Southwest Atlanta Organizer Says APS Neglects Our Schools
Atlanta Public Schools superintendent Erroll Davis’ tour of community meetings continues this week regarding his proposed list of school closures.
WABE has been following specific civic and neighborhood groups as they advocate for keeping their schools open.
Rose Scott has this report on a southwest Atlanta group that is fed up with their schools being neglected.
Ten of the thirteen schools on Davis’ to be closed list are located in south-west Atlanta.
One of the reasons he says school closures are necessary is because several have low enrollments.
Nathaniel Dyer says there’s a reason for that.
“the way that they have promoted these schools through adequate yearly progress and certain standards for being at the bottom ring there’s no wonder that the numbers are low, you know anytime you have schools who are performing at low standards, what parents wants to send their kids there”
Dyer is with a coalition of parents and community members who have banded together to advocate keeping several southwest Atlanta Schools open.
He doesn’t mince his words when he talks about why he feels many have fallen into the low performing category.
He says the district doesn’t commit the same level of teaching for southwest Atlanta schools, “I’ve seen lackluster teachers” says Dyer.
“I’ve seen substitute teachers in math and science for an entire year or semester.”
Dyer’s admits his frustration began long ago when Dr. Beverly Hall was superintendent.
Many parents charged Hall with ignoring the plight of south Atlanta schools.
Dyer says that continues today with current school Chief Erroll Davis,
“he’s a bad substitute, he’s talking about empty seats, he’s trying to make a parallel between the education of a young child and empty seats, I find him to be detached and aloof.”
WABE asked Dyer to be more specific in his criticism of the APS superintendent.
His response condemned Davis business background approach to running the Atlanta Public Schools system, “well don’t come into the realm of education thinking you just move kids around who just suffered from one of the worst cheating scandals and probably going to have three principals within a year’s time…he’s just a person put in there to right the wrong not for our sake but the other passengers.”
Some of the targeted schools include Herndon, Capitol View and Cook elementary.
Top Stories
