A photo of Toomer Elementary students. Photo from TalkUpAPS blog.

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Dear Decaturish,

I didn’t think Amendment 1 was perfect, but I wanted to see change for these kids. It was an opportunity. With it being voted down, I have a message for every single person who voted “no.” Go find a local school to get involved in this week. I know that some are already involved and I applaud those actions. But if you think we can do better than Amendment 1 go out and find a school to get involved in this week. If you can do better, then go and do it. These schools aren’t going to improve without everyone getting involved. Don’t just go back to the way things were. Your role doesn’t end with your vote. Go and find a school to get involved in this week.

There is no way make a direct correlation, but the movement against Amendment 1 was largely initiated by the Democratic Party and it’s allies like NEA. Was it worth voting down Amendment 1 and have Donald Trump as President? Could the NEA have spent the $5 million they spent to defeat Amendment 1 on a swing state for Hillary Clinton? The Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Party of Georgia spent a great deal of time and money to make more of GA blue. While we did grow Democratic voters in GA, was that worth a Donald Trump win? Should those resources have been focused on the national campaign and swing states?

Normally, we would argue that local elections are more important than national elections, unless the risk is that we would elect a president who would turn back so much of the progress we’ve made towards equality and equal rights. The Supreme Court is at terrible risk of turning over every single reform and every single right from Roe v Wade to Marriage Equality.

I’m going to continue working on my middle school college prep program, which is being piloted in two schools and expanding into an after school program and a community based model. I’m going to continue to impress the need for school culture & school discipline overhauls and highly recommend a program called Collaborative & Proactive Solutions found at: http://www.livesinthebalance.org/

I’m asking every single voter who voted “no” on Amendment 1 to find a local school to get involved in – this week. Those who voted for the Amendment should as well. We’re going to need everyone’s help to make our schools better. Whether it’s time, money, school supplies, innovative ideas, find a way to get involved this week.

– Maggie Paynich