Published by CJ Lester Investigates | Covering Newton, Rockdale, and Walton Counties
When Jesus Lopez decided to run for the Rockdale County Board of Education Post 1, he wasn't motivated by politics or ambition. He was motivated by something far more personal and far more urgent.
"Our school system has lost focus on who it exists to serve," Lopez said. "Students and teachers. Not itself."
It's a bold statement but Lopez backs it up with something most candidates can't offer: he just came from inside those classrooms.
A Rockdale Voice, a Recent Classroom Experience
Lopez is a lifelong Rockdale County resident and a 2025 graduate of Rockdale Magnet School where he finished in the top ten percent of his class. That means he isn't relying on memories from decades past when he talks about what students and teachers are experiencing. He lived it recently enough that the frustrations are still fresh.
"I've seen how decisions made at the district level directly affect classrooms, teachers, and families," Lopez said. "That perspective matters."
A Personal Fight That Shaped a Public Purpose
Lopez's path to this race didn't begin in a campaign office. It began much earlier in the difficult reality of being a child with a speech impediment and an Individualized Education Program, an IEP.
He succeeded he says not because the system made it easy but because his late mother refused to let the system ignore him. She fought relentlessly and without ceasing to make sure her son had a fair chance.
"Too many families in Rockdale County are still fighting those same battles today," Lopez said reflecting on her legacy. "Teachers feel unsupported, parents feel disregarded, and too many students don't have someone fighting for them. I want to be that someone."
It is a motivation rooted not in theory but in lived experience and in grief transformed into purpose.
The Numbers Tell a Troubling Story
Lopez isn't content with vague concerns. He's pointing to specific data that he believes every Rockdale County taxpayer deserves to hear.
Last year 57% of fourth graders in Rockdale County could not read at grade level. That figure alone would be alarming in any context but it becomes even more difficult to accept when set alongside a district budget of $231 million.
At the same time Rockdale County Public Schools ranks 49th in the state of Georgia for teacher pay. Yet the district currently employs five Assistant Superintendents, more than Gwinnett County, a system that dwarfs Rockdale in both size and population.
"The school system has grown increasingly top-heavy," Lopez said "and our students are paying the price."
What Lopez Is Promising Rockdale County
Lopez is clear about what kind of board member he plans to be. He has no interest in winning the election and then fading into the background going along with business as usual.
"I will show up, ask hard questions and refuse to accept 'this is just how it's always been done,'" he said.
Concretely that means challenging unnecessary bureaucracy and pushing to redirect funding away from county office positions and back into classrooms. It means demanding measurable results from instructional programs and ending the ones that aren't delivering. It means supporting teachers with real discipline systems and genuine administrative backing, not empty promises. And it means making every decision based on outcomes for students not on protecting the district's image.
"I will listen to parents, teachers, staff, students, and taxpayers," Lopez said "and I will use my position to push for real measurable change."
A Race About What Schools Are Actually For
Lopez is clear that he doesn't see this race as being about age or partisan politics. At its core he believes it's a far simpler question: are Rockdale's schools actually working for the people they're supposed to serve?
He believes the answer right now is no. And he believes Rockdale County deserves leadership willing to say so and willing to do something about it.
"This isn't about good optics," Lopez said. "It's about whether our schools are working. I intend to find out and I intend to fight for better."
CJ Lester Investigates covers news, politics and public accountability across Newton, Rockdale and Walton Counties. For tips, story ideas or interview requests contact us directly.
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