ATLANTA — Editors note: Some answers were edited for clarity, watch the raw footage at the bottom of this story.
More people are invested in the conversation around schools and children since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic than ever before.
11Alive has been getting to know the people running to be the next state superintendent.
In our sixth and last interview, former state representative Alisha Thomas Searcy sat down with 11Alive's Christie Diez to discuss the biggest challenges facing Georgia schools.
Christie Diez: Let's start by connecting the dots for people, because some may recognize you as Alisha Thomas Morgan or maybe Alisha Thomas Cromartie. You've been a state rep, you've also been a superintendent for a charter school system. So now you go by Alisha Thomas Searcy — all the same person.
Alisha Thomas Searcy: Yes. When I served in the legislature for 12 years, I was Alisha Thomas and then Alisha Thomas Morgan. So, yes, people may remember that name most prominently.
Christie Diez: For people outside of the district you represented, introduce yourself to Georgia voters. Who is Alisha Thomas Searcy?
Alisha Thomas Searcy: I am Alisha Thomas Searcy. Recently married to a state trooper, a retired state trooper of 26 years in the state of Georgia, Carlos Searcy, who's from Thomaston, Georgia. I'm a mom of three school-aged children, and so like millions of parents across the state, I am navigating the school system right now. I am a former state legislator. I was the first African American elected to the Georgia House of Representatives from Cobb County. And after I left the legislature after 12 years elected six terms, I went back to school and earned a master's degree in educational leadership. I then went on to become a superintendent of a network of all-girls' schools in the metro Atlanta area. And then I went into business as an education consultant, so I've spent all of my years working in education, working to improve public education in particular and of course, being a mom and a wife.
Christie Diez: Explain to people what you're doing right now.
Alisha Thomas Searcy: Right now, I run a couple of businesses. I'm an education consultant and so in that capacity, I work with local and national nonprofit organizations. Some of those assignments include working with school board members across the country as a coach and a mentor. I also work with local non-profits. I work right now with a group that is doing an after-school program to prepare students to graduate from high school on time and to choose one of four pathways and have a real plan once they graduate. I've also worked with local schools and school districts — just worked with one of our Georgia school districts in the rural part of the state to help rewrite all of their job descriptions. And so all of my work is focused on, again, improving public education, supporting leaders who are in education and doing everything we can to make sure that all kids have access to a high-quality education in the state and in the country.
Christie Diez: You have run for state superintendent before back in 2014. In that race, your opponent ended up winning that contest. Why did now feel like the right time to throw your name back into the ring for state superintendent?
Alisha Thomas Searcy: Great question. You know, I am deeply passionate about education. There is nothing more important to me, and I wake up every single day focused on that in my household as a mom, helping to raise three school-aged children who are in schools today, in my professional life as a business owner, and education consultant. And my passion frankly overtakes my dislike of politics. But when I ran in 2014, I was frustrated, frankly, about not just how my campaign went, but how ugly politics has become. When I think about education and how important children are, they're not Democrat or Republican, they're just kids who deserve to have access to a high-quality education. And when I looked around and see what's happening in our state, when I see what's happening in the schools of my three children, I can't help but to get back out there.
Alisha Thomas Searcy: I'm the only candidate in this race who has policy experience as a state legislator. I've been a superintendent. I've hired principals. I've revamped programs to recruit and retain high-quality teachers. And I've closed gaps for children where people said it was impossible based on their social circumstances. And so this is a time more than ever that we need a leader who understands education, who will be a champion for teachers and who will stand up for kids and who understands what it means to be on the other side of the table in a special education meeting and advocate for your child. And so this is the time for that kind of leadership, and I'm the only candidate in this race who has those experiences and is prepared to operate and to work effectively on day one.
Christie Diez: For a time, you led the Ivy Prep Academies, a handful of those all-girl schools in the metro area. Is there anything you'd like to explain or provide context to your exit from that position?
Alisha Thomas Searcy: I led Ivy Prep schools from 2015 to 2018 when I walked into Ivy Prep schools. They were deeply challenged financially, operationally and most importantly academically. The elementary school that I walked into had a 43 on the CC RPI, and when I left in 2018, it went from 43 to an 85. And that speaks to not just my leadership, but also my ability to bring together a fantastic team of people who are also deeply committed to the education of those girls. And like any superintendent, after three to five years, you find that you've done the work that you need to do. When I left those schools, all of the schools were in the black. Financially, we had a surplus in every program at the state and federal levels. When I came in 2015, was out of compliance. We were being monitored by the state. When I left in 2018, every single one of those programs was back in compliance. And so when your work is done, you go knowing that you've done your absolute best, that students were getting a high-quality education and it was time for me to move on to my next assignment.
Christie Diez: If you do become superintendent, you'll be in charge of nearly 2,300 schools. Georgia's a fairly large state and each district has very different needs. Some are urban, some are rural, they have different philosophies and different needs. How do you make decisions for all of them?
Alisha Thomas Searcy: Just like I make decisions for the three children that we are navigating schools for right now. I operate with both my head and my heart. I think every child in this state, regardless of their zip code, if they live in an urban area or rural area, must have access to a high-quality education. And so I would approach leading all of those schools and school systems just as I do anything else that I do putting children first, doing what's best for them and making sure that every decision that I make is in their best interest. I don't think about the students who come to school who may not have had breakfast that morning or maybe living in a car. I'll think about those students in rural Georgia who don't have access to broadband, and the gap is continuing. And so I will make sure that we operate with a mission that every kid in this state graduates from high school prepared for college, for gainful employment or whatever path they choose and make sure that all of our schools operate with that mission in mind.
Christie Diez: What do you believe is the biggest threat facing education right now?
Alisha Thomas Searcy: I think the biggest threat facing education right now is how much we politicized education. I mentioned before that once I finished my campaign in 2014, frankly, I wanted nothing else to do with politics. And I think it can be divisive. It can be ugly and it can be painful. But my passion for education, my desire to get this right for children is much greater than my dislike for politics. But I believe that politics is what keeps us from getting what we need for kids. And so if we just stop with all of the bickering, and the culture wars, and distractions that keep us away from doing what's best for kids, then perhaps we'd have the kind of education system that we need. And it's why I've decided to enter this race. It's why I believe I'm the most qualified, by far the most experienced, the most prepared. I'm ready to lead on day one without the politics. I don't believe that children are Democrats or Republicans. There are children who deserve to have access to a high-quality education. And when I'm superintendent, I'm going to be their champion every single day.
Christie Diez: Georgia is a state that has a lot more local control and education. So why go for a statewide seat instead of a local superintendency or maybe even school board where you would be making decisions for that district and may even potentially have more power in one sense?
Alisha Thomas Searcy: Running for a state school superintendent for me is not about power. Running for state school superintendent for me is about having an impact on the lives of the more than 1.6 million students who go to school every day in our state. The stakes are too high and this is personal for me. When I send our three kids to school every day, I think about, 'What are they going to learn today? Who are the adults that are standing in front of them? Do they have the high expectations that we need adults to have for children?' When I think about what teachers are facing every day, we've asked them to do way too much in the last couple of years. Not adequately prepared. We're not listening to them. I don't think they've had a platform that they deserve to really talk about the issues that matter to them. And so I'm running for state school superintendent because I want to have the impact on a much greater level. I think we need to reimagine what education looks like in our state. And while I respect and appreciate the work that happened on the local level, we need a leader that is able to have an impact on the entire state of Georgia and the outcomes that we have for children.
Christie Diez: How well do you work with those you disagree with?
Alisha Thomas Searcy: I work pretty well with those that I disagree with. I have a strong track record of that in the Legislature. I'm a Democrat, but I was able to pass a number of bills, particularly in education, in a Republican-controlled legislature. And I think you do that by building relationships. You find the shared values that you have with other people and you focus on one thing, and that's kids. And my track record speaks to that, my personality and my leadership style speak to that. And that's the kind of superintendent that I will be. I'll continue to work across the aisle. I will find ways that we have commonalities. I will find our shared values. And our shared mission, of course, is to make sure that every kid graduates from high school prepared, ready for college, ready for the world that they will walk into. And I think anyone who has that shared mission will be a part of this team to get it right for kids.
Christie Diez: Let's talk a little bit about the pandemic that threw education a major curveball. The last two years, what is the biggest lesson you've learned about education and how it had to pivot through the pandemic? What was the biggest lesson for you?
Alisha Thomas Searcy: The biggest lesson I learned during the pandemic is how critical leadership is. Leadership matters. We learned a lot about testing and whether or not that matters as much. We learned about the needs of adequately and appropriately prepared teachers. We saw, around the country, 25 percent of superintendents leave their posts. Leaders look at challenges as opportunities to change, to shift, to reimagine. And I think the missing opportunity here is that when the world stopped because of the pandemic, when there were millions of students across this country and certainly the 1.6, almost 1.7 million students were at home and had to learn virtually. Students in rural areas didn't have access to Wi-Fi, and many students across the state didn't have laptops. And so we had an opportunity to step up and get it right for kids to reimagine what education could and should look like. And I think that didn't happen. And that's why leadership matters. That's why you have to have a superintendent who understands policymaking, who understands how to work across the aisle, who understands that leadership matters in the most critical times in our state. And I have the experience, the background, and I'm prepared to walk in on day one and lead and take advantage of this opportunity to reimagine what education should look like in the state of Georgia.
Christie Diez: What is your position on masks in schools now and moving forward as we face new variants of the coronavirus?
Alisha Thomas Searcy: I think as educators and education leaders, when it comes to issues of public health, we need to trust our public health professionals and we need to trust science. I think it's a little bit hypocritical to teach science and to talk about how important the subject is in our schools, but we don't trust scientists when they're doing the work to protect our state and our country. And so I believe that when there is time, when when the time comes, based on public health and science to implement a mask mandate, then we should absolutely do that. At the time, that public health and science says that local districts need to make decisions based on what's happening in their local community and what those cases are. Then I believe they ought to have that flexibility. But leaders stand up and they do what's best for all children, and they don't allow politics or anything else to get in the way of science and doing what's right for the greater good.
Christie Diez: What about vaccine mandates? There is legislation going through right now that would ban the COVID vaccine that has been written to specifically and narrow it down to only banning the COVID vaccine? What is your position on vaccine mandates in general and that specific legislation?
Alisha Thomas Searcy: I believe, again, that we should trust our public health professionals and our scientists, and their job is to make sure that they protect the greater public health. And as superintendent, I would work with the public health department what public health officials and scientists and if they believe that vaccine mandates are necessary to protect the health and safety of the public, then I would absolutely support those mandates.
Christie Diez: Do you think the pandemic created a gap in education that will be facing for years to come? And if so, how does that affect our future workforce?
Alisha Thomas Searcy: I do believe that the pandemic has created quite a gap in learning, again, especially for communities that didn't have access to broadband on top of that, requiring teachers to teach in platforms and ways that they were not used to or prepared, it was unfair and frankly unacceptable. And I think what that has done is created a gap. And so the question that we ought to be asking is, 'What has the state and what have local districts done with the CARES dollars and other resources that have allowed them to fill some of those gaps?' I think there are districts who've done a great job of using funds to provide tutoring services, afterschool programs, summer programing, giving supplements to teachers to allow them to give more service in the classroom. And so I believe that many of our districts are doing the right thing and trying to do right by kids. But there's a lot more work to do, and I think time will only tell how much damage has been done. But it's up to us to make sure that we fill those gaps in terms of preparing students for the workforce. The pandemic didn't do more or less than the challenges that we already faced in education to make sure students were prepared. And so we have to do a better job in the Department of Education and across the schools and school districts to create partnerships. And there are some districts have done a tremendous job. I think of Gainesville Public City Schools and a few other districts across the state who have had partnerships for a long time, with industry allowing students to have apprenticeships, partnerships with colleges, dual enrollment programs. So I think we need to bolster those kinds of programs, and we need to have a sense of urgency because if we want students to be prepared, if we want them to go into the workforce and be able to contribute to society, we've got to do the investing in the public school system to make sure that they're ready.
Christie Diez: Teachers are burned out. Families are burned out. Even students are exhausted after these last two years. How do you combat burnout and how do you keep incentivizing good educators to enter this field?
Alisha Thomas Searcy: Listen, all of us are exhausted. If you are a parent who had to help your child navigate virtual learning, it was difficult. I cannot imagine, I cannot imagine the challenges that teachers faced having to teach virtually going back in-person, sometimes switching back and forth based on the numbers of cases, not having the proper preparation that they needed, not having the resources. There is no secret that we have a teacher shortage in Georgia. It's a national problem and I see that as I work with schools and school districts across the country. I would do what I did as superintendent at Ivey Prep. When I arrived at Ivey Prep, we had a 25 percent retention rate of teachers. When I left three years later, that was at 75 percent. And what we did was simple. First, we listened to what teachers had to say. We wanted to hear what they thought they needed to be successful in their classrooms. And then based on what they said, we used our resources to get what they needed in the classroom. We provided coaching and training. We provided curricular resources. Every teacher in our system also got a $750 professional development budget that they could use at their own discretion. We wanted teachers to feel respected, to feel supported. We wanted them to feel honored. And so every year, when it was time to sign contracts, we held these huge celebrations. Marching bands and noisemakers and cheerleaders. And as they signed their contracts and we welcome them in for the next school year or the first year. If they were new teachers, we celebrated them. And I think that's what's wrong. That's why teachers feel burnt out. They don't feel celebrated, respected or honored. We don't honor them with how much we pay them. We tell them we'll pay them more. But you have to go back to school, which requires them to have more debt. We're just not listening. So I think again, we have to have a leader who's done the work, who's been able to reverse attrition rates, who's been able to gain the support of teachers, gained the respect of teachers because they know that they'll have a superintendent who cares about them, who listens to them, who respects and honors them and will celebrate them. And I think as a state, we need to recruit teachers like the NFL recruits football players. Imagine what the teaching force would look like then, if we celebrated them and honored them the way we do celebrities and athletes.
Christie Diez: This is arguably one of the more controversial times in education. Everybody is talking about educational content in schools, what should be taught. And one of those hot-button issues is critical race theory. It's been lighting up school boards across the country. What is your position on critical race theory? Should it be taught in schools? And is there a grade level at which it's appropriate?
Alisha Thomas Searcy: Critical race theory is a political distraction. It's not taught in schools, and we all know that as a former legislator, I know that politicians tend to focus on distractions when they don't have solutions for how we solve education problems in our state. What I do believe is that education should be culturally relevant. It ought to reflect the students, the teachers and the educators who are in the system. And so my position is clear. I think we ought to stop talking about distractions and focus on the things that really matter when it comes to children.
Christie Diez: Some of your opponents have argued that while the legal theory itself, the way it's legally defined, isn't taught in schools and the concepts behind it. They argue, are making their way into some classrooms, whether it's called that or not. What would your response be to that argument?
Alisha Thomas Searcy: I think we ought to talk to teachers. That's the problem in education, and we're not. Particularly those who are not in classrooms who are not in schools, who are not in districts. We tend to have opinions about things that we don't really know. And as state school superintendent, I would make sure that we talk to teachers about what's happening in classrooms. What I know from teachers is that the politics has made them afraid to teach what they know, which is American history and those who believe that some of the tenants that they don't like have made their way into classrooms. I think they should probably stop listening to rumors and misinformation and take a moment to talk to teachers who are afraid that they're going to lose funding for their districts because they're doing their job. We need to let teachers do their job and take the politics out of education.
Christie Diez: Let's talk about the equity conversation going on right now. There are several districts that have included and created a DEI, diversity, equity and inclusion either administrator or an entire office in that district. What place do you believe that has in schools?
Alisha Thomas Searcy: I think a diverse, equitable and inclusive education system is a successful school system. I want to applaud districts like Atlanta Public Schools that if you're on the outside looking in, you think, you know, here's a district that's probably 80 or 90 percent African American. Why do they need an office of equity advancement? Well, it's because they understand that education has to be the great equalizer. That is the one thing that levels the playing field for every student. And so whether it's the color of your skin, or your zip code, or your socioeconomic status. There are things that impact all of those factors. And so when you look at the fact that over 60 percent of our students in Georgia are students of color, we have to have a system that reflects their experiences, their culture and all that they bring to the table. And that ought to be celebrated. And the teachers who are standing in front of them, the principals who are leading their schools ought to be a reflection, not just racially, but also in terms of mindset. It's not OK that we have school systems in this state where we don't have the best and most effective teachers in front of the most struggling students. It's not OK that we have districts that still don't have access to broadband, and students still don't have access to Wi-Fi at their home. Those are issues of equity. And so if we don't have those conversations, if we are intentional about what we do to level the playing field, then we are not preparing our students to leave our schools ready for the world and ready for college.
Christie Diez: Let's talk about violence in schools. There is a recent study that said a third of teachers say they have experienced some form of threat or violence throughout the pandemic, which is just in recent years. And this contributes to part of the reason they want to leave the field. How would you combat that issue? And also, what would be your philosophy on discipline and without criminalizing a child before their brain is fully formed?
Alisha Thomas Searcy: Big, complex questions. I will start by saying that violence is not just a school problem, it's a community problem. And as state school superintendent, the first thing that I would do is bring together all of the stakeholders who are involved in this process. Law enforcement educators absolutely make sure that we hear from teachers, and I would also engage students in these conversations. We can't make these decisions in a vacuum or sitting in an office with one person or a couple of people around the conference table. We have to involve all the people involved, who are engaged in this process and make sure that we're hearing from them. We also have to empower school districts to do what's best for their specific community. I don't think that having a one-size-fits-all response to violence in our schools that comes from the State Department of Education is the way to solve that issue. I think it's empowering communities at the local level, again, to bring all those stakeholders to the table to address those very specific issues that are specific to their communities, specific to their stakeholders. And again, with the voice of teachers and young people at the table. When it comes to dealing with discipline, I think we have a significant problem in our schools and this is a national problem. And Georgia certainly is no different. I think we start and we have done a good thing in terms of tracking the data. What we know is that students of color are disproportionately more affected by discipline policies and discipline actions. It's interesting my daughter moved from one school to another, and the problems that she talked about in one school are very similar in the second school. But how they get handled are very different. And so we have to take a really hard look at how we're treating children, how we respond to the actions that they take. We absolutely want to make sure that teachers can teach and aren't spending their time dealing with discipline issues. But we also, just like this violence issue, have to acknowledge that student and discipline issues aren't just school issues. They are community issues. They are poverty issues. They are violence issues. There are young people who wake up in the morning and they saw their parent be abused the night before. And that's not a poverty problem. That's not just an urban problem. Those are problems that exist in all of our communities across the state. So it's a complex issue that requires complex thinking, complex solutions, and having all of our stakeholders at the table to come up with the things again that put students first, that address some of the social, emotional and mental health issues that exist. Providing support for teachers and making sure that we have solutions that allow our students to be successful and not track them into a school to prison pipeline.
Christie Diez: In Georgia, teachers can carry guns in the classroom if their local school board authorizes it. Do you agree with that policy or not?
Alisha Thomas Searcy: I think we ought to leave law enforcement to law enforcement professionals. I'm married to a state, a retired state trooper who gave 26 years of his life of dedicated service to the state of Georgia. I respect law enforcement and I think we ought to allow them to handle issues within our schools. And I think that we ought to allow teachers to simply do their job. They have enough pressure, enough responsibility. Having them focus on anything other than teaching and learning is a challenge for me.
Christie Diez: Children seem to be facing even larger obstacles outside of the classroom. Everything from poverty to instability, connectivity, mental health — things that can't necessarily be fixed or solved in the classroom, but definitely affects their ability to perform inside of it. What would you do to help students overcome those kinds of obstacles?
Alisha Thomas Searcy: First, we have to change the mindset about the role of schools. It would be nice if we could simply close the door and teach. But that's not the way our world is set out. That's not what kids need today. And so I believe that we need to redefine the role of school and we have to partner with agencies outside of school to meet the needs of students. I think every student ought to have an individual profile. We determine what they need socially, emotionally, mental health-wise and academically, and partner with organizations who can help to provide those services. I'll never forget when I was Superintendent Ivy Prep, we had two little girls who were homeless and they lived in their mother's car. And every day they would come to school, wash up in the school bathroom, put on their uniform and go to class and learn. But our school staff made sure that when mom called, we use the services that we had, the relationships that we had with community organizations, federal support and we use the resources we had to provide for that family, the things that they didn't have. And some would argue, well, that's not the role of the school. But if we want children to come to school ready to learn, to not have to worry about where their next meal is coming from or where they want to lay their head, we've got to wrap our arms around them and partner with organizations in the community to provide those kinds of supports.
Christie Diez: Let's talk budget now. Education is constantly facing budget constraints, and teachers seem to constantly be reaching into their own pockets to buy basic supplies that they need for their classrooms. How do you make sure education has the funding it needs and takes some of the pressure off of the teachers?
Alisha Thomas Searcy: I think it's a shared belief that it's time to revamp our funding mechanism in the state of Georgia. Our quality basic education formula is outdated and complicated. And as a superintendent who had to read allotment sheets, if you've never read one, it's a very complicated document that takes a lot of work to try to figure out how things get funded. I think we ought to start first with how we fund education. Certainly, education is still — and has been for a very long time — the biggest budget item in the state of Georgia. I served on the House Appropriations Committee. I'm very familiar with how we fund education. So first, we have to start there. Second, I think we have to ask districts or look at district budgets and see what they're prioritizing. There are some districts in our state who are well-funded because they have the tax base in their local communities to help fund their schools appropriately. There are some districts that are not and we need we need to level that playing field and make sure that all of our students, regardless of the tax base that they are from, have the appropriate and the necessary funding to educate each child. And then I think finally, we have to keep partnering with organizations to make sure that teachers don't have to come out of their pockets to provide for their students. There are many programs out there. I work with teachers all of the time and help connect them to resources who those who fund classroom projects, nonprofit organizations that are, you know, do book drought, book bag drives and school supply drives. I think we've got to come together as a community and not expect teachers to take on that, that significant responsibility and instead utilize the resources that we have because I think so many people care about public education. We have to leverage that as a resource.
Christie Diez: Let's talk about testing now. There is a larger conversation going on about what role testing should take in Georgia, how much emphasis should be placed on it. What do you think about the state of testing in Georgia and should any changes be made?
Alisha Thomas Searcy: We need to completely rethink testing in Georgia. I think. COVID taught us that there was a year that we didn't test at all, and then another year where families were able to opt out. And as a mom of three children, I have to tell you that I opted out for my now ninth-grader because I know what she was experiencing every single day learning in a virtual environment. I watched the teachers try to do their absolute best without the resources that they needed. And so putting my child through high-stakes testing, seeing the kind of pressure that was being put on her and the teachers, I refused to allow my child to go through that. And that's the same stance I would take for other children in the state. We have to think about why we're testing and how we use that information that we get from the testing. And until we can properly and effectively answer those questions, I think it's time out for testing and over-testing without really doing anything with the information that closes achievement gaps that provide support for teachers, that they need to be more successful. And to make sure that again, we are creating a public education system that's truly preparing students to graduate from high school, prepared for college, and for life.
Christie Diez: Before you can get to the general election, you have to go through several Democratic candidates with some similar ideals. What sets you apart from the pack?
Alisha Thomas Searcy: I'm a mom of three school-aged children. I have experience as a state legislator. I have experience as a nonprofit leader. I have experience as a superintendent. I also have a sense of urgency. This is personal for me. I want education to work for my kids, and I absolutely want education to work for every single child in this state. And so when we think about who we need as a state school superintendent, we need someone that has experience, someone who's prepared, someone who believes that education is a civil rights issue of our time, someone who's going to operate with a sense of urgency, who gets it, who takes this very personally. This isn't something that I want to do just because I have nothing else to do. This is something that I've dedicated my entire life to. And so my experience, my preparation, my passion, my sense of urgency is what separates me from any other candidate in this race, and I'm ready to lead on day one.
Christie Diez: If you do become the Democratic candidate, then you move on to the general, which then you would be going up against a Republican candidate that is either the incumbent superintendent —who's been there for two terms — or a former superintendent. How do you go up against that kind of experience?
Alisha Thomas Searcy: Again, experience is what matters and the type of experience. What also matters is that sense of urgency. I can appreciate the work that both Dr. Barge and Superintendent Woods have done over the last 12 years. But this is a new day in education and as a mom who is navigating schools right now, like all the other parents in the state. As a former superintendent who's gotten results, especially for those kids who people said their social issues would not allow them to learn at high levels. As someone who has experience as a policymaker — and I'm the only one who's done that — and someone who has a track record of working across the aisle, I know that I can not only win this election, but I have the experience, the type of experience that is important to lead our schools right now. This is personal to me. I wake up every single day working to make sure that education works for all of our kids, not just in my own household as a mom, but as a leader, as a business person, doing education consulting, as a coach and mentor to school board members across this country. This is what I live and breathe. This is my passion. This is what drives me every single day, and that's what our kids in this state deserve to have in their state school superintendent. And there's not a person in this race who has that record, that background, that experience, and that sense of urgency.
Christie Diez: Alisha, I appreciate you carving out time to answer all of these questions. Is there anything we didn't discuss? Anything you think is important that you want the voters of Georgia to know about you as they decide who to lead schools in Georgia?
Alisha Thomas Searcy: I want Georgians to know, and I want voters to know, that this state school superintendent race is arguably the most important race on the ballot. I know that we care about all the other races, but I want people to think about our most precious resource, and that's our children. And in order to change our schools, in order to — what I believe is — reimagine education, we have got to have a superintendent who is going to focus every single day on getting this right. My ninth grader had a conversation with my mom a few weeks ago about what school was like when she was in school. My mom was in her 70s. And as my mom went on to explain what school looks like, my daughter began to see all of the similarities that, even in 2022, school still looks the same. If you look at pictures of what school looked like in the 1700s, in 2022 it still looks the same. I can't afford to keep doing the same thing. Insanity is doing the same thing, expecting to get different results. And I would argue that trying to provide a telegram education to a TikTok generation is simply not going to work. We have to have a superintendent who understands, who's living this every day, who has the sense of urgency, the passion, the experience and the leadership ability to get it right for our kids. Not next year, not next decade, but today. We don't have time to wait. And so I ask people to vote for me for state school superintendent because I'm a mom, I'm a former legislator, I'm a former superintendent, and I've got the experience, the passion, and the sense of urgency to get this right for our kids now.