VHCA Earmarks 20K to Fight APS Redistricting
Virginia-Highland among several neighborhoods that plan to hire lawyers if necessary
The Virginia-Highland Civic Association earmarked $20,000 on Monday that could be used to fight Atlanta Public Schools redistricting.
The money would be used to cover "any legal needs that may arise as APS redistricting moves forward,” Virginia-Highland Civic Association president Jack White said.
The money would be pooled with funds from neighboring civic associations to hire lawyers to see if the redistricting process is legal or possibly hire demographers to look at the demographic study published by a firm hired by the school district.
"The process has been so abrupt and arbitrary that it's alarmed huge numbers of parents," White said. "We’re hoping APS will respond to pleas from many communities to proceed more deliberatively and inclusively, but if that doesn't happen, we are prepared to work with other neighborhoods in considering all the options available to us."
White said he spoke with representatives from Inman Park and Morningside, who have committed to pooling money together.
All four original options for Atlanta Public Schools redistricting include removing Morningside Elementary School from the Inman Middle and Grady High cluster. In these proposals, Morningside kids would attend a new proposed Mid-town Middle School and N. Atlanta High School.
Morningside parents have opposed this plan because students would be bussed up to 10 miles to school, among other concerns.
Some options include splitting the Springdale Park Elementary School campus with Hope Hill Elementary in Old Fourth Ward. One campus would house kindergarten-through-second-grade and the other would house third-through-fifth-grades.
Springdale Park parents are urging the district to add more classrooms at Springdale Park and keep the school kindergarten-through-fifth-grades.
At the end of January, the demographers hired by Atlanta Public Schools will release two or three new proposals that reflect public input and updated census data. A second round of public input meetings will be held once the proposals are released.
A final recommendation from the superintendent to the board of education is expected in April.
Follow city-wide APS Redistricting coverage on Facebook. Read more about redistricting on the VaHi Patch Atlanta Public Schools Redistricting Page.
In This article
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Morningside Elementary School
1053 E Rock Springs Rd NE, Atlanta, GA -
Samuel M. Inman Middle School
774 Virginia Ave NE, Atlanta, GA -
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Springdale Park Elementary School
1274 Ponce de Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA -
Jason B. Allen
11:33 am on Tuesday, January 10, 2012
If APS is going to bus students on any side of town 10 miles from their community it should not move forward.
David Eckoff
3:24 pm on Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Good coverage, Jaclyn. Video of last night's VHCA board meeting is now online to watch. The next best thing to being there. I also included a Quick Read Digest, for folks who don't want to watch the entire meeting. Plus, my commentary about the highlights from the meeting. Here's the link:
http://virginiahighlandconnect.org/2012/01/virginia-highland-civic-association-january-2012-board-meeting/
Suavez
8:12 pm on Tuesday, January 10, 2012
I wish we could just drop a bomb on the Fourth Ward and that housing project on North Avenue. Il'll be damned if I'm going to send my kids to school with the spawn of thieves and whores.
Jason B. Allen
8:38 pm on Tuesday, January 10, 2012
In response to Suavez, not only as a native or Atlanta, but employeed Educator of APS, your comment, "the spawn of thieves and whores" is a bit over the top and harsh. Trust and believe, I understand you want the best for your children. However, I don't condone the degrading of ANY child,regardless of their family history or surroundings. The area of Old Fourth Ward does need some improvements. There are many children living in those conditions and growing up in the Old Fourth Ward area who are doing the right thing and are not products of their environment. "Wishing to drop a bomb" on them is a bit extreme and cruel in the less sense. Again, I believe we should provide the best for all our children. People change because of the passion someone shows them about their well being. You can take children from the worst situations, economically and socially and place them in a classroom with a teacher who cares and it will change their lives forever. I know this for a fact. I'm in hopes that our APS leadership will take community structures into account, the well being of our children and the financially stability of our system.
Atlanta Public Schools
12:42 pm on Wednesday, January 11, 2012
The next round of Demographic Community Meetings have been scheduled. Demographers will present new options and maps to the public and request input.
All meetings begin at 6:30pm.
New options and maps will be posted on the district’s website prior to the January 30 – February 2 meetings.
Monday, January 30, 2012
SRT-3 - Schools zoned to Grady and M.H. Jackson High Schools
Meeting will take place at Jackson High School
801 Glenwood Avenue Southeast Atlanta, GA 30316
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
SRT-1 and SRT-4 Northwest - Schools zoned to Mays, Therrell, Douglass, BEST, CSK and Washington High Schools
Meeting will take place at Young Middle School
3116 Benjamin E. Mays Dr. Atlanta, GA 30311
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
SRT-4 Northeast - Schools zoned to North Atlanta High School
Meeting will take place at North Atlanta High School
2875 Northside Dr. NW Atlanta, GA 30305
Thursday, February 2, 2012
SRT-2 - Schools zoned to Carver and South Atlanta High Schools
Meeting will take place at Price Middle School
1670 Benjamin Weldon Bickers Dr. Atlanta, GA 30315