The students at Druid Hills come from all corners of the globe, from the Himalayan kingdom of Nepal to the Latin American country of Nicaragua to the newly independent country of Kosovo. Exposing students to diversity at a young age is important, because it enables them to hear from those who have different perspectives and experiences. This, in turn, permits students to become better innovators, and prepares them to tackle the difficult problems confronting the world today.
I understand many are frustrated with the DeKalb schools and a central office that seems to ignore the needs of the students. But it's important to remember who will be impacted most by the potential annexation: the students in the Druid Hills cluster schools. Some students will lose a high school, and others will lose an opportunity to be in a multi-racial environment.
The proponents of annexation subscribe to the notion that by being a part of APS, their children will be better off. I reject this notion because these kids will not be better off in a homogeneous school. They will not be better off in a school where all they hear is English spoken in the halls, and where they are surrounded by people who are culturally similar to them. They will not be better off in a school where everyone looks like them.
