Decatur's Valarie Wilson Running for Georgia State School Superintendent

Valarie Wilson, past president of the Georgia School Boards Association and the City Schools of Decatur School Board, has announced her candidacy for Georgia State School Superintendent.

“Fifteen years ago, I faced a difficult decision: keep my son in a public school with a poor reputation or enroll him in a private school,” said Wilson in a news release. “The truth is, I believe in the power of public education. So I made a commitment to do what I could to improve Georgia’s public education system, rather than leave it to someone else to fix. I joined my local school board and was later elected to the Georgia School Boards Association, where I served as president.

“Today more than ever, Georgia is at a turning point between investing in public education and totally dismantling it. I believe it’s the moral imperative of every Georgian who values education to step up and do what is right by our children and our teachers. That’s why I’m running for Georgia State School Superintendent. I am offering my experience and knowledge to help create a world-class education system in this state.”

Wilson said she stands for adequate funding for education and support for teachers. She is against the privatization of the school system through vouchers and for-profit charter schools.

“Valarie's strong leadership and deeply collaborative approach were instrumental in establishing our first Early Childhood Learning Center and helping make our district's finances one of the most stable in the state and in the nation,” said Marc Wisniewski, a former colleague of Wilson’s on the City Schools of Decatur Board. “She’s a tireless advocate for children who cannot speak for themselves.”

Wilson is executive director of the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership, a private, non-profit organization dedicated to fostering support for the largest urban revitalization project in America.

For more information about Wilson, visit http://valforeducation.com.