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A NEW DEAL FOR EDUCATION IN GEORGIA
TIFFANY PENNAMON
ASSOC. WORLD & LOCAL EDITOR
tpennamo@scmail.spelman.edu
Elected in 2003 at the age
of 23, Spelman College alumna
Alisha Thomas Morgan is the first
African-American woman to
serve as the 39th District repre
sentative in the Georgia House
of Representatives. Following a
successful six-term run as a rep
resentative, Morgan officially
announced in November that
she would be running for State
School Superintendent to serve
as a vocal advocate for educa
tion rights.
The education system in
Georgia is slowly progressing as
it recovers from scandals like
the Atlanta Public Schools sys
tem cheating and schools losing
students. At the end of 2013, the
Georgia Department of Educa
tion announced that the state
saw “more than 71 percent of
high school students get a di
ploma." These students will be
entering the workforce or the 107
public, private, and technical
institutions of higher learning in
Georgia.
Morgan plans to use her
administration to empower and
assist students throughout their
matriculations to become a gen
eration of leaders. As a repre
sentative, Morgan doesn’t have
the level of grassroots influence
she would like in education.
"Today, our educational
leaders at the state level do
not feel the same urgency we
do to address our students’
needs,” she said, “Each time a
child drops out of school before
graduation, gives up on learning
to read or fails yet another math
or science test, we should all
take responsibility. Our economic
future depends on it because
these are our future leaders.”
Morgan works with the U.S. De
partment of Education, serves on
the House Education Commit
tee in the Legislature, supports
charter schools, and is a staunch
advocate for the Common Core
State Standards, a set of national
standards for K-l 2 education.
As an African-American woman,
Morgan's matriculation in the
AUC will give her more experi
ence cultivating educational
programs for the success of
students from all races, genders
and social classes.
If elected, Morgan will
have authority over the Georgia
Department of Education, which
audits the performance of public
schools and makes recommen
dations to state leaders concern
ing education spending and
policies.
“I have dedicated my
life to serving youth and to see
ing that every child has an op
portunity to succeed,” she said.
“I’m going to bring the kind of
leadership to the Department of
Education that puts students first
and brings adults together from
all communities including educa
tion, civic, faith and business. I’m
going to unite Georgians who
share the sense of urgency to
get it right for my daughter and
every child in our state.”
The general election for
State School Superintendent
takes place Nov. 4, 2014. Visit
Alisha Thomas Morgan’s website
at www.alishamorgan.com for
more information.
DEEP COTTON
KADIJAH NDOYE
WORLD AND LOCAL EDITOR
kndoye@scmail.spelman.edu
Deep Cotton, also referred to as the Punk Prophets, released
a mixtape entitled “Runaway Radio” on Sept. 25, 2013. The duo,
Nate “Rocket” Wonder and Chuck Lightning, met at Morehouse Col
lege in 2002. Their production of songs for Janelle Monae, including
"Q.U.E.E.N”, an anthem dedicated to individuality, respect, and cel
ebration of black beauty, demonstrates dedication to intermingling
individualism with public appeal.
The “fixtape", Runaway Radio, embodies and introduces funk
and innovation to a new generation of music enthusiasts. Even so,
their sound is difficult to place in any particular genre. One of their
hits, "We're Far Enough from Heaven, Now We Can Freak Out" en
compasses sounds reminiscent of cross-generational artists like Prince
and James Brown.
The video visuals challenge gender normativity and reinvent
black men in black art. It will be interesting to see what these More
house graduates have on the horizon.
RUNAWAY RADIO TRACK LIST:
Swim Til You See the Light
We're Far Enough from Heaven, Now We Can Freak Out
The Reanimator
Fork n’ Knife
Milk Dies
Call to Glory
Runaway Radio