DeKalb’s Lewis steps down temporarily. How will it affect school closings and layoffs?
In a shocker tonight, DeKalb Superintendent Crawford Lewis temporarily stepped down from his post after a morning search of his house ordered by the DeKalb DA.
It appears the search was the catalyst for the sudden decision, but it is unclear why. Was Lewis upset by the search, which is related to an ongoing investigation of school construction projects, an investigation that Lewis himself instigated and that now seems to have widened to include him?
Did he feel the whole mess compromised his position to oversee the county schools in these next few months of controversial and painful budget decisions? (I just came back from Tucker where 260 parents from three small elementary schools turned out to find out if why their schools were on a possible closure list and what they could do to fight it.)
I can understand the pressures on Lewis right now, but is this the right decision given the delicate negotiations over the next months to decide which schools to close and which employees to let go?
According to the AJC:
The DeKalb school board voted Thursday to accept Lewis’ temporary hiatus from the district and appointed an interim superintendent to serve while the district attorney completes its investigation into possible wrongdoing involving multi-million dollar school construction projects.
“He has made the offer because as always he is putting the best interest of the district and students above his personal interest,” board chairman Tom Bowen said.
The board’s vote came after investigators with the DeKalb district attorney’s office spent five-and-a-half hours searching Lewis’ Stone Mountain home, seizing three computer hard drives and six boxes.
District Attorney Gwen Keyes Fleming would not say what investigators were looking for, but confirmed that prosecutors executed search warrants at Lewis’ home and three school buildings as part of the investigation into the district’s construction program.
“This is all part of an ongoing investigation which was started at the request of the school system’s administration. After reviewing the information we gathered today, we anticipate bringing this matter to an appropriate conclusion,” Fleming said in a statement.
The district attorney’s office has been investigating whether the school system’s then-chief operating officer, Patricia “Pat” Pope, broke the law by allegedly steering contracts to her architect husband and construction companies where she has connections.
According to search warrants obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, investigators were looking for Lewis’ personal finance records, along with documents concerning him, Pope, Pope’s husband and the couple’s associates. Investigators also searched for records of gifts Lewis, Pope and school employees received from contractors; car purchases; and information on seven school construction projects.
The investigators were looking for the documents and computer files in connection with 10 different potential criminal charges, ranging from theft of federal funds and mail fraud, to bid-rigging and Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations, according to the search warrants.
A lawyer for Pope has denied the allegations. She has since been reassigned to special projects.
Lewis and Bernard Taylor, an attorney who previously represented him, did not return phone calls on Thursday.
After four hours behind closed doors, the board voted to appoint Ramona Tyson, the district’s deputy chief superintendent of business operations, as interim superintendent. The board also voted to pay Lewis’ legal expense and allow him to maintain his salary during his leave.
Board vice chair Zepora Roberts abstained from the vote, saying she didn’t want Lewis — a DeKalb schools employee of 33 years — to go.
“Our superintendent has not done anything wrong,” she said. “I am in support of him and would like to see him come back to work tomorrow.”
Lewis himself is the one who sparked the criminal probe that has now turned on him. In November 2008, while being questioned by a district attorney’s investigator about his purchase of a county car and questionable gas purchases on his county credit card, Lewis revealed a slew of allegations about Pope. The superintendent reported discovering a trend that those close to Pope were profiting off school projects, and that Pope’s husband had worked on school construction projects against his direction.
Bowen said Lewis is cooperating with investigators.
“It’s really a situation where the board is anxious to get all the details and why,” Bowen said. “We’ve been cooperating with the Pope investigation. So it’s a bit alarming and surprising to have something of this nature going down.”
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122 comments Add your comment
Allen
February 25th, 2010
8:49 pm
Zepora, let’s let the courts decide whether he has done anything wrong. And let’s let him pay for his own defense.
Nikole Allen- Dekalb citizen
February 25th, 2010
8:55 pm
ATTN DEKALB RESIDENTS: Please vote out all incumbents of the Dekalb County School Board in the next several elections. Anyone currently serving needs to be relieved of their duties as soon as possible. Anyone that accepts that gas siphoning story is not competent enough to lead a school system.
d
February 25th, 2010
8:58 pm
For what it’s worth — woohoo.
That being said, how much does Ms. Tyson know about what happens in a classroom. Wouldn’t it be nice if she got rid of some of the pointless tasks teachers do so that we can actually teach our students?
The General
February 25th, 2010
9:00 pm
Throw the lot of these scoundrels out on their asses, Lewis, both Popes and all the other thieves masquerading as educators. Just like the con-men (and women) on TV masquerading as people of God but their sole interest is separating the gullible from their money.
Allen
February 25th, 2010
9:01 pm
R. Tyson won’t “DO’ anything d. The worst part of this is that the housecleaning is beginning just when we least need distraction
d
February 25th, 2010
9:07 pm
Allen, one can dream, right?
DunMoody
February 25th, 2010
9:14 pm
I cannot believe the School Board is going to pay Dr. Lewis’ legal expenses. Do they offer the same thing to any teacher or principal who runs afoul of the law (allegedly)? Are they out of their collective minds?
ScienceTeacher671
February 25th, 2010
9:16 pm
This is better than any TV drama….
It Amazes Me
February 25th, 2010
9:19 pm
…that there is another school system that can take Clayton County Public Schools off the front pages, LOL.
Write Your Board Members
February 25th, 2010
9:29 pm
Given that Ms. Tyson was the one who was the leading the effort to streamline the central office, I expect that that won’t change.
As an aside, it is unlikely that any Tucker elementary schools will close. I suspect that when redistricting is announced, they will receive additional students.
Sandy
February 25th, 2010
9:41 pm
Mrs. Tyson is exactly the type of person the school system needs to fill that position. Finally, a REAL professional, someone with real business world experience to run the near-billion dollar corporation that is the DeKalb School System. How much she may or may not know about what goes on in a classroom is irrelevant. There is a person in charge of instruction and curriculum to handle that end of things. The school system needs someone on top that can run the business. Lewis knew all about what goes on in a classroom, but a career educator does not a good superintendent make.
HEE
February 25th, 2010
9:43 pm
When will the APS people step down?
HEE
February 25th, 2010
9:44 pm
I think they should “erase” themselves from the system!
irony
February 25th, 2010
9:45 pm
Does anyone get the irony that our taxes are going to pay one institution (the courts) to investigate another institution (the schools) and that our taxes are supporting both the “offense” and “defense,” so to speak? Meanwhile, they “care about the students.” hee hee hee.
HEE
February 25th, 2010
9:45 pm
I promise we won’t analyze the erasures.
Wounded Warrior
February 25th, 2010
9:50 pm
YEAH!!!!!!! IT IS ABOUT TIME…SO WHY HASN’T HE BEEN FIRED???????????
HEE
February 25th, 2010
9:50 pm
Finally, a school board with guts! Join in APS, use the “temporarily stepping down card” to erase her out!
Sandy makes lots of sense
February 25th, 2010
9:53 pm
You are so right!
Ford Motor Company hired the CEO of Pizza Hut to it. You really don’t need someone to know anything about cars to do that. There is a CEO for Lincoln and another one for Ford….
FLAWoodLayer
February 25th, 2010
10:01 pm
I know it is bad timing, but no one from DCSS should be named superintendent. This is a GANGSTA school district and its time to start fresh. Who though has any confidence in this board to do the right thing? Heck, they paid the man’s legal expenses! If the DA raided my house, I’d be on Memorial Drive forced to write an explanation at least. Dekalb residents have received what they deserve by voting in this board. The chickens have come home to roost.
Private School Guy
February 25th, 2010
10:01 pm
Lewis was never anything more than a puppet for the entrenched cronies in the admin offices. He was a weak figurehead that they could push around. When he ran out of money (88 million short) he was forced to tell some of them to take a hike so they started to sing. This is what’s happened today. The games up for him and a lot of other people. When the gas card story broke you could tell he was out of his league.
Allen
February 25th, 2010
10:06 pm
Isn’t Ramona Tyson the one whose main concern about staff cuts was that they be spread among all departments (to be “fair”), not how particular staff cuts might impact children’s education?
Richard M. Nixon
February 25th, 2010
10:16 pm
Crawford, repeat after me, “I am not a crook”. And Beverly, don’t erase the evidence, burn it.
FulCoTeach
February 25th, 2010
10:18 pm
SO hope WYBM is absolutely correct at 9:29 and that other systems (cough, cough – Fulton) will follow suit and hold off cutting any more at local school level until they STRINGENTLY assess central office positions and salaries. Check your system’s allotment sheet and see how many central office positions the state funds – if schools are staffed strictly at “earned” levels, why not central office?
lightbulb
February 25th, 2010
10:19 pm
“…he was forced to tell some of them to take a hike so they started to sing. ”
Ah ha! I think you’re right!
FulCoTeach
February 25th, 2010
10:20 pm
http://app3.doe.k12.ga.us/ows-bin/owa/qbe_reports.public_menu?p_fy=2000
Select QBE003 from the drop-down menu at Select a Report, then select your school system…
say what?
February 25th, 2010
10:30 pm
Ignorance is bliss and some of you are on vacation in bliss. “When he ran out of money”- that’s funny as the tax office is the one who failed to provide accurate projections of tax receipts. The number will increase until all of the appeals have been resolved. Furthermore, if as most of claim, he stole $88M, why would he still reside in a house where parents could come, sit in front of and get their jabs in with the media’s help. A. Jackson you did not leave you were let go, so let go of DCSS and keep Wilbanks’ feet to the fire in Gwinnett.
The board must know something that the rest of us don’t know for them to vote to pay for his lawyer fees. Stop hyperventilating over the gossip in the ajc.
Screaming for the board members to be voted out is assine, but most of you are showing your @$$.
\he is stepping aside so that the media will stop showing up taping everyday even when no story is to be discovered. Since we are clamoring for his removal, he has stepped aside so that the focus can be put back on the kids, and the budget. Ms. Tyson has the experience to make the necessary changes.
And AJC how about providing some coverage on the scholar’s program that occurred on Tuesday. These kids are amazing and that story deserves more space than the Popes. Put the focus on the kids and teachers who do great things. I guess my morale would sink when everytime the media comes around they want to find something negative. AJC how about for every negative story on DCSS, give us 2 positive stories on DCSS staff and students.
Ima Teacher
February 25th, 2010
10:35 pm
Ramona Tyson??? Former CTSS, never been a principal, Ramona Tyson? Great. She is his right hand and has probably been involved with the things Lewis has done, and the Board votes her in as interim superintendent. We need to clean house in DeKalb and take out ALL of the trash. Get rid of the BOE, except Mr. Walker. And Crawford Lewis…good riddance!
Welcome to our little world of Dekalb
February 25th, 2010
10:39 pm
Stay tune for the rise, fall and climax of “Drama in DCSS.” Maybe we can make a movie for our $84,000,000 shortfalls.
DeKalb resident
February 25th, 2010
10:43 pm
I’m not pleased by the choice of Ms. Tyson, but then DeKalb Schools has such a dearth of leadership I’m not sure who could do this job.
Ms. Tyson has 2 to 3 years experience as a Business Ed teacher in the 1980s. She went to IBM as part of a DeKalb teacher program for maybe 4 years and then when she came back she went to MIS.
She gave DeKalb Schools the eSIS online gradebook, a decision she possibly regrets since it has been an enormous headache for teachers. Ms. Tyson was head of MIS when the decison was made – most probably on her recommendation. The BOE has long deferred to her judgment for any technology services or equipment purchases. The Central Office personnel wanted a data crunching system and she was trying to get them what they wanted (eSis integrates with a comprehensive Student Data Management System). DeKalb Schools Central Office personnel (and the BOE) are notoriously untechnical for want of a better word. eSis was implemented immediately rather than rolling it out over time so the problems all hit at once and the teachers were going berserk over lost grades, a system that took minutes to move from one window to another, etc.
Ms. Tyson ran the MIS Department for the last 5 years until her recent promotion. DeKalb has little technology for students – 2 computers per classroom of 25 to 30 students, 1500 ACTIVboards for 7,000 teachers, no teacher laptops (some teachers still have the old clunker desktops from 6 or 7 years ago), one computer lab that all teachers vie for, etc. In addition, the little technology that is available is often broken or not installed correctly. On the other hand, DeKalb has an enormous number of personnel in Information Systems to support so little technology ($24,000,000 in salary and benefits to support this department).
Please ask any teacher you know in DeKalb if they have gotten good service from the technology department she headed, and I think you’ll get an idea of how this department was run.
The problem with classroom experience that is so scant and occurred so many years ago is the understanding of the pupil teacher ratio in the success of students.
In addition, it is easy to be swayed to the idea that there is a quick fix (America’s Choice, Springboard, data crunching from the Student database that integrates with eSIS, HSTW, benchmark testing every 6 weeks, Instructional Coaches, etc.) that can be purchased to “fix” our educational system in DeKalb.
A low pupil teacher ratio coupled with motivated teachers is the real proven formula for student success (look at the Ron Clark Academy).
We’ll see if Ms. Tyson has the where with all to make the necessary cuts in the support and admin side.
Since she’s interim superintendent, Dr. Lewis will probably be very influential. You seldom get that high up unless you make your supervisor’s ideas your ideas or you have the same ideas to begin with.
If the investigation doesn’t turn up anything substantial then Dr. Lewis will step back into his position and Ms. Tyson will once again report to him. I’m certain she’s aware of that.
Ima Teacher
February 25th, 2010
10:46 pm
Mr. say what? You sound like you are on Crawford Lewis’ payroll. You wouldn’t be an Area Director or one of his Deputies, would you?
Dr. John Trotter
February 25th, 2010
10:47 pm
DeKalb Is A Gangsta School System!
By John R. Alston Trotter, EdD, JD
Look at the MACE website (www.theteachersadvocate.com) and see how many times that MACE has called DeKalb a “Gangsta school system.” When all other groups were quiet as church mice, we were calling this system a “Gangsta school system” on TV, print media, internet, and on our website. We called out the bullying, cheating, and lack of discipline on a regular basis. Admittedly, we were behind the curve on the construction contracts and “gasolinegate” because we were not privy to certain information. The nepotism, the shutting down of a State-mandated grievance because the teacher was about to testify about systematic cheating at Clarkston High School, the abysmal and abject lack of discipline in the schools, etc., have been discussed at length not only on MACE’s website, the AJC’s Get Schooled blog, and other media. Finally, Gwen Keyes’s office has acted swiftly and she deserves the credit. I think that only the tip of the iceberg has been seen of the extent of the corruption not only in the DeKalb County School System, but also in the Dekalb County Government. (c) MACE, February 25, 2010.
It's Me
February 25th, 2010
10:51 pm
@ Private School Guy – Crawford Lewis is the reason DCSS is broke. Check your facts to see what the surplus was when Dr. Brown left office and Dr. Lewis became Superintendnet. Even though the system has received cuts due to loss of revenue, Lewis re-filled (and then some) of every position Dr. Brown cut when he had to come up with $50 million.
Crawford Lewis is a bully leading by fear and intimidation. Don;t kid yourself.
cut off the car
February 25th, 2010
10:56 pm
I sure hope he is driving his OWN PERSONAL CAR and not costing us any more than the legal costs and his salary…
It's Me
February 25th, 2010
10:57 pm
Ramona Tyson is a power b*&$ch! She is already so far over her head it is not funny. I agree with ima teacher..tyson is nothing but an a$$ kiss to Lewis, but who elso you going to choose? NO leadership in DCSS. I say find Gary McGiboney to see if he can clean up this mess. He was always fair to ALL; students and staff.
Ima Teacher
February 25th, 2010
10:59 pm
Robert Mosely (sp?) could do the job and do it well! But he probably doesn’t want to get in the middle of this mess. But whoever it is, it needs to be someone who is not in Crawford Lewis’ back pocket. And eSIS is a colossal failure that cost the county MILLIONS of dollars and it still doesn’t work right. That’s where our step increase went. I think it was chosen because somebody got a nice kickback from it. Ditto for Springboard.
Dr. John Trotter
February 25th, 2010
11:00 pm
Where oh where is the gutless Mark Elgart of SACS? Throughout all of the seedy revelations about the DeKalb School System and the Atlanta Public Schools, Mark Elgart has been thunderously silent…until his muted comment this evening about not wanting to interfere with the on-going criminal investigation. Right. Yeah. Me thinks that ole Markie boy is “scared to shoot dat ball.”
Ima Teacher
February 25th, 2010
11:12 pm
If a teacher was being investigated for the things Dr. Lewis is being investigated for, he or she would have been fired immediately. Heck, we would have been fired after the gasoline thing. And forget the county paying for any legal fees! How could they agree to that when the county is in such debt that it will probably never recover?
Advocates on Behalf of Children in Dekalb
February 25th, 2010
11:27 pm
Say What…sooo you what’s that you say…you are surely one of the cronies going down… Ronald Ramsey and R.L. Brown….you are next. If Dekalb wasn’t so corrupt then the media would have nothing to report. Oh and please don’t speak about that which you do not know…. House Cleaning is coming and i advise you to get out while you can….. Dr. Trotter… Dekalb misses you…
HEE
February 25th, 2010
11:27 pm
Dr. Trotter,
Thanks for getting Dr.(?) Robert Robbins today at Douglass High. He is a part of the issues!
say what?
February 25th, 2010
11:33 pm
Ima Teacher
February 25th, 2010
10:46 pm
Mr. say what? You sound like you are on Crawford Lewis’ payroll. You wouldn’t be an Area Director or one of his Deputies, would you?
My answer is this, I am one of those “support staff” that is affected by what occurs in DCSS. I am indifferent to who is in charge, but at some point there needs to be fairness and rational thinking in what we say and do, the kids watch us and are as just as impressionable as if they were watching their parents. So when people go on a diatribe about what parent’s are not doing, the kids are in the hallway listening to you and catch on quick that u don’t give a darn, just the same as how you speak about their parents.
I am free from inner circles and the groups that keep the school system from excelling.
Dr. John Trotter
February 25th, 2010
11:37 pm
You’re welcome, HEE. The guys tell me that it was a good picket with lots of thumbs up.
say what?
February 25th, 2010
11:44 pm
@Advocates on Behalf of Children in Dekalb Please Gwen Keyes Fleming is in need of evidence, give her yours. As far as the media- some of the same crap is going on in Gwinnett, but oops for some reason ajc just cannot get anyone to talk against Wilbanks (how ironic).I like you am looking for housecleaning, but find that remaining negative is not helping the children at all. I concur on Ramsey as well as his interrogator Goolsby.
say what?
February 25th, 2010
11:50 pm
@ Dr. John Trotter- attention you are needed at a DCSS middle school where the principal takes pride in being #2 in the State of GA and #1 in DCSS for discipline referrals. More discipline referrals than students, something is wrong. I agree on discipline but when you get so heavy handed that kids are in ISS or OSS more than in class, who are you teaching? But her area 3 super. will defend her to the death, or unemployment line, which ever comes first.
David M Hirsch
February 26th, 2010
1:18 am
With all of the waste and obvious corruption within local and state educational systems, perhaps its time to nationalize our school system! There is far too much administrative and bureaucratic fat that needs to be trimmed. Let’s nationalize our system with federal standards across state lines, such as every other developed nation has in place. And maybe, just maybe, we should have some vocational training for students in manufacturing and bring some industry back to our nation! There is no reason to have students tracked academically who are not college bound.
David M Hirsch
February 26th, 2010
1:30 am
When, oh when, will teachers, students, and parents take it to the streets and shut down the Capitol?! Call it in…April 29th…No Business As Usual Day!
Dr. John Trotter
February 26th, 2010
3:27 am
Res ipsa loquitur. It speaks for itself. It’s all over but the crying. Crawford has spent his last day, I believe, as the real superintendent of the DeKalb School System. Oh yeah, he may still, for the time, be on payroll as the Superintendent, but his gig is over. Who will go down with him? People begin to cut deals and start rattin’ each other out. Now whose being “banned” from DeKalb? “Oh Carlos, you can’t fool a Corleone.”
Same Bunch that Screwed Clayton
February 26th, 2010
5:30 am
Everyone needs to know that the same group of power brokers have now gone after DBOE. This effort is spearheaded by Eugene Walker, Burrel Ellis, bond lawyers, contractors and Brock, Clay law firm. This is exactly the same method they used to take control of FCBOE several years back. Lewis and his people will be run out so this new group can take over the money in DBOE. The trash continues, AJC supports all these efforts and students in GA get screwed so Brock can steal money.
Citizen in the Know
February 26th, 2010
6:37 am
The problem with DeKalb schools has long been the “management”, or lack therof in central office. Most of the top level positions are filled with family members, friends, etc. of the “upper crust” staff. These people do not have experience with what it really takes to educate children and lack the background to make informed decisions about instructional issues. Fore example, people who have been PE teachers, counselors, etc., are in top positions in the county. Nothing wrong with this, yet they typically do not know what kinds of things are effective for the varying levels of learners, different instructional methods, etc., and they are making decisions that make it difficult for classroom teachers to do the jobs that they are trained for and who do have the knowledge to make competent decisions to teach so that the students are successful. The MIS Department in the county for some reason, spent a million or so dollars on the latest faux paux…the eSis system. These people lack basic 101 Project managment skills for developing/choosing and implementing an IT project. They “threw” out this system without piloting the program, frustrated teachers, and have made Assistant Principals spends countless hours in training about this system that has obvious design flaws. All of this takes time away from instruction. We have a board that supports a leader who has had obvious lack of concern for upholding standards of behavior. When he sent a letter after last year’s test “cheating”, erasure of answers issue, asking school system employees to support those people (the principal and assistant principal) who did the erasing, to call them and offer support since they are part of the “DeKalb family”, I lost all hope of his ability to run a school system with integrity.These people not only broke the law, but started the entire cloud of doubt and suspicion that lingers over the school system. It is not fair for the students and teachers who put forth their best effort to live under this dark cloud.
The school system also has spent millions of dollars on numerous “audits” that have produced little results. The list goes on. Now with all of the recent problems, the system will probably have a hard time filling any teaching positions..who would want to work in the county with all of this? For years there has been mismanagment of programs, spending money without fully considering all implications and long reaching effects. We need to clean sweep the school board and the central office staff.
Dunwoody Mom
February 26th, 2010
6:53 am
Tell me John Trotter, where does the “Dr.” come from. And calling DeKalb Schools “Gansta” is racist and is a insult to my children who have attended DeKalb schools since Pre-K. You really should not be on this blog “crowing”.
A RESIDENT
February 26th, 2010
7:03 am
This will make a lot of residents mad but Dekalb never had problems like this when we had WHITE leaders!
DunMoody
February 26th, 2010
7:03 am
I agree, Dunwoody Mom. Generalizations are never a good strategy. Let’s remember that our issues with administration and the School Board DO NOT DIMINISH excellence in the classroom. While the grown-ups work on making things right, students are teachers are going about their business, and wonderful things are happening every day within the “schoolhouse.”
Dr. Trotter, in your eagerness to make a point, do not cast aspersions on the students and teachers. We’re fighting FOR them.
DunMoody
February 26th, 2010
7:08 am
“students and teachers”
catlady
February 26th, 2010
7:14 am
No downside for him. He continues to get paid an incredible salary and benefits, including car and gas to drive around, his legal expenses are paid, and he doesn’t even have to PRETEND to work, yet he can continue to call the shots sub rosa, and seem like he is on leave “for the good of the system.” What exactly is the downside for him?!
jim d
February 26th, 2010
7:17 am
PURE BS.
“The board also voted to pay Lewis’ legal expense and allow him to maintain his salary during his leave.”
EVEN MONEY SAYS HE CONTINUES TO COLLECT EVEN IF CONVICTED.
LET’S SEE—WHO VOTED THIS BOE INTO OFFICE?? oh yeah–taxpayers in Dekalb!!
jim d
February 26th, 2010
7:21 am
Can’t help but wonder if freezing his salary was an option?
jim d
February 26th, 2010
7:22 am
Are these folks not required to carry some type of feduciary insurance?
Write Your Board Members
February 26th, 2010
7:29 am
A resident
Oh, the problems were there. Halford and Freeman just never got caught. Oh, except for the 2 DUIs that Halford got.
An older DeKalb resident
February 26th, 2010
7:58 am
@ A RESIDENT 7:03 am
That is so not true. This has nothing to do with white or black superintendents. Dr. Freeman was our last white superintendent, and he instituted the concept of the regional superintendents. We’ve never recovered.
In the mid 1990s, Dr. Freeman carved DeKalb Schools up into small regions, (I don’t remember the number – I believe it was 16 regions ).
Each region was supposed to be it’s own “business center” with its own executive superintendent (a regional superintendent by a different name). The success of the schools in that region was to rest on the shoulders of that regional superintendent. This is a sound business model the BOE was told.
A bureaucratic nightmare ensued. Each regional superintendent hired his/her own fulltime content coordinators (what power!). Each “team” had a social studies, math, language arts, and science coordinators, an assistant superintendent, and a few others.
Within a year, Dekalb had close to 100 very highly administrators on the “teams”.
The coordinators were drawn from classroom teachers. Many were very good teachers.
Meanwhile, everything at the teacher and classroom level went on as before. Most teachers were not aware of these changes as all this went on above their heads and didn’t impact the classroom as far as they could see. Mainly the teams met and planned and met and planned. Of course, there was a rather substantial impact on the budget.
The business model didn’t work as planned. Regional superintendents kept changing so no one was ever in place long enough to take responsibility for his/her area. Also, the area boundaries began to change. Some areas were collapsed into other areas and others were eliminated. Political infighting ensued among the regional superintendents as to who would be left standing and who had the power. A “clash of the Titans” began in the Central Office. Who has the power continues today.
The “team” members began to be shuffled between teams or put into Central Office positions created for them so they wouldn’t have to go back into the classrooms (huge decrease in pay). The “team” members were very nervous during this time, fearful that they would lose their admin positions and their pay increases.
But in the end everything worked out for the team members – Central Office positions were created for them as the “team” concept was slowly phased out. Most of the original team members are gone due to the Brown and Lewis buyouts. The regional superintendents who made the highest bucks were absorbed back into the system, and jobs were created with titles commensurate with their pay when they were regional superintendents.
That “team” business center concept of the mid 90s was the beginning of rise of the Central office administrators. The Central Office came to be filled with numerous highly paid instructional supervisors and coordinators. Power centers and alliances were established. Those “team” positions morphed into different positions to match the alliances and power centers we have today.
Many people in the Central Office today may not realize they owe their jobs to the legacy of the “team” concept
Before the “team” concept of the mid 90s, Dekalb functioned with very few coordinators.
For example, the Language Arts coordinator Ginny Mickish handled all of Language Arts as well as ESOL so teachers knew exactly who to go to – and by the way, Ginny didn’t mind if any teacher came directly to her with any concerns or problems. Her door was always open.
.
The idea of regional superintendents was tried 15 years ago. The results Dekalb saw:
1. They were not really independent
2. They promoted some terrific infighting and “turf” wars
2. They gave rise to a horrific bureaucracy that we are still trying to tame today
3. The regional boundaries and superintendents were shifted so frequently no one was ultimately
Reality Check
February 26th, 2010
8:22 am
“Stepping down temporarily” is not as good as “stepping down permanently” but, at least he’s not there doing his mischief. Folks, this guy’s gotta go……he’s too much of a distraction for a county school system that is in shambles and getting worse. One thousand employees in the county office? what do all these people do? Sounds like a lot to me……someone should investigate this!!!!!
B. Killebrew
February 26th, 2010
8:48 am
Maureen, do you have a link to DeKalb County’s possible school closure list (or could you post)?
Deciding which DeKalb schools to close: Academic performance will not be a factor | Get Schooled
February 26th, 2010
8:56 am
[...] in DeKalb. (Little did any of us know that a few miles away from our meeting in Livsey Elementary that DeKalb Superintendent Crawford Lewis and the school board were discussing his temporarily stepping down now that he has become enmeshed in the DA’s [...]
decaturparent
February 26th, 2010
9:31 am
Whew.. just glad I live in Decatur and have an independent school system.
tim
February 26th, 2010
9:35 am
It seems the Delalb School Board has got a whole lotta egg on their faces. Serves you right. The district attorney said you weren’t cooperating so this is what you get.
Have any of the south Dekalb board members ever been north of I-20?? I doubt it. A bunch of losers…just like Clayton County!
Crawford Lewis…How many times are you gonna fill up your car with gas today?
Pat Pope……How soon will you be in prison?
Zepora Roberts…..what irresponsible comment are you going to make today? Zepora….is that a name?
Losers….all of you!
Levine
February 26th, 2010
9:46 am
What part does Marcus Turk, the over paid financial officer, have in this MESS? He approved checks but then his connections, not his experience or competence got the job for him.
Board member should be required to have a college degree so that they can understand the many facets of educating children. Has any board member decided to query the over paid central office administrative staff in person to find out what they really do? I am willing to bet you that they could not intelligently tell you. What is written is NOT what they do. I agree that most of them are friends, relatives, etc of other connected people. It is a farce when many of them go into the classrooms many have horrible attitudes and try to intimidate teachers. They offer no assistance so why is there a need for so many?
There are also a large number of support staff that can be cut. Most of these plum jobs are held by relatives, friends of board members, administrators, etc These prevention intervention specialists and parent center facilitators have bachelor degrees but make far more than teachers with Masters. Because of the under use of these parent centers, there is no need for so many yet millions of dollars have been put into them. Consolidate them and use the money elsewhere. What do prevention intervention specialists really prevent?
Levine
February 26th, 2010
9:51 am
What is going to happen to Crawford’s friends whose schools were recently cited for high numbers of erasures? It is unfair the the first two administrators were dealt with but little has been said of the latest ones. Ironically many of the latest administrators in this MESS are friends!
Eleanor Vollmer
February 26th, 2010
10:11 am
I saw your superintendent on Fox News. I could not believe you would hire a person like that.
He sure is not adminstration material. I live in Florida and I was shocked.
Ernest
February 26th, 2010
10:34 am
B. Killebrew and Maureen:
Following is a comprehensive link to the proposed DeKalb school closure/consolidation process:
http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/public/CPTF/
To see the list of 23 candidate schools, go to page 15 of the CPTF Presentation.
To clarify some misconceptions, this list reflects schools that are considered to be underutilized. Closure/consolidation scenarios will be presented that will show the impact of closing a particular school with respect to where those children would then go. It is probably fair to say that a school will not be closed if nearby schools lack space to accommodate the students. Travel distance will also be a factor.
Schools were closed in DeKalb due to rapidly declining enrollment in central and north DeKalb in the mid 80’s. Several of those areas are now bursting at the seams with young families. There are some areas which have declining enrollment today. Regardless of the tough decisions that must be made, people will be upset. Unfortunately it must be done because the state believes that DeKalb has excess seats, which impacts the districts ability to receive additional dollars for capital improvements.
Ethics
February 26th, 2010
10:34 am
Bad timing or good timing, Lewis needs to go. Who on the Board voted to keep his salary running and his legal expenses paid? List, please.
what's right for kids
February 26th, 2010
10:38 am
I can not believe that the county is keeping him on payroll and paying for his legal expenses. That is a crime against the students. If this were a teacher, he or she would be dismissed without pay and defintitely without the county paying legal expenses. sheesh.
MR M
February 26th, 2010
10:42 am
The board does not want to get rid of him because they do not wish to admit their ignorance in hiring him. He is a nice person, but superintendent material he is not. DeKalb test scores have been declining, yet he gets a raise and a pat on the back by the school board. He is an extension of their ignorance. I wish they would impose term limits on elected officials.
Leader Watch
February 26th, 2010
10:46 am
OMG! This is a nightmare! The State need to intervene and simply do a wipe out at the top. Crawford knew this day was coming and he groomed Ramona to fill in. In 2008 Ramona was promoted twice within the same school year, and four months apart. The last promotion was newly created, made up a title and shazam. She jumped over every other person who thought they was moving ahead. People! Ramona Tyson is no professor. She ran her last department with intimidation, profanity at the employees, and most alarming is her promising lies of support. Ramona Tyson spent $30 million dollars on fiber optic cabling for faster internet capabilities. Can I get a show of hands of how so often our fast internet has been down, or slow since that $30million went into the ground. Or did all of the money go to the ground. It was buried somewhere. The Board should have delayed making a temporary appointment until 48 hours.
Rev. Mrs. Vidalia Toombs
February 26th, 2010
11:43 am
Dunwoody Mom: Dr. Trotter has a right to crow. He and MACE were the only ones calling DeKalb a “gansta system.” But, he did feel bad about his slight crowing yesterday evening and will do penance today by trying to stay off the blog. He will peel onions all day until they make him cry. He is Tedddy Bear at heart. BTW, I think that his doctorates were earned at UGA and Mercer Law.
Bubba Elgart
February 26th, 2010
12:23 pm
“Daddy, Daddy, DeKalb’s on our radar screen, right?” Reply: “No, son. It’s just a little too dangerous for your Dad to venture over into DeKalb all alone, especially after dark. I’m just a little too scared to go over there.” Bubba: “But, can’t you call in Uncle Glenn? He knows what to do when a school system is encountering a crisis. He just takes over!” Reply: “We’re meeting at the Big Chicken for lunch today. Son, I can tell that you’re gonna be a great School Godfather one day. The bark doesn’t fall too far from the tree.” Bubba: “Thanks, Daddy! DeKalb, you better get ready for Uncle Glenn!”
catlady
February 26th, 2010
12:25 pm
I suspect they have to pay him his salary, as he has not been convicted or even charged. HOWEVER, put him to work in the classroom (so he can get some real experience, and it will keep him off the road and charging gas for “his” car). He should NOT be allowed to go on leave and do nothing and still get paid. I imagine there are a few kids in Dekalb who could use some “interventions” (ie tutoring) and let him earn some pay like an honest person.
Re the attorney’s fees. If he is charged with breaking the law, and it is unrelated to his actual work, then the system should not pay his fees. If he is charged with doing something that IS his lawful responsibility (like me, putting kids into their cars after school) then they should pay his fees. At any rate, his pay should be docked if he is charged with a crime that he should have known not to do. Also, he should be dismissed (no pay) and his license taken if he is found guilty.
not here
February 26th, 2010
12:31 pm
Enter your comments here
A RESIDENT
February 26th, 2010
12:50 pm
BRING BACK DR. E. WALKER!!!
Lee
February 26th, 2010
1:08 pm
Placing someone on administrative leave is not uncommon if they are the focus of a criminal investigation. Do you really want Lewis to have unrestricted access to documents and witnesses while the DA is investigating? I think not. Also, it is not uncommon for this to be paid leave, pending results of the investigation.
Regarding his legal fees, I think the Board member spoke out of turn. Legal representation is for the protection of those employees who are acting on behalf of the school system. The allegations against Lewis is that he acted in detriment to the school system. If charged, he should not be entitled to legal representation paid for by the school system.
Regardless, it is going to be interesting to see how this plays out.
Concerned Parent
February 26th, 2010
1:08 pm
The BOE gets together for an emergency meeting and rush into a decision in choosing an interim. Why not wait 48 hours so you can make a sound decision? What if the DA search expanded? The BOE better make damn sure Ramona is not implicated in any any of this. Everything they do just keeps you wondering what really is going on?
How can C Lew come back from this? He is to blame for this mess, he hired Pat Pope, he asked the DA to investigate her, then had an Emily Latella moment, “Never Mind”! Gasgate, Paygate, nepotism gate, and on and on. He has lost the trust of the majority of parents in the district. Come on BOE, how much are we in for since you re-negotiated his contract? Folks thank God for the teachers that will teach in a system that is absolutely scary!
Parents speak up, hit their emails, ask tough questions! Someone is singing or let’s hope someone will begin to sing. How is this helping our kids? We should be looking back at the CLew days, it’s time to move forward. The economy is not getting any better and tough decisions lie ahead for DCSS. We’re not so Premier today are we?
What a Joke
February 26th, 2010
1:34 pm
I’m going to the teacher job fair tomorrow. I will be giving the DeKalb table a wide berth, that’s for sure. Wouldn’t touch that one with a ten foot pole. Unfortunately, I don’t really know why I’m bothering to go. Right now I work for APS and they’re horrible, but why go from crappy to less crappy when the salary is lower?
Maybe I should just hope that what looks like could be a clean out at DCSS happens at APS as well.
Or maybe I should just leave the whole thing and wait tables while I go back to school. I wonder how many co-workers I’ll see at the job fair…
An older DeKalb resident
February 26th, 2010
3:39 pm
@ Citizen in the Know
“The MIS Department in the county for some reason, spent a million or so dollars on the latest faux paux…the eSis system. ”
Ms. Tyson as head of MIS at the time did give DeKalb the eSIs system which will forever live in infamy for DeKalb teachers. I think it was considerably over a million – I’ve heard $4,000,000 – but I could be wrong – it might be more. SDMSs (Student Data management Systems) are ultra pricey – in the millions.
Retired DeKalb Educator
February 26th, 2010
4:17 pm
I am shocked by the misinformation people are stating on this blog. I worked under 6 superintendents. It is a thankless job, and during economically trying times, it is especially challenging. Dr. Lewis replaced a superintendent whose actions created so much choas and mismanagement that I wondered if anyone could repair the damage. Dr. Lewis is a brave man, who knew it would be a difficult task, but he accepted the challenge. Why? Because he knew what DeKalb was when he was a classroom teacher and he wanted to return DeKalb to a school system that met the instructional needs of our children. He was a respected principal and area superintendent before accepting the position as superintendent. I say all this to let people know that he does understand the perpectives of teachers, administrators, as well as parents and students (his own children attended DeKalb schools).
I am disappointed in the comments that attack the efforts of a man who tries to make decisions based on what’s best for students. All I can imagine is that these naysayers have been denied something they wanted for their own personal benefits, or maybe they were asked to work harder than they wanted to.
I did not read anything about Gov. Perdue’s budget cuts and the effects it has had on school budgets. Services have been cut back and the people who still have jobs, must do their original job, as well as absorb the tasks that two other people used to do.
There are few leaders who can handle the job of school superintendent. Look at superintendent salaries across the nation and you will see that Dr. Lewis’ salary is reasonable. Instead of cheering for his demise, maybe a pray for his willingness to return to a job, where people want to yell and criticize every move you make, would be more appropriate. Do not be fooled by others into thinking that there is someone better for the job. DCSS has paid the price before when the wrong person was hired to run one of the largest school systems in the nation.
Rick
February 26th, 2010
4:52 pm
I know a number of teachers in the Dekalb County School system who are what I consider competent, caring, and common sense kind of people. I also know it has been extrmemly difficult to get the Dekalb County BOE to come forth with financial records to demonstrate that they are [or are not] legitimate and above board with their spending and allocating of funds. We as tax payers and family members have been supporting various sports in the county and have found it almost impossible to get to an accurate accounting of where the money has been spent and what it was use for. This massive problem with Dr. Lewis et.al. may have something to do with why it’s been so difficult.
@ Citizen in the Know
February 26th, 2010
5:54 pm
“The MIS Department in the county for some reason, spent a million or so dollars on the latest faux paux…the eSis system. These people lack basic 101 Project managment skills for developing/choosing and implementing an IT project. They “threw” out this system without piloting the program, frustrated teachers, and have made Assistant Principals spends countless hours in training about this system that has obvious design flaws.”
F.Y.I – The MIS department has an extensive Project Management Department. Ms. Tyson was very proud of her Project Management Department, and she steadily added to it every year. The head of her Project Management Department is an Assistant Director – $90,444 a year + 25% benefits = $113,055. However, if the MIS department personnel don’t finish their work on the correct date, there is very little the project manager can do about it. Not a very effective group.
current dekalb educator
February 26th, 2010
6:09 pm
to “retired dekalb educator”. Many of us were very glad to see Johnny Brown go. I had relatives in Birmingham that could not believe that we had hired this man. I, along with many others, felt that there was no where to go but up after this man left. Were we ever wrong. Yes, I have been denied something that I wanted for my own personal benefit. I wanted a superintendent who would make decisions based on what is best for the students. That, is certainly NOT Crawford Lewis. This man has to be the most inept, incompetent superintendent that this school system has ever seen. He has surrounded himself with people who are just as, if not more incompetent that he is. These same people, screen all info before it goes to him, do not allow any principals or faculty members to call or email him, while he threatens administrators with their jobs if they don’t raise test scores (that could account for the cheating, much of which has not seen the light of day yet). I think this man may has consumed too much of that gasoline he was trying to siphon from his gas tank.
catlady
February 26th, 2010
6:15 pm
Retired ed: you know a lot about him. How much time has he spent actuallyt teaching K-12? And what subjects at what schools? And where are his degrees from? And tell us about his peer-reviewed publications and his presentations at conferences where he had to present his research? Inquiring minds want to know.
BTW, P.E. is important, but it doesn’t really make you a “classroom teacher.”
OldschoolLHS
February 26th, 2010
7:15 pm
DCSS has become an embarrasment to this county. At one time DCSS was held with high regard and every parent wanted their child(ren) to attend DeKalb. However, now they are running away and I don’t blame them. The majority of DeKalb schools appearance are thuggish. To those teachers who really desire to teach my heart goes out to you; it must be a challenge.
However, if Crawford Lewis and the other Superintendents were out and observing these schools everyday; instead of sitting in there offices we possible would not have this problem.
Although it still depends on who you are rubbing elbows with. I personally would like to see Lewis resign and it’s time for Zepora Roberts to give up her seat (she’s been there to long)
Bubba Elgart
February 26th, 2010
7:40 pm
“Hurry, Daddy! We can take over! Just like in Clayton!”
d
February 26th, 2010
7:48 pm
Well they finally announced it officially to the employees…. at 5:18 tonight.
Rev. Mrs. Vidalia Toombs
February 26th, 2010
9:11 pm
Announced what?
Just Sick and Tired
February 26th, 2010
9:17 pm
Now is not the time to tear down or into what is already broken. We need to move forward. I for one would love to see a few new board members that have educating children as our primary responsibility. As for the cuts:
Cut Central Office Staff
Cut specialty programs, magnet in particular. Would hate to loose them but have to work with area schools. Take those staff members and put them in area schools and let all children benefit from their services.
Cut out talk and walk the walk.
We can and will rebound, only if our mindset changes and the focus shift to children.
It has been a long time coming
February 26th, 2010
9:25 pm
Spring is not here yet, but cleaning house in the DCSS is in order. Crawford Lewis and all his folks in Building A and B should be fired! They are all leaches and incompetent people. I worked in the County and I can tell you stories that the AJC would never uncover. These are mean and vindictive people! They are like pit bulls! Educating children is not on their radar at all. When Lewis and his team utter these words, don’t believe them! They are in this gig for themselves, their sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, cousins and extended family.
Put the focus, too, on Steven Donahue, the middle school “pit bull” principal who replaced Mrs. Pope. What credentials does he have for this job? Is he one of Lewis’ hatchetmen who is getting rewarded for screwing administrators and teachers? You betcha ! The AJC needs to check his resume to see what experience he has for this job other than being in “bed” with Lewis.
Teachers work hard in the DCSS even when they are shafted because they have a high regard for their craft and their students. If any teacher had used a gas card in the manner Lewis did, he/she would be gone! No due process, here!
Many of the principals need to be gone! Many of them got their jobs because they qualify to be the nastiest leaders ever! They have no sense of integrity. If they are told by central office, Dr. Lewis, to bring someone down, they do it. But lo and behold when you hire physical education teachers, special education teachers, and social science teachers to be in leadership roles what else can you expect? These folks are usually the bottom of the barrel in terms of knowledge and professionalism.
I hope that the citizens of DeKalb county wake up soon! Hire a business person to run the schools. Run it like a business, respect the workers, and results in the classroom will improve. The DCSS has never passed NO Child Left Behind, individual schools have succeeded. With a principled business person at the helm, this district can pull itself out of the gutter.
Mandella
February 26th, 2010
9:48 pm
Hey J. R.A.T. – There were lots of single digits up at your protest, but it wasn’t thumbs….
Teaching in Today's Dekalb
February 26th, 2010
10:59 pm
@ Retired—-I have no respect for C. Lewis. He asked all employees to come together as family and forego step increases. He then negotiates a raise for himself. What happened to family? At school board meetings, when people go to the microphone to speak he (among other members) looks around, doodles, passes notes and pretends not to hear you.
Name One
February 26th, 2010
11:22 pm
Still find it hard to believe that Lewis issued a system-wide memo asking for staff to support the principal and asst principal who changed test scores at Atherton. Thse two are lucky they aren’t in jail, yet C lew deemed they “suffered enough”. A school system has no credibility when it has principals changing test scores.
Speak Out
February 27th, 2010
3:11 am
@ Sick and Tired – We have been silent for five years during Lewis’ leadership. We are speaking out because we want to move forward. But we keep running into bad leadership. We received early warning signs when two longtime leaders Dr. Edward Bouie, Jr and Stan Pritchett, retired immediately when Lewis was appointed. They obviously didn’t want to work on Lewis’ team. Comment @ “It’s me” -You said find Garry McGiboney – He was just mentioned in AJC today that he is now in charge of the Georgia Charter Schools.
Give us a break
February 27th, 2010
3:47 am
@ DeKalb Resident – Thank you for the bio of Ms. Tyson. She wasted plenty of taxpayers dollars on hiring outside contractors for every technology project. Don’t you all remember in 2000 when the big electrician company came in and added all of those unnecessary power outlets underneath our classroom bulletin boards. Thousands of dollars were spent on those outlet plugs that are not being used to this day. Ms. Tyson also participates in nepotism – her project manager was her matron of honor in her wedding. When she lead the MIS dept. she would hire people WITHOUT the job ever posted. Remember those old beige disaster gateway computers? The company folded and so did those crappy computers. But wait, Ms. Tyson used her talented craft of creating positions and hired most of that computer vendor’s employees. Is that not a conflict like the Pat Pope’s conflict or what? Ms. Tyson obviously did that Vendor a favor by hiring their displaced employees. So if millions of dollars have been spent and our technology systems have failed so many times under Ms. Tyson’s leadership at MIS, how can she be chosen to temporarily lead DCSS. Lastly, I believe she lives in Rockdale County,(if I’m wrong, my bad) and her kids attend DCSS “Theme” school.
help
February 27th, 2010
7:46 am
I work under a principal who is straight from C. Lewis batch. She is sooo incompetent. She has been at my school as principal for 3 years and she still walks around saying she does not know. We never get visits from area supers and we are afraid of retaliation if we complain. When are these “NEW” principals reviewed or evaluated? How can anyone be properly evaluated if they are not observed on the job.
Are the students being considered. I say a resounding NOOOOO! My principal has come to our school without a mission or any goals. I mean we have a principal who does everything she can not to speak with teachers. She is afraid to go into the classroom because she does not have the respect of the students. She walks into the cafeteria and the students get louder. She has no clue what to do to effectively manage a school. She ask for suggestions and turn on the ones who offer concrete suggestions. She as been in the school system for a while and then they make her principal just to collect on that salary after retirement which will be soon I hope. She is never at school. She has no repor with parents. Our PTA attendance has just tumbled because of her unprofessional comments during the meetings.
DCSS where does it end. Hopefully, soon!
And who suffers from this incompetence? You got it the students. It is such a sham. Please help create an environment in DCSS that foster learning with competent administrators. Attitude reflect leadership and I say that C. Lewis must go. If he doesn’t know what is going on in this school system like he has said that he doesn’t, he can not continue to try to place the blame on others. C. Lewis, get your head out of the sand – well I think it is tooo late for that.
Ole Guy
February 27th, 2010
7:53 am
Joke, I presume you’re an FNG (XXX New Guy) to the teaching field. GOOOOOOOOOD LUCK!
Concerned teacher
February 27th, 2010
8:47 am
I find it ridiculous that the DeKalb tax payers are paying “Crooked” Lewis’ legal fees. Isnt is a conflict of interest to support both sides?
catlady
February 27th, 2010
10:34 am
Oldschool LHS, the superintendent is too busy driving around to spend time in the schools.
I would propose that it be state law that all certified administrators have to spend 2 years in the classroom after every 5 years out of the classroom. No special classes, just a randomly selected group of students. I think we would have MUCH BETTER administration if that were a requirement (along with having 15 years in the classroom before being chosen to any administrative role)
As I recall, when I was an undergrad 40 years ago you could not enter a master’s program in administration until you had a certain number of years of direct teaching experience.
FulCoTeach
February 27th, 2010
11:36 am
Amen, catlady! I say the state law should be a minimum of five years in a regular classroom – 25-30 kids all day or each period – with responsibility for lesson plans, grading, EIPs, talking with parents, as well as showing up for class each day. They should also have to have a team teacher in at least one class during the five years, so they know what to expect from team teachers (NOT that the SpEd teacher will be a glorified parapro so they have time for their coaching responsibilities…).
THEN they can only be administrators at the level at which they have the teaching experience. Forget your experience as an elementary school PE teacher qualifying you to be a high school principal (and then superintendent?). If a principal is to be the instructional leader in the building – and you want more local school control for those leaders – they need to understand the experiences of the majority of students and teachers at that grade level!
@ So much for experience in the classroom or business
February 27th, 2010
4:04 pm
I read in the AJC today that the new interim superintendent Ms. Tyson had 2 years in the classroom from 1987 – 1989 as a Business Ed teacher, 4 years as an Education Instructional Specialist and then back to DeKalb where she was in the MIS Dept. from 1989 until last fall 2010 when she was promoted by Dr. Lewis. It also said that Chamber of Commerce president had lauded her corporate business experience. As an Education Instructional Specialist, does anyone think she was heavily involved in the revenue and expense end at IBM?
@ Dekalbite
February 27th, 2010
4:43 pm
A BOE member Paul Womack said that Dr. Lewis recommended Ms. Tyson. That’s really not a very good recommendation.
Louise
February 27th, 2010
5:32 pm
Megan and Tim’s decision to quote a parent who lives out of the district in the home raid story was baffling. These two reporters never stopped to question the real reason why this individual’s children no longer attends DeKalb schools, but its quite evident in the story — she lives out of district!
concern parent
February 27th, 2010
6:18 pm
I agree with most of the comments already stated. Unless your child attend Chamblee, Dunwoody and Tucker the school system really don’t give a damn. Why! because they think the Black parents really don’t give a damn; and when they find the ones that do; it’s hell to pay. Let me give you example; Miller Grove High School the principle walk around in tight ass pants with her couch presented to everyone to see (even the high school teenage boys) two male teacher fighting one I saw at an honor day program rub his hand down the center of her back only two days later he’s in a fight with another student. I tell my teenagers you can’t wear that to school; that;s for the weekend but mom the principle wear the same thing. I know this may seem to be a small issue but once you have educated her kids in a school like Chamblee and listening to Dr. Lewis I decided to move the last one to her home school after over 12 years commuting back and forth to Chamblee he promised that the education and the educators would be equal. Not only is theft but a liar as well! Oh, by the way sorry Ms. Lowery you were right and I was wrong. We should have stayed.
Morgan
February 27th, 2010
8:09 pm
Decatur parent, don’t be so naive. Decatur is a great school system, no doubt, but Decatur has its own share of problems. Why do all the intelligent, highly educated parents in Decatur never talk about Decatur schools own nepotism?—the fact that the superintendent hired Dr. Lewis’ daughter into a central office position and a week or so later Dr. Lewis hired Dr. Edwards’ husband into a central office position…or that she hired her own daughter to work at the High School (her daughter’s boss reports to her)…or that the district-wide Athletic Director reports directly to her when his wife is the school board chair…or that she got an 8% raise last year (turned the performance bonus down but made up for it with an 8% raise)at the same time that big budget cuts were being made? I guess as long as schools are performing well, ethical behavior doesn’t matter.
Jean Graham
February 27th, 2010
8:31 pm
Dr. Lewis stay on the job until the investigation is over. You are in my prayers.
Good grief Morgan
February 27th, 2010
8:54 pm
Shushhhh!!
Decatur is smarter and smaller… They did not involved EVERY Tom, Dick, and Jane in the racket. But more than this, Decatur did not destroy teacher morale.
I think people are better able to tolerate minor corruption as long as the schools function well. In Dekalb County, it was all tricks, smoke, and mirror on the back of teachers.
Mind Your Business
February 27th, 2010
8:55 pm
Name One, you don’t know what the hell you are talking about. Dr. Berry confessed to changing answers. Mrs. Alexander was not charged with anything. Get your facts straight. Mind YOUR business!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dr. FeelGood
February 27th, 2010
9:09 pm
Well, we do have concerns about DCSS. How do we fix it? It starts from the home. Parents prepare your children to be educated. You use inappropriate language and children think its ok to swear at an adult. On the southside of the city, black students do not care about learning. Then, you have administrators telling teachers that its their fault if the students do not pass the CRCT. Parents, students, teachers, and administrators must support each other to have better schools. We have turned away from education to fashion, styles , and fine cars. What are you offering your children? Some of us have gotten away from our belief in praying and attending church. Some of these monsters do not fear anything. I watch students get out of fine cars and with fine fashions, but do not have paper and pencil when walking in the school building. Please, do not mention a book. We need to take a serious look at discipline in our schools. The administrators trying to save the students that are willing to learn by placing them in a high achievers team and dumping all the bad students on a single team and teachers rarely get support. Students are not crazy. They know when all the same. This system needs to address discipline! Before we throw stones look at yourself. If you think the county is wasting money, what are you wasting? We all need to stay involved with the educational system. We are so ready to jump for joy when a man is down. Be careful what you say.
Jabberwocky
February 27th, 2010
9:22 pm
So…what’s this about Crawford Lewis’s right hand person resigning a few weeks ago in anticipation of the approaching trouble???
Titanic is sinking
February 27th, 2010
9:28 pm
The rats sensed the danger before the iceberg hit…
MOBFIGURE
February 27th, 2010
11:09 pm
Dear Dekalb County Board Members;
It is unfortunate that your “premier Superintendant” Crawford Lewis is being investigated for alleged criminal behavior. The raid is evidence of a systemic culture of corruption that is prevalent in all organizational levels in the Dekalb County School District. Remember, this is the District that allowed Stanley Pritchett when he was the chief operations officer to hire one of his freaks, Joan Williams-West to serve as his assistant because she was having a sexual relationship with him. Stanley Pritchett participated in unethical behavior and Crawford Lewis allowed him to retire instead of pursuing criminal charges. This is factaul information. BIG BIRD (Joan Williams-West) is masquerading as a principal at Cedar Grove High School. The School is terrible and she is the worst principal in captivity.
Ima Teacher
February 28th, 2010
1:26 pm
To “help”–Your principal sounds like MY principal. She is one of Crawford Lewis’ buds too. He has protected her and allowed her to get away with soooo much crap. But her day is coming too. In fact, I think that all of Lewis’ buds are job hunting now or filling out those retirement papers, because there won’t be anyone to protect them now!
To the DBOE–Putting Ramona Tyson (Lewis’ right hand) in as interim superintendent only puts a spotlight on your incompetence, as does voting to pay for Lewis’ legal fees. Makes you wonder if the GBI shouldn’t be investigating YOU too. They definitely should be looking at Zepora Roberts! No one in their right mind would support someone as crooked as Crawford Lewis if they weren’t in it with him. I think she just wants this whole thing to blow over fast so they don’t start digging any deeper into the corruption that is running rampant in DCSS. Why does the county office have 983 (was it?) employees?? What the ‘H’ do they do?? You can never get anyone on the phone over there; if you go there, they are all standing around chatting or “away from their desk”; and no one knows anything over there if you have a question. It’s because Lewis has made positions for all of his friends and relatives, and they are all as incompetent as he is. Why hasn’t anyone looked into his nephew Harold, who is making six figures and getting moved from job to job because of his sexual escapades in the office? To the GBI–the corruption runs DEEP. Get a big shovel!
Titanic is sinking
February 28th, 2010
1:55 pm
Ima,
It is a sad situation…. There is a lot of incompetence floating about.
South-End Mom
March 1st, 2010
3:38 am
@ Jean Graham you are going to be on your knees alot praying for him.
Here is a list for you to start with: Lord give him the strength to endure what is about to come. Lord let him be smart enough to retire instead of them firing him. Lord oh Lord please, please, PLEASE let each decision he makes from this day foward be ordered by you!!! AMEN
Jean Graham
Dr. Lewis stay on the job until the investigation is over. You are in my prayers.
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