DeKalb County School District Sues To Overturn Emory Annexation
The lawsuit claims the Emory annexation will take more than $2 million in property tax revenue from DeKalb County schools. DeKalb schools Superintendent Stephen Green, shown in a file photo, said the loss of funds would have lasting impacts.
Martha Dalton / WABE
DeKalb County’s school district has filed suit to overturn the Emory annexation. The lawsuit names the city of Atlanta and City Council President Felicia Moore as respondents.
Atlanta absorbed 744 acres of DeKalb County land into its city limits on Jan. 1: the Emory University campus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and some surrounding properties.
Atlanta Public Schools is also set to expand its boundaries. That would go into effect July 1. The lawsuit claims that will take more than $2 million in property tax revenue away from DeKalb County schools.
But, only fewer than a dozen students would move from DeKalb schools to the Atlanta school system.
Stephen Green, DeKalb’s schools superintendent, said the loss of funds would have lasting impacts.
“Seventy percent of our students qualify for free or reduced lunch,” Green said. “They have needs. To siphon money away from them into Atlanta Public Schools for eight students seems unfair.”
The affected students would have to enroll with APS by July 1.
“That’s $2.25 million less that I have and the board has to affect the educational experience for our students,” Green said. “I don’t know any district that can afford to lose that kind of money.”
Atlanta City Council President Moore said she had no comment on the pending litigation.
The city of Atlanta also declined to comment.
Disclaimer: Atlanta’s Board of Education holds WABE’s broadcast license.
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