Under state order, Georgia district sets school renovation

STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. — Going through state calls for to maneuver ahead, in addition to public stress after college students produced a viral video exhibiting widespread disrepair, a suburban Atlanta college board on Tuesday voted for a $50 million overhaul at an growing older highschool after beforehand voting 3 times in opposition to it.

The DeKalb County college board voted unanimously to renovate Druid Hills Excessive College, information shops reported.

“I’m proud to say as we speak that we’re in unison, that we wish what’s good for this district,” The Atlanta Journal-Structure reported that board chair Vickie Turner mentioned. “It feels fairly refreshing that we have made this progress.”

The dispute over Druid Hills climaxed after college students made a video about poor circumstances together with uncooked sewage, crumbling loos and indicators warning of attainable electrical shock round utilities in a single room. However final month the board rejected plans to overtake the highschool, as a substitute voting to make minor repairs in any respect the district’s faculties.

College students from a minimum of two different DeKalb excessive faculties have since printed comparable movies. The dispute dredged up racial and sophistication tensions that always divide the 93,000-student district between a wealthier white minority in its northern finish and a poorer, Black majority within the southern finish.

State Superintendent Richard Woods intervened within the dispute by saying the state would refuse to approve the district’s facility plans till it addressed points at Druid Hills. Such a refusal would block the district from acquiring state services cash. Then the state appointed a particular advisor to supervise the system’s constructing upgrades and upkeep.

Within the meantime, board members fired Cheryl Watson-Harris as superintendent, with Turner showing accountable Watson-Harris for poor circumstances in a letter to Woods.

Tuesday’s vote provides Druid Hills to the district’s five-year constructing plan. Work slated to start in September will embrace roofing, plumbing, heating and air con. The district pays for it utilizing native gross sales tax collections.

The state employed Tanzy Kilcrease, who’s retiring from Bibb County faculties, to supervise DeKalb beginning June 1. She instructed WABE-FM that she’s going to evaluate circumstances throughout the district.

Considered one of Kilcrease’s tasks shall be guaranteeing DeKalb carries out repairs in its state corrective motion plan, together with some updates that have to be accomplished by June 30.

The state Division of Schooling mentioned Tuesday it will approve state services funds for DeKalb so long as the district follows by means of.

About 60% of the rapid wants recognized within the plan have already been addressed, interim Superintendent Vasanne Tinsley mentioned Tuesday. She mentioned a damaged sewer line shall be repaired by Friday, whereas roof repairs shall be full inside two weeks. She additionally mentioned the district is working to restore heating, air flow and air con issues.

“This can be a collaboration,” Kilcrease mentioned. “It is a partnership. It is our aim for them to achieve success in assuring that we’ve normal high quality services for all of our college students in DeKalb County.”