KKK APS Flyer Not Sanctioned By Peoplestown

The Peoplestown Neighborhood Association says it has nothing to do with, nor did it sanction the recent passing out of flyers depicting Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Erroll B. Davis Jr. as a Ku Klux Klansman.

The PNA, along with other groups from the neighborhood, April 5 in the first of two meetings scheduled to discuss the proposed .

"It came to the attention of a few of our residents as the meeting began that there were individuals that had arrived with flyers that had a negative depiction of APS’ superintendent,"the PNA said in a two-page statement released April 6.

"Several residents attempted to dissuade those individuals from sharing their materials, but chose not to restrict those individuals free speech.

"For many of our residents, they only learned this morning of the negative materials that were present, but not generated by anyone in Peoplestown."

The flyer shows a smiling Davis dressed in white robes of the Klan, holding a giant-sized pencil that says: "No white schools closed." Behind him five hooded Klansmen and underneath the images: "All I Need Is 5 Votes!" in reference to APS' Board of Education.

Davis is black, as is the majority of the school board and the students attending APS.

While some parents in many of the neighborhoods affected by redistricting have charged that APS was protecting majority-white schools at the expense of majority-black ones, the rhetoric hasn't reached this level — at least not publicly — from an official neighborhood standpoint.

"We condemn the disrespectful, inappropriate and negative depiction of our superintendent," PNA said.

Nathaniel Borrell Dyer, founder and director of Altennium Inc., a youth empowerment group, designed the flyer.

Dyer told East Atlanta Patch that Peoplestown had no involvement with it at all.

"They had nothing to do with that," Dyer said "I take full responsibility for it."

He said gave APS spokesman Keith Bromery a copy of the flyer March 30 at a rally outside the school system's downtown headquarters.

The depiction of Davis and allusion of APS board members as Klansmen was to underscore his view that the district continues to under serve its majority-black schools and neighborhoods.

"It's associated with ugly periods of our time," Dyer said. "When do we hold people accountable? There's nothing malicious; I'm just talking about his actions and the lack of regard he has shown for these communities."