Some neighborhoods in unincorporated DeKalb County near Emory University are unlikely to be annexed by the city of Atlanta, said county schools superintendent Michael Thurmond.

Fielding questions after giving a speech about the state of the school system Tuesday, Thurmond told a crowd at Georgia Perimeter College in Clarkston that he’d inquired about the annexation interest of the Druid Hills Civic Association.

“I have friends who are in political office in Atlanta and they are not interested in annexing anything,” said Thurmond, a Democrat who was once elected statewide to the post of labor commissioner. “That’s just some informal conversations I have had with people who are in a position to make decisions,” he added.

Annexation has been a hot topic in Druid Hills as the county school board prepares to vote on a petition to put schools in the area under the governance of an independent charter board. The county board rejected the proposal once, but proponents resubmitted their application. Thurmond has recommended denial again.

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