story angle runs in ...

By Chantrise Holliman In a recent press release from the GADOE (November 7), it was announced that they would be making changes to ensure that students taking Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses would no longer be double tested. (See Policy Change Could Eliminate 58,000 High Stakes Tests for Students) As a parent whose child took AP Courses in high school, I applaud the DOE for taking this step to eliminate additional testing for these students. As any parent of a high-achieving student can tell you, having to prepare for AP exams, IB exams, final exams, and EOC exams (End of Course) all at the same time is stressful. Add to this that most students take these exams during their Junior and Senior years when the stress of applying to college is also loomi...