State Board of Education takes DeKalb to task for poor condition of Druid Hills High School

Leaders from the State Board of Education took a tour of Druid Hills High School after students made a video showing things like exposed wires and leaking sewage.

Channel 2′s Tyisha Fernandes spoke to the student body vice president Tuesday.

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Channel 2 has reported over the last few weeks how students are taking matters into their own hands asking for renovations.

They said they are glad the State Board of Education is involved because it is making DeKalb County School Board members do more than make promises.

Druid Hills High School Class Vice President Darion Frazier said his school had been falling apart way before he started attending, and if students didn’t speak up it would continue to deteriorate.

“It should’ve never come to this point,” he said. “We’re not waiting for the leaders of DeKalb County to make the correct decision. We’re advocating it for ourselves.”

Frazier wasn’t directly involved in the video his fellow classmates made a few weeks ago, but he is part of the mission to get action and was in the meeting with District Superintendent Cheryl Watson-Harris last week when she said Druid Hills will eventually get repaired.

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He read a letter State Superintendent Richard Woods wrote to the district that said he’s proud of students, but adults should’ve handled this before students made the video.

“I’m glad that he’s pressuring the board, our school board, to make the right decision that they should’ve made months ago,” Frazier said.

Woods also said DeKalb can’t use the excuse of not having the money after they received nearly $500 million in COVID-19 relief funds they haven’t spent yet.

Woods wrote, “In reality, there has been a lack of leadership, responsibility, and urgency regarding this core responsibility of DeKalb County schools; providing safe & fully functioning facilities.”

“The board really thought that they were going to get away with this, and we didn’t allow it,” Frazier said.

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In a meeting Tuesday night the Dekalb County Board of Education voted to fire Watson-Harris.

Board members voted to name Dr. Vasanne Tinsley as the interim superintendent.

Students meet with DeKalb superintendent about conditions of Druid Hills High School

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