By Rebecca Gaunt
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) named Cobb County Democratic school board candidate Micheal Garza as one of its inaugural cohort of leaders last week when it launched its Safe Schools Champion Initiative to identify school board leaders committed to protecting every student’s ability to learn in an environment rooted in dignity, belonging, and respect.
The HRC describes itself as the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people, with 3.6 million members and supporters.
When asked why this partnership was important to him, Garza told the Courier, “We have seen over the past several years that the leadership of Cobb County schools has played into national culture wars around access to books, educator autonomy, and inclusion of LGBTQ+ students. Our district fired a teacher for reading an age-appropriate book to her gifted classroom. At board meetings, these students have courageously talked about how they have felt erased by actions by our district and how that erasure has led to increased bullying in their local schools.”
An HRC press release said the designation is not a campaign endorsement, but “serves as a recognition of leaders who have pledged to uphold principles that strengthen public education through inclusive leadership, equitable policies, and respect for every student, educator, and family.”
“School boards can mean the difference between safe and unsafe for LGBTQ+ kids. For so long, extremist organizations like Moms for Liberty have worked to stack school boards with people who actually want our kids to be unsafe,” HRC President Kelley Robinson said in the release. “Today’s Safe Schools Champions are demonstrating what it takes and what it means to build school communities where every student feels safe, respected, and able to learn.”
From the release:
Across the country, extremist organizations have increasingly targeted school boards in an effort to ban books, erase LGBTQ+ students from classrooms, and undermine policies that help young people thrive. The Safe School Champions Initiative recognizes school board leaders who have publicly committed to:
Supporting policies that protect LGBTQ+ students and staff from discrimination.
Promoting educator training and school environments where every student and staff member is treated with dignity and respect.
Advancing school climates that prioritize student well-being and proactively address misinformation that threatens student safety.
Opposing book bans and censorship that disproportionately target LGBTQ+ people, families, and topics.
“For decades, the Human Rights Campaign has partnered with educators, families, and school communities to help create classrooms where every student can succeed,” said Cheryl Greene, HRC’s VP of School and Youth Programming. “The Safe Schools Champion Initiative is the next chapter of that work, supporting local leaders with training, resources, and community to help foster welcoming schools for every student. ”
Garza is one of seven candidates or elected board members named in the release. Also named, from California: Michael Vargas, Elk Grove USD, Ryan Schavrien, Redlands USD, Nancy Young, Murrieta Valley USD, and Stacy Boyce, Visalia USD. From Maryland, Jamie McGonnigal, Prince George’s Public Schools, and Angie Gallo, Orange County Public Schools in Florida.
“As leaders in the education space, we have an obligation to create safe, welcoming, and inclusive public schools where every student feels a sense of belonging and where every student can thrive. It’s an honor to receive the inaugural Safe Schools Champion designation from HRC, which demonstrates my commitment to inclusive governance, caring about the well-being of our students, supporting our educators, ending discriminatory practices, and meaningful engagement with the community,” Garza said.
Participants will take part in online training “designed to ground participants in HRC’s values and share best practices for inclusive governance, community engagement, and resource management. Participants also receive messaging guidance, nonpartisan policy information, leadership development opportunities, and connections to HRC’s national network.”
Garza is challenging Republican incumbent David Chastain for the Post 4 position, which includes Kell, Lassiter, and Sprayberry High Schools. Chastain is seeking his fourth term.
Rebecca Gaunt earned a degree in journalism from the University of Georgia and a master’s degree in education from Oglethorpe University. After teaching elementary school for several years, she returned to writing. She lives in Marietta with her husband, son, two cats, and a dog. In her spare time, she loves to read, binge Netflix and travel.