By Rebecca Gaunt

Small business owner and Democrat Micheal Garza is challenging David Chastain, the Republican incumbent, in the 2026 race for Cobb County Board of Education Post 4.

Chastain is seeking his fourth term on the board. Post 4 includes Kell, Lassiter, and Sprayberry High Schools. 

Garza announced his run on Facebook on Thursday.

“In my volunteer work within our schools, I have been fortunate to see the positive things that can happen in our classrooms when we foster healthy relationships between parents and educators. The creativity of a child sparked by an art teacher whose love for her students knows no bounds. The laughter of a classroom when a father reads a passage from their favorite book. The way a mom responds when they’re line dancing next to their child’s teacher at family dance night. The smile on the face of a caregiver when their child with exceptionalities is recognized for their achievements throughout the year,” he wrote.

Garza is the scholarship chair for the East Cobb County Council of PTAs and a co-founder of the Cobb Community Care Coalition.

He previously challenged state Rep. John Carson (R-Marietta) in 2022 and 2024 for his District 46 seat.

From his announcement: 

While we may be divided politically, I see the promise of how we can come together to do what is best for our kids. When I am planning an event or doing volunteer outreach to our parents, I don’t look at someone’s political affiliation. I don’t think about who they voted for in the last election. I think of how much better the classroom experience is for our kids when a teacher feels supported. I think of how much a child’s face lights up seeing their parents in the school actively supporting them and their classmates.

Our schools are at their best when parents are engaged and work as partners with our educators to improve the school environment for our kids. We can bring that spirit of collaboration county-wide in fostering a culture within our district that welcomes community input as opposed to silencing it. In doing so, we can meet the needs of families ALL around our county and ensure your voices are part of the decisions we make.

I may be running for Post 4, but I am running to be a board member that represents all of the families that live in Cobb County. And as your board member, I promise to you that my focus is going to be on actively listening to your concerns, on going out into the community regularly to engage with you, and on providing the best educational experience for our children.

Garza is a frequent speaker during public comment at school board meetings, and has been critical of current leadership by Superintendent Chris Ragsdale and the board’s Republican majority. His comments have addressed matters of school safety, racism, district spending, and book removals.

On why he decided to try and continue his efforts from the dais, he said, “Essentially to increase engagement with the community, to advocate for policies that keep our children safe in their schools while also addressing the mental health crisis in our kids, to advocate for all of our kids especially those that have been historically marginalized and our students with disabilities, and to turn the page on board leadership that has focused more on remaining in power than on doing what is best for our children.”

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.