In this episode, Laura and Andrew welcome parent and advocate Micheal Garza to unpack the real story behind the Cobb County school board redistricting lawsuit that was quietly dropped and why that’s not the “win” the district claimed. Micheal breaks down how over $2 million in taxpayer dollars were spent defending a map that wasn’t just legally questionable. It silenced the voting power of over 100,000 residents and diluted representation for Cobb’s Black and Latino communities.

Micheal also uses this conversation to announce his campaign for Cobb County School Board, Post 4, challenging current board chair David Chastain. He shares why the current board’s pattern of division, censorship, and disengagement pushed him to run and how his vision focuses on bringing communities together, supporting teachers, and rebuilding trust.

Other topics include:

• The firing of teachers over political speech and the district’s double standard
• Bus safety and maintenance failures impacting students with IEPs
• The ongoing impact of federal SNAP program cuts on Cobb students
• Why partisanship, propaganda, and PR aren’t substitutes for real leadership
• How PTA-level collaboration models what the board should aspire to

Plus: a heartwarming student spotlight on special education teachers creating inclusive learning experiences supported directly by Micheal’s local PTA.

Every student deserves a voice. Every voice deserves to be heard.