A short film called ‘College on the Brain’ was the inspiration behind the next mayoral forum in Nashville – dubbed a ‘youth-issues’ forum. The documentary featured students from Metro Nashville’s Stratford High School and depicted a struggling school with no college counselor, among other downfalls.
Marcus Bagwell, a junior at Hillsboro High School, says it opened his eyes to what he and a recent survey by the Oasis Center point to as disparity among Metro Schools.
“Because compared to Hillsboro High School where the education is great, a school like a Stratford, Glencliff or Maplewood, they don’t have the same quality education. And some students who go to those schools want that education.”
All six candidates to be Nashville’s next mayor have put an emphasis on public education. But Leah Flynn – a student at Hume Fogg High School – says Thursday’s forum is meant to cut through the rhetoric.
“It is hard. We just want to hear what they’re going to do to make the public schools better, to make them more equal, to give everyone an equal opportunity. We want to hear what they plan to do about that.”
The forum will be held from 6 to 8 at East Literature Arts Magnet. All six candidates have committed to participate and a video from the event will be available at teenedge.com.
The election for mayor is August 2nd.
On Air - 90.3 WPLN-FM