Decatur's Legislators Field Questions About Charter Schools, New Cities

State legislators representing Decatur told a town hall meeting Thursday night that charter schools and municipalization are major issues in the General Assembly.

"The big question this year is whether we want a constitutional amendment that says the state can charter its own schools," state Sen. Jason Carter told a crowd of about 90 people in Decatur City Hall.

State Rep. Stacey Abrams said she doesn't support the idea because local school boards would be forced to pay for charter schools they didn't approve.

A telling example was the Museum School of Avondale Estates, which was turned down for a charter by the DeKalb School Board but ended up receiving a charter from a state commission.

When a court ruling invalidated the state charter, the school had to go back to the DeKalb School Board to receive a charter.

"The question is not whether we support charter schools," Abrams said. "It's who should pay for them."

The creation of new cities is a trend that will change DeKalb County, state Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver said.

Dunwoody became DeKalb's largest city a few years ago and now Brookhaven wants to become a city.

"I think it's a movement I won't be able to stop," she said. "DeKalb County can't stop it."

Oliver said she's introduced legislation to improve the process used to create cities. The process now favors cityhood groups that make early claims on commercial areas. Dunwoody, for example, is built around Perimeter Mall, she said.

The legislators also discussed redistricting, which would change the faces representing Decatur and Avondale Estates.

If the redistricting maps go through, Rep. Stephanie Stuckey Benfield would be pitted against another Democrat for her seat. Abrams said her district, which now includes Oakhurst, would no longer cover any part of Decatur.