Springdale Park Elementary Parent Alleges Harassment To Verify Residency

Students who attend Springdale Park come from Virginia Highland, Poncey Highland, Midtown and part of the Druid Hills neighborhoods.

LaQuanda Prince says she’s lived in the neighborhood zoned for Springdale Park since the summer of last year.

Her eight year old daughter is in the second grade.

She admits purposely moving into the region because Springdale is a good school.

But now Prince says she and her daughter are being harassed by a school social worker to once again prove her residency.

“My daughter came home and said that she was pulled into the office by a lady and I said what did she ask her, she told me that she wasn’t (Prince’s daughter) in trouble that she (the lady) asked where did I live and I gave her the address she said and there was question because she and another student had the same address”

Prince says she followed up with a call to the school but the social worker never returned her phone call.

Prince says her eight year old daughter was scared because of supposed statements like this.

“I know you don’t live there because I just left there and I know you don’t live there, so you may as well tell the truth because in the event that there’s an emergency and we have to get all the kids home we need to know where to take you”

Laquanda Prince says the social worker also asked her child where she spends the night.

Prince says she shares a home with another Springdale parent but still it’s an address zoned for Springdale Park.

Recently, Prince says the social worker came to her home.

“the social came out and she looked around and she said no, no, no, she said these kids are too well dressed, I just don’t believe they live here, this house does not lived in ”

Prince says the social worker, who is white, refused to believe she and her daughter lived at the residence.

“She said I’m just looking at your daughter and I’ve being doing this a long time, for the apartment that I saw she is just too well dressed to live in that area.”

LaQuanda Prince says the Springdale Park Principal Yolanda Brown insisted she immediately withdraw her daughter despite having already proved her residency.

Prince says she’s not signing any withdrawal papers because she has proof that she lives in the school zone.

She also feels minority students are being targeted.

“I know of several African American families that have been questioned, I don’t know of any Caucasians families that have been questioned.”

In an earlier interview with WABE, spokesperson Keith Bromery said decisions to investigate possible fraudulent addresses rest solely with the schools.

“That is our discretion or at the principal’s discretion when it comes to those kinds of enforcements”

APS officials could not be reached for comment regarding LaQuanda Prince’s claims.

UPDATE:

A follow-up to this story, WABE has learned Ms. Prince’s daughter will be allowed to remain at Springdale Park elementary. But she tells WABE  an APS official stated the district will continue to monitor the validity of her residency.