ATLANTA – State Representative Karla Drenner (D-Avondale Estates) today issued the following statement regarding Governor Brian Kemp’s veto of Senate Bill 53:
“Today’s veto is disappointing; we had great hope in our neighbors at City Schools of Decatur. We believe the Governor was given skewed information regarding Senate Bill 53. The purpose of Senate Bill 53 is to stop City Schools of Decatur and Atlanta Public Schools from annexing mainly commercial property without bringing the students in those areas into their school district.
“Since 2013, due to annexations Decatur and Atlanta, which are two of the wealthiest school districts in the state, DeKalb County School District has lost $4.5 million annually. There are no laws in place to protect DeKalb County from this dangerous exchange.
“SB 53 would have put a process in place to would allow DeKalb and Decatur to work together so any students living in an area of annexation can attend Decatur schools.
“DeKalb County School District, which has the second highest population of students living in poverty, will do everything in its power to continue providing the best education possible for DeKalb County students. Unfortunately, they will now have to wait for the protection and process their education deserves and demands. Our children are worth more than the way they have been treated here today.”
For more information on SB 53, please click here.
Representative Karla Drenner represents the citizens of District 85, which includes portions of DeKalb County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2000 and currently serves on the Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications, Health & Human Services, Natural Resources & Environment, Rules and Small Business committees.
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