Parents express dissatisfaction with APS redistricting plans

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By Ernie Suggs

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Atlanta Public Schools will host the last of a series of redistricting meetings tonight at Price Middle School.

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Dozens of concerned parents spoke against dividing their school before the APS board meeting on redistricting on Monday, Jan. 9, 2012.

Curtis Compton, ccompton@ajc.com Dozens of concerned parents spoke against dividing their school before the APS board meeting on redistricting on Monday, Jan. 9, 2012.

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If the first three meetings this week were any indication, it should be lively.

On Wednesday, hundreds of parents – frustrated by certain aspects of the controversial rezoning plans – packed North Atlanta High School’s auditorium looking to get answers from APS officials and demographers.

Some held signs reading, “Keep Us In,” which they would hold up whenever their schools were mentioned.

Some wore t-shirts, typically red or white.

Others wore stickers on their jackets.

When plans were mentioned that were unpopular, parents booed and hissed to let the APS demographers know that they are not happy with the second round of proposals.

Parents were concerned that more students would be moved into already crowded schools and that some neighborhoods would be split up, as students would be forced to attend schools outside of their neighborhoods.

“I don’t understand why they would bring more students into an overcrowded system,” said Sue Rodman, as she studied the oversized maps in the auditorium’s hallway. Rodman has one child in elementary school and two in middle school. “We were just here two years ago with the elementary schools and it divided the neighborhoods.”

Superintendent Erroll Davis did not attend Wednesday’s meeting, but APS spokesman Keith Bromery said the parent participation is valuable.

"That's input we're looking for, so if people really feel that way, that's something the demographers here will take into effect," Bromery said.

But not everyone is so confident. Cynthia Briscoe Brown co-president of North Atlanta Parents for Public Schools, said the system has ignored her organization’s suggestions.

“It looks like lip service,” said Brown, who was the first parent to speak at the forum. “Our principles seems to have been resolutely ignored.”

Demographers said they would continue to revise the plans based on community feedback and submit that version to Davis who will present it to the school board in the spring.

Depending what the board decides, some students could be starting at new schools in the fall.

Tonight’s meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Price Middle School, 1670 Benjamin Weldon Bickers Dr.