Atlanta Unfiltered

September 8, 2009 --

In case you missed it in your daily newspaper:

A politically connected CEO and an Atlanta social studies teacher have qualified without opposition to run for four-year terms on the Atlanta Board of Education.

Reuben R. McDaniel III (left) — president and CEO of Jackson Securities LLC, the firm founded by former Mayor Maynard Jackson — qualified in at-large District 8. According to his corporate bio, McDaniel serves on several school-related boards, including the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, the Southern Education Foundation and the Grady High School Foundation.

In District 7, Courtney English (right), a teacher at Best Academy at Benjamin Carson, qualified in at-large District 7, currently represented by incumbent Eric Wilson. Local school district employees may qualify to run for a school board seat but, under state law, must resign before taking office.

Candidate lists with Wilson’s name were handed out at City Hall today, but the Municipal Clerk’s office said Wilson qualified for re-election and then withdrew.

Six Atlanta City Council members and a school board members also drew no opposition by the close of qualifying Friday for the city’s Nov. 3 election.

So, barring an overwhelming write-in candidacy, look forward to four more years on council for incumbents Carla Smith, Kwanza Hall, Natalyn Archibong, Howard Shook, Felicia A. Moore and C.T. Martin. Ditto for school board member Brenda Joyce Muhammad.

You may peruse all the candidates who qualified here.