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Parents, community members accuse APS of inequitable school closures; litigant says federal case challenges pattern
Summary
Public commenters told the Atlanta Board of Education that recent closures disproportionately affect Black neighborhoods and urged the board to stop issuing charters; one speaker said he has active federal litigation, arguing a pattern of disparate impact in closures.
Public comment at the Atlanta Board of Education meeting focused heavily on school closures, alleged racial disparities and district choices about chartering and repurposing.
Nathaniel Dyer, who identified himself as a litigant in federal court, said: "I have litigation in federal court dealing with the school closures. Dyer versus AISS." He urged the board to examine the pattern of closures concentrated in West End, Mechanicsville and Vine City and said the concentration supports claims of disparate impact.
Other community members said the district has repeatedly closed schools in predominantly Black neighborhoods and criticized the board’s handling of repurposing, charters and attendance-line decisions. Alan Lee urged the board to confront charter operators and argued that some closures and repurposing efforts have displaced community residents.
Speakers asked how savings from past closures would be reinvested into receiving schools and called for transparent, itemized accounting of per-pupil spending in South of I-20 clusters. Several speakers tied concerns about closures to long-term community stability, school enrollment and access to extracurricular and after-school programs.
Board members heard the comments during the budget hearing public-comment period; no formal board action on closures was taken at this meeting, though public testimony included notice of pending federal litigation.
