Parents claim redistricting plan for Forsyth schools is rigged

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Parents from rival Forsyth County high schools are joining forces to fight the school board's redistricting plan.

This week, they filed a complaint with the state attorney general's office.

Because of redistricting, hundreds of students won't finish their school careers where they started.

Their parents are now trying to stop the school board from implementing the redistricting plan.

Forsyth County parents said they're taking a stand on behalf of hundreds more to do what's best for their children.

"You're tearing kids from the community they've belonged in from the time they're 5 years old," parent Cheryl Gray told Channel 2’s Berndt Petersen.

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The school system is building the new Denmark High School to take pressure off the rest of its overcrowded facilities.

But some parents are angry that their children are being moved out of schools within walking distance of where they live to other schools that are miles away.

"When the school board and school officials don't listen to you, you've got to take it to the next logical option," said parent Scott Koenigs.

They parents have hired a lawyer and filed a complaint with the state attorney general's office.

They allege the district has stonewalled open records requests and that the whole redistricting process was rigged.

"Some people making decisions for the county, who do not want their own neighborhoods to be redistricted, their own children to be redistricted, so they're protecting themselves," Koenigs told Petersen.

Some of these parents, who had never attended a school board meeting before, now say they'll never miss one again.

"It also makes a statement to government officials that, 'We are here. We are paying attention and you need to do the right thing,'" parent Kim Balose said.

A school board representative confirmed to Petersen that the board has received the letter that was sent to the attorney general, but it won't comment about legal issues.

A final vote on the redistricting plan is set for Tuesday.

Cox Media Group