By Rebecca Gaunt

Democratic board member Becky Sayler tried and failed to make four amendments regarding safety and security to the Cobb County School District’s proposed list of legislative priorities for 2025 during Thursday’s school board voting session.

Republican Brad Wheeler voted with Democratic board members Tre’ Hutchins and Sayler on pursuing increased school counselor allotments, but with Democrat Nichelle Davis absent, it failed 3-3.

Republican board members David Banks, Randy Scamihorn, and David Chastain opposed all of her motions. Wheeler voted with them on the other three.

She requested the district support legislation that:

• “Promotes common sense gun safety,” such as Senate Bill 340, sponsored by state Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick (R-Marietta), to provide a tax break on firearm safes.

• Provides students with school meals, such as House Bill 510, the Healthy Start Bill, sponsored by state Rep. Imani Barnes (D-Tucker), to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students.

• Increases protections for minors regarding social media and cell phone use, similar to SB 351, which Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law in April. It requires social media companies to verify ages and have parental consent for children under 16 to create accounts. 

She told the Courier she’s supportive of initiatives like Marietta City Schools’ policy of requiring phones to be placed in Yondr pouches during class, but she says it’s expensive.

“The suggestions align with national and Georgia PTA legislative priorities,” she said.

The original list of priorities, presented earlier that day by Gretchen Walton, the assistant superintendent of compliance and legislative affairs, then passed 6-0.

Superintendent Chris Ragadale spoke at length about a new addition to the list: protecting minors from accessing THC and vape products. 

He said he was shocked to learn about some of the items available in convenience stores at a recent presentation. 

“I think if we’re going to hold the kids accountable, and I’m not saying we shouldn’t, we need to be holding these dealers, for lack of a better term, as equally accountable,” he said.

He also said he supports stronger criminal penalties for making threats against schools, real or not.

“It’s so disappointing that a tragedy like Apalachee would evolve into all of these fake threats we had to deal with just in Cobb,” Ragsdale said.

Additional priorities approved by the board that carried over from previous legislative sessions:

Under the umbrella of financial sustainability, supporting local control of decision-making, opposing waivers or diverting funds from public education, requiring fiscal notes for all legislation that affects school funding, and applying the same standards of accountability to all recipients of public education money.

Under educational access, sustaining the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) as is, incentivizing higher education for teachers, applying charter waivers to SWSS systems,  and funding literacy coaches and professional learning to all schools.

And under safety security, maintaining or increasing safety and security categorical grant funding.