APS Redistricting Woes Creating Bitterness among Neighborhood Clusters

Abby Martin says she submitted a proposal to APS Superintendent Erroll Davis on behalf of the entire cluster of elementary and middle schools that feed into Grady High School.

“If this was insensitive or it overlooks something then I would apologize that was not my intention” says Martin.

“I was simply trying to come up with an educational plan that would provide the best education and I would like to keep the focus on the children and on the education.”

In an email dated February 21^st, of this year, Martin’s detailed plan included closing Coan Middle School and making it an Inman middle school campus.

Coan is in the Eastlake neighborhood community and is slated for closure by Supt. Davis.

This normally wouldn’t cause a stir except, Martin was the co-president of the Council of Intown Neighborhoods and Schools also referred to CINS.

She resigned prior to speaking with WABE.

“I don’t want politics which I think this all is, politics for some people to really basically override what should be best for children”

Tris Sicignano with the Eastlake Schools Coalition told WABE she was upset when the email surfaced because CINS as a council pledged not to advocate for closing any of its schools.

“Perhaps she didn’t mean any harm but the reality is she is the president of CINS and the reality is she does hold a great deal of clout and influence in APS”

In the email to Superintendent Davis, Martin writes, “many associate the name Coan with the CRCT cheating scandal and a decade of APS’ failure to provide high quality leadership and staffing.”

Coan Middle School had never been slated for closure in any of the previous redistricting drafts.