DECATUR, Ga. — The City Schools of Decatur board is addressing claims by parents that they have not been honest about decisions around closing schools.
Channel 2’s Candace McCowan was there as the board met on Tuesday night.
About tow dozen parents gathered outside the meeting to say they’ve lost their faith in the board.
“The board is maybe lying to us, which is disappointing,” one parent said.
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They are upset about a letter that was uncovered in an open records request that was filed by a group of parents called Save Decatur Schools.
The letter is a draft to parents about a decision to close Westchester Elementary School. It’s dated in October when community hearings were still being held as parents thought their input was being considered.
“If you weren’t planning on closing a specific school, I understand drafting a letter if that’s what you need to do. But why don’t you just leave it blank? Why fill in Westchester?” parent Kyle Newsome said.
City Schools of Decatur has been considering closing an elementary school because of declining enrollment.
Officials say they have 831 students in Kindergarten through second grade, but more than 1,700 open seats across its five elementary schools.
The school board says a decision could come by the end of the year.
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They spent Tuesday going through the process that would be used to select a school.
But parents say after uncovering the letter, they’re not convinced that a decision hasn’t already been made.
“I think we are getting to a point of no return where the community has lost faith,” one parent said.
Dr. Carmen Sulton, the chair of the City Schools of Decatur board, said that “pieces of information do not tell a full story.”
The board added that the letter was a sample and was not drafted by the district. They say no decisions have been made and they are not trying to mislead the community.
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