ATLANTA (CBS ATLANTA) -
Several dozen parents and their children marched in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood in Atlanta Sunday. Their route was from the Martin Luther King, Jr. Historic Site to the old D.T. Howard High School.
They protested a proposed redistricting by Atlanta Public Schools. Many parents said their fight is part of a bigger effort to save their neighborhood.
"Oh my goodness, it's such a frustrating situation," said parent Tiadra Shaw. She said they already have two schools in their neighborhood that are closed, and fear that a third, Hope-Hill Elementary, will close also, if the redistricting process goes against them.
"We can't have three empty (Atlanta Public Schools) buildings," said Shaw. "We're not the APS empty building neighborhood graveyard."
She said they marched around D.T. Howard High School, because they believe it can be used as a middle school to help ease overcrowding in surrounding neighborhoods. The High School has been shuttered since 1976.
"Hopefully, the (school board will) continue to see our active involvement, and they'll say the Old 4th Ward is where we want to invest our money and our time."
APS spokesman Keith Bromery said they're open to any ideas from parents in the district, and that Superintendent Errol Davis will make his proposal for redistricting early in the spring.
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