On Wednesday, August 28, 2019, at 10:00 a.m., community-minded organizations from across Metro Atlanta will gather for a press conference to announce their commitment to “Fight the Hike” against Georgia Power’s proposed rate and fee increases. The press conference will be held at the Georgia Public Service Commission, 244 Washington Street Southwest, Atlanta, Ga, 30334.
GA Power’s Increased Rates will Impact Student Learning at Home!
Several community organizations will be demanding that Georgia Power rescind their drastic proposal to increase both rates and fees and it will also be a call for Georgia Power customers throughout the state to come together, raise their voices and let the electricity provider know they do not want an increase to their electricity bill.
This will negatively impact hundreds of working class families! “It’s already a struggle for many families to have lights on at home so that their families can have basic needs”, says a local educator in Atlanta.
Georgia Power is proposing to hike the mandatory monthly fee from the current $10 per month to $17.95 per month. Customers will be forced to pay this fee no matter how much or how little energy they use. Georgia Power will also increase rates which will amount to an additional increase of more than $200 per year by 2022.
Supporting organizations include the following: Partnership for Southern Equity, Sankofa Church, SisterCARE Alliance, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, RIZE Community Church, The Shrine of the Black Madonna Pan-African Christian Church, Georgia Community Coalition, SONG and The Beloved Community Church.
These organizations have a long history of supporting education reform in Metro Atlanta and the State of Georgia. As we prepare for a very important conversation this Thursday at Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School in Grant Park on economic development, decisions like this from Georgia Power negatively impact the success of schools.
Long time Family Engagement Specialist, parent and community leader Tonya Winters Buford sheds light on the impact on families. “There isn’t a week that goes by that we don’t have families that experience not having power at home. Family Engagement Departments create innovative ways for education to continue at home and for children to be able to eat.” Schools cannot do this work alone! That’s why the conversation on tomorrow sponsored by BOOK to seek solutions and build action steps to improve economic development is so important.
Although development is happening in Atlanta, there are still a lot of families and communities that are struggling. It’s a lot for our schools to continue taking up the slack when the business sector can make decisions like this that drastically impact many working class families. Atlanta Resident and APS Graduate Chris Brown says, “ In order for our schools to be successful we have to make better decisions that impact economic development. Everything impacts our schools and children.”
Jason has worked in education for over 15 years as a teacher, blogger and community advocate. He speaks and writes primarily about the need to improve education for Black boys, particularly increasing the number of Black male educators in schools. In addition to blogging here at EdLanta, Jason is also a featured writer at Education Post.