Black History Month

Sutton Middle School Fireside Chat with Ambassador Andrew Young and Dr. Danielle Battle. Photo: Allison M. Slocum, APS ©

Atlanta, Georgia has often been referred to as the cradle of the modern Civil Rights Movement, serving as the home to several key leaders who fought for desegregation and the rights of all African Americans.

Atlanta Public Schools (APS) is situated in the heart of the Civil Rights Movement’s epicenter, providing invaluable access to historical leaders who continue advocating for the rights of others today.

Sutton Middle School students received the opportunity to learn from a notable figure, United States Ambassador Andrew Young, as the school hosted a Fireside Chat including Interim Superintendent Dr. Danielle Battle in celebration of Black History Month.

Each school year, Sutton Middle School picks a theme that they weave into the fabric of everything they do and encourage the surrounding community to reflect on how they can incorporate the theme into their everyday lives. This school year, that theme is tolerance.

Likewise, each month, the students focus on different International Baccalaureate responsibilities called learner profiles. The profile for the month of February is focus.

Sutton Middle School principal Dominique Merriweather served as the moderator for the chat and asked both Ambassador Young and Dr. Battle several questions curated to explore both concepts.

Ambassador Young shared advice and gems of wisdom, amassed over 91 years, stressing the importance of not letting the hatred and insecurities of others fill their hearts with hatred in return.

He also gave them insight into how his willingness to talk to and work with people of all races played a significant role in his ability to assist in bringing the Olympic Games to Atlanta in 1996 and garnered the support he needed to become a Georgia senator, the mayor of Atlanta and ultimately a United States Ambassador.

Dr. Battle echoed similar guidance, emphasizing the importance of respecting everyone and treating others like family. She also touched on the district’s academic, safety, and supportive resources efforts, highlighting the significance of Social Emotional Learning and conflict resolution.

Here is a small glimpse of the enriching discussion that took students on a journey of growth and understanding. A lasting impression that is meant to be paid forward.

U.S. Ambassador Andrew Young at the Sutton Middle School Fireside Chat. Photo: Allison M. Slocum, APS ©

Dominique Merriweather (DM): Throughout your life, you’ve encountered many challenges and obstacles. How did you, Ambassador, maintain resilience and optimism in the face of adversity, and what advice would you give us when facing these similar challenges?

Andrew Young (AY): I believe because I was born in the midst of adversity in a neighborhood with a lot of different forces 30-40 feet from where I was born, that it wasn’t a matter of tolerance; it was a matter of survival. I had to get along with people to keep from getting beat up going to the grocery store. And I learned to appreciate people. I learned there was something good about everybody, even if they didn’t know it, and even if they didn’t act like it. I never had any problem with people who were racist because I understood that they just hadn’t had an opportunity to know anybody, and they were listening to what their grandparents and great-grandparents might have said about things that they heard that came from slavery. And I never took offense when they didn’t appreciate me. And part of it is you’ve got to get yourself anchored in, well, I learned earlier that in my family, it was anchored in the Lord. Now, my grandmama was blind, she lived to be 86 years old, and she lost her sight when she was 80. She used to make me read the Bible to her. Every day, I had to read the Bible and the newspaper, and the reason I supported the lottery here was I not only had to read the newspaper, but I had to find out what the numbers were. My grandmama liked to play the numbers, nickel and dime. But because my grandmama played the numbers, I supported the Georgia Lottery with Governor Zell Miller, and I think we’ve got a million more college students in Georgia on the Hope Scholarship. I think all the things that happen in your life have some meaning to it. Some can have a negative meaning, and some can have a positive meaning. And that was a song when I was growing up. “You’ve got to accentuate the positive. Eliminate the negative. Latch on to the affirmative, don’t mess with Mr. In Between.”

APS Interim Superintendent Dr. Danielle Battle at the Sutton Middle School Fireside Chat. Photo: Allison M. Slocum, APS ©

DM: Dr. Battle, you mentioned in your bio your plan to lead forward with C.A.R.E. (compassion, accountability, respect and empathy). Could you elaborate on what caring looks like in your role when you’re meeting with your current stakeholders?

Danielle Battle (DB): What care looks like to me is respecting everyone. A lot of times we say that, but I want to, and I always try to model that. But leading forward with care— no matter what building I walk in, no matter where I go to represent Atlanta Public Schools or myself, I’m always going to be cordial to everyone, talk to everyone, because everyone matters. People like to be respected, people like to be recognized, people like to know that you see them. It’s important to also be a great listener because people have things they want to say. It’s important that no matter who they are, no matter what their zip code may be, no matter what their job title may be, or no matter whose mother or father they are, or sister or brother they are, we walk and we treat that person like they’re our family.

So just making sure that I model that behavior. And then not just me, but the entire district, because it’s not a one-pony show. Atlanta Public Schools is comprised of thousands and thousands of employees, and when I say we’re leading forward with care, it’s we’re leading forward with care. As we say, Atlanta is the place that influences everything. We want Atlanta to influence [the message that] tolerance is where it is and what’s happening in the world.

AY: Let me put a little something on that. I’ve got nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild. And I try to tell them all the time that they have got to be forces of decency and kindness and love in school. And where that starts for me, and I’m talking to the students now, when I started speaking to my teachers and when I went into the classroom, I didn’t go in the back of the room. I went by the front desk and said good morning Mrs. Jones. So, good morning, speaking and calling a teacher by name may be the difference between a C and a B. It also may be a difference between a D and an F. But I guarantee you, the way you act in relationship to your teachers influences what your teachers think about you. And when you smile all the time, and when you always have the right answer and you’re kind to your classmates, that’s an A student.

DM: What role do you see young people playing in shaping the future of our district here in Atlanta Public Schools?

DB: Our students play a vital role because we couldn’t do what we do without you, first of all. But secondly, you have a lot to say, and we’re always here to listen to it. I noticed you have a student council, but on the district level, where we have a Superintendent’s Student’s Advisory Council where the students come to share with us great ideas. They meet with our board of education, and they share with us because they’re in the trenches every day. The things that they share, we implement. I mean, student voices are important. You’re going lead the way. You are already leading the way. We’re starting with our high schools, but definitely, we’re here to listen to what you have to say. But we also know that sometimes, when you come to ideas that are out there, that are way out there, we think about it, and there are some great things that happen to our students. So, just know that your voices matter. Always share what you’re thinking because I always say students have the answers.

Enjoy the below slideshow of photos from the Sutton Middle School Fireside Chat. View online here. Photos: Allison M. Slocum, APS ©

Also, check out the video recap below from the Sutton Middle School Fireside Chat. APS ©