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Sean Norman
Sean Norman ran for the at-large seat 9 on the Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education in a general election on November 5, 2013.
Biography
Norman was born and raised in Atlanta and graduated from North Fulton High School, now known as North Atlanta High School. He then graduated from Morehouse College with a B.A. in business administration with concentrations in banking, finance and real estate. At the time of his candidacy, Norman was serving as president of a web app company called WillAppoint and the Chief Executive Officer of a 501(c)(3) called Northwest Housing and Economic Development. He had also served as a board member for Nashville Celtics, a youth basketball organization, and was serving as a board member for the Boys and Girls Club of America. He had coached basketball, baseball, and soccer teams in Nashville and assisted with coaching for his church youth soccer team. Norman attended Impact United Methodist Church in Atlanta at the time of his candidacy.[1]
Elections
2013
- See also: Atlanta Public Schools elections (2013)
Norman ran for the at-large seat 9 against Lori James, Ed Johnson, Jason F. Esteves and Eddie Lee Brewster on November 5, 2013. Opponents Jason F. Esteves and Lori James faced each other in a runoff election on December 3, 2013.
Results
| Atlanta Public Schools, At-large seat 9 General Election, 4-year term, 2013 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan |  Jason Esteves |
34.4% | 13,490 | |
| Nonpartisan | Lori James |
30.7% | 12,046 | |
| Nonpartisan | Sean Norman | 13% | 5,091 | |
| Nonpartisan | Ed Johnson | 11.7% | 4,608 | |
| Nonpartisan | Eddie Lee Brewster | 9.7% | 3,814 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in | 0.5% | 192 | |
| Total Votes | 39,241 | |||
| Source: Fulton County Board of Election, "Election Results," accessed October 30, 2017 | ||||
Funding
Norman reported $16,435.00 in contributions and $14,843.00 in expenditures to the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, which left his campaign with $1,591.30 on hand.[2]
Endorsements
Norman received an endorsement from Maynard Holbrook Jackson, III, the son of Atlanta's first black mayor Maynard H. Jackson, Jr.[3]
Campaign themes
Norman identified the following campaign themes for 2013:[4]
Implementing a comprehensive academic overhaul
|
Atlanta Public Schools has been mired in controversy over the past 5 years. They have endured the largest cheating scandal in the history of public education. They almost lost accreditation for high schools due to governance issues. In addition, student safety has been threatened by gun violence on campus, during school hours. Finally, APS has a meager 50% graduation rate. Our students deserve much better. When I was in school, parents did not just flock to the north side schools. Schools like Douglass, Mays, Washington, and Therrell shined, as did Northside, North Fulton, and Grady. We have to Restore the tradition of Academic Excellence in Atlanta Public Schools. Our students deserve an exemplaray education that knows no geographic, racial, or economic boundaries.
|
Leadership in Atlanta Public Schools
|
We need a board of education who can choose the best superintendent and who understands the difference between governance and management. The board governs; they don’t manage. "Management is doing things right, Leadership is doing the right things." Although the ultmate leadership is the Board, the top manager in a school system is the superintendent, who should be held accountable. I was here when Alonzo Crim led Atlanta Public Schools. Crim understood the nuances of urban education and he cultivated a culture of high expectations. The previous superintendent did not serve our students nor the city well. Help me help you and our students by electing me to the board that I may ensure that we have the right superintendent for our students, parents, and community members. We need real estate agents to recommend Atlanta Public Schools, not advise clients to stay away. But we also need APS to do a better job. I will help Restore Accountability and Integrity in our Leadership to ensure that our students' needs are met. |
Safety and security in our schools
|
Our students deserve safe schools, free of violence or the threat of violence. Last school year, there were three gun incidents' one at Mays, where the metal detectors did not catch the gun, the incident at Grady where a student was able to discharge a loaded weapon on campus, and of course the intentional shooting at Price Middle School. When I attended APS and my family before me, we did not have fear for our lives. By electing, I will help Restore Safety and Security in our schools. I’m happy to see APS moving in the right direction with safety and security; however, we need more of a presence at our elementary schools. Our kids must be protected. They represent our future. |
Supporting our teachers
|
APS teachers haven’t had a raise in nearly seven years. Do we value our teachers? Students spend more time with their teachers than they spend with their parents and they should be paid more (per hour) than we pay the people who care for our cars. Give teachers a raise. They deserve it. Stop attacking our teachers through redistricting and “managing out the poor performers.” Bad teachers shouldn’t be in schools, but we can handle the bad performers without admonishing the entire teaching profession. If it wasn’t for a teacher, many of us would not be where we are today. I want to Restore Support For Our Teachers. |
Fiscal responsibility
|
We must live within our means. Over the past 10 years, we have borrowed from reserves to balance the budget, which is unacceptable. We also spend more per student than any other district in the state. Where is the return on our investment? APS needs to make some tough but necessary decisions to ensure that we direct dollars appropriately to the schools, which is where the dollar belongs. In order to do this I want to Restore the Fidicuary Responsbility of leadership and Restore the Equitable Distribution of Resources to our schools. |
Parent empowerment
|
Empower our parents, Operate transparently. The parent is the customer and the customer is always right. 75% of APS students qualify for free and reduced priced meals, which means that there is a host of issues and circumstances that stifle student achievement. It is hard to focus on geometry when you are not sure if you have a home or if you are hungry. Our parents need support. They need the wrap-around services to ensure that their kids get the support that they need. I am an advocate for parents, students and teachers. They must work together to ensure that we get the desired result, student achievement. I want to Restore Parent Empowerment. |
Note: The above quote is from the candidate's website, which may include some typographical or spelling errors.
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Sean + Norman + Atlanta + Public + Schools"
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Sean C. Norman, "About," accessed October 30, 2013 (dead link)
- ↑ Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, "Norman, Sean Chirstopher," accessed December 26, 2013
- ↑ Sean C. Norman, "Endorsements," accessed October 30, 2013 (dead link)
- ↑ Sean C. Norman, "Issues," accessed October 30, 2013 (dead link)
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