Here are the three candidates for DeKalb school chief. No internal candidate.
Here are the three finalists for the DeKalb superintendent:
I just posted another blog on their backgrounds. Check it out here.
* Dr. Gloria Davis, Superintendent of Decatur (Illinois) Public Schools
* Arthur R. Culver, Superintendent of Champaign (Illinois) Community Unit School District #4
* Dr. Lillie Cox, Superintendent of Hickory (North Carolina) Public Schools
From the school system on Thursday’s public forum with the three candidates:
During the forum, each superintendent candidate will have 50 minutes to introduce themselves and answer 10 written questions from the public. Parents and members of the community are invited to submit written questions of the candidates. Questions from the public must be submitted at the forum prior to 5:30 p.m.
Parents and those in the community who cannot attend the forum can submit written questions on the DeKalb Schools website at www.dekalbsuperintendentsearch.com. The forum also will be broadcast live on Dekalb Schools’ PDS TV 24 cable access channel on Comcast.
After each candidate makes a presentation and answers questions, members of the public will be asked to fill out a form regarding each candidate. These forms will be collected and presented to the DeKalb County Board of Education for its consideration during the selection process.
The Board of Education is seeking a permanent superintendent for the DeKalb County School System. This is one of the Board’s most important responsibilities, and the Board is conducting a national search for a leader for DeKalb Schools.
The Board of Education is committed to making the Superintendent Search Process open and transparent, and its search will include multiple opportunities for public input and discussion. Members of the public are encouraged to participate in this important decision for our schools.
For more information and updates on the permanent superintendent search, please visit www.dekalbsuperintendentsearch.com.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
87 comments Add your comment
Bill & Ed's Excellent Adventure
March 29th, 2011
3:27 pm
I see no opportunity on the DCSS web site to submit questions, only instructions on how you’ll need to be there by 5:30 pm to submit your questions, and then spend the next 4 hours hoping one of the candidates will answer…
George
March 29th, 2011
3:31 pm
Please let it be about the children you people are already starting up.No one has been hire.Please give someone a chance black,white ,green or yellow to much mess enough already.
Dr. John Trotter
March 29th, 2011
3:37 pm
My last rather lengthy post was blocked by the Filter Monster. Any reason why?
Dr. John Trotter
March 29th, 2011
4:07 pm
I must have stepped on some toes…but that’s so unlike me, right? Ha! Actually, I threw out a few kudos in this post that was hijacked. The publisher didn’t think that it fit my public shtick?
joe in tucker
March 29th, 2011
4:08 pm
the school board doesn’t want a take charge competent type person but rather someone that they can control and continue their inefficient and reckless ways…. nothing going to change until the school board is replaced.
FSU needs something else to do with its time...
March 29th, 2011
4:09 pm
The two from Chicago are to satisfy the Obama mindless voters….
Dr. John Trotter
March 29th, 2011
4:11 pm
Let’s just be honest…The white lady was thrown in there just to make it look good. It’s always good to show “diversity.” Now, I think that the school board member must have told the “search” committee who to deliver to them. Surely Arthur Culver and Gloria Davis are not the best two candidates (nationwide) available. Let’s just keep it real… Something in the milk ain’t clean.
Maureen Downey
March 29th, 2011
4:12 pm
@Dr. Trotter, Nothing of yours in the filter. Just freed one long comment that was probably held for length.
Maureen
Maureen Downey
March 29th, 2011
4:14 pm
To all, If I were one of these three finalists and read these comments, I would be unpacking my bags and canceling my trip to DeKalb this week. While I am surprised at the lack of large urban system experience among the trio, I do think people have capacities beyond what their resumes might indicate.
So, I will wait and hear them Thursday.
Maureen
Dunwoody Mom
March 29th, 2011
4:25 pm
Bravo, Maureen…
AT
March 29th, 2011
4:53 pm
@Maureen – You act surprised at the comments. I’m sure you have figured out the formula for page hits on the AJC blogs by now to attract the internet warrior bigots of this state. Post a story about the big bad city or throw in a black person and you get several pages of comments in no time!
Hickory - very stupid place
March 29th, 2011
4:55 pm
it doesn’t start with “hick” for nothing. one of the stupidest towns in the country:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/03/the-10-least-brainy-citie_n_791233.html#s197288&title=Hickory_North_Carolina
Ramzad
March 29th, 2011
5:32 pm
We could ask God to send in Moses to lead the DeKalb school system bondage, but it will not mean a thing until that corrupt school board is blotted out and its dust swept away.
Ramzad
March 29th, 2011
5:41 pm
@FSU………you could not resist your chance to swipe at Obama. I love it when you are so hateful.
It tells me how weak and scared you are.
A Conservative Voice
March 29th, 2011
5:42 pm
@observer
March 29th, 2011
1:44 pm
There is one common thread between Clayton Co. Schools, which lost accrediion and the Atl. and Dekalb school systems which are in danger of losing their accredition. Who can guess what it is?
observer – Everyone knows; however, you can’t post things like that on this blog
@Maureen Downey
March 29th, 2011
4:14 pm
To all, If I were one of these three finalists and read these comments, I would be unpacking my bags and canceling my trip to DeKalb this week.
Maureen, if they were smart and had any sense at all, they never would have put their names in for consideration and we all know that the winner has already been selected. The forum is just a show to satisfy the legal requirements. We also know the winning candidate is not that “nice white lady”.
feduptaxpayer
March 29th, 2011
5:43 pm
@Ramzad: You are correct. I voted, but several of the bad apples got reelected. The whole design has to change. The school board should have fewer members, therefore larger districts. They also should not be able to make money decisions. Leave that to the Commissioners. Obviously the board’s access to our millage rates and ridiculous employment contracts like Lewis’s prove they can’t handle our money responsibly.
Erin
March 29th, 2011
6:08 pm
Whoever it is, not to sound racist or sexist, but I hope it is a white male. Heck ,anybody white. I say that and I am an African American!
Sammy M
March 29th, 2011
6:09 pm
Are the’new’school superintindents white? Why don’t we have a change to see if things get better. No more democrats or Blacks so we can see if things get better or worst.
All we had in the past were Black democrats…….Hey i’m black myself…
Long timer
March 29th, 2011
6:48 pm
It’s the Board that’s the problem. Too many hanger-ons
Intown Dweller
March 29th, 2011
6:51 pm
If you are looking for a superintendent who has experience with a large “urban” district and has tons of awards, I hear Dr. Hall is up for grabs come June! We’d send her sooner if you’d like!
Cynthia McKinney Parkway ?
March 29th, 2011
7:14 pm
`
Dekalb County has serious problems.
Ed Johnson
March 29th, 2011
7:14 pm
A possible good sign: None seems connected with The Broad Foundation.
Another possible good sign: It seems “the White woman from Hickory” (see @Diversity?, at 12:50 pm) has Organizational Development in her background.
Rhee fan
March 29th, 2011
8:41 pm
What? No Michelle Rhee??
Maureen Downey
March 29th, 2011
9:30 pm
@At, Actually, the quickest way to get page views is to write about sports.
Maureen
Moon Super
March 29th, 2011
9:30 pm
Dekalb County is pulling an old play from its playbook. It goes like this:
Double (or almost double) an employee’s salary and Dekalb owns your soul right or wrong!–That is what they do with principals.
In this case, give a superintendent ( who ran a district of 10 000 students ) 90 000 students! Brilliant!
Overnight, these guys are going to get more “employees” than they had students!
M
March 30th, 2011
12:40 am
I think parents in South DeKalb and Nroth DeKalb both can agree that we are happy there is not an internal selection for the superintendent position. However, it is going to take a number of years to see any progress toward improvement even with the best leader. The old board hands and the high paid administrators will fight the new sup’s every action. That means continued years of wasted educational time for our children. The best thing that many can do, especially if the system has failed your child is to explore “School Choice”. Charter Schools and now virtual schools. Look at the new virtual school at Connections Academy beginning 2011-2012 school year. The link http://co102w.col102.mail.live.com/default.aspx?wa=wsignin1.0
South DeKalb parents need to start talking to each other in a proactive way to duplicate the respect received by North DeKalb parents from the school system. Virtual School choice also receives each childs share of funds that is the great part.
M
March 30th, 2011
12:50 am
Oops, I forgot to mention that we should not get our hopes up yet. It is very possible that the old players are using the strategy of making the three selections so they can say they don’t have the experience working with a large system therefore, they should select the interim Missy. They gave her that large raise for a reason other than stated reason. Definitely not because it is commeasurable with other supers in the area. Most other supers have Ph.d degree, she doesn’t. More importantly, whatever happen with doing more for less? See you at the meeting….
DTown observer
March 30th, 2011
11:15 am
I’m sure that if you check Dr. Gloria Davis’ published income, becoming your Super would not be a big pay raise.
DeKalb Educated
March 30th, 2011
1:17 pm
It is rather sad that we mistrust our BOE in DeKalb that we all expect some “underhanded” mission in the selection of the “top three” applicants. I hope that no one is correct but it is hard based upon past self-serving behavior that you may all be correct. You would think there would be someone out there who has 4-5 years of classroom experience, 4-5 years of admin exerience at the school level (principal) and 4-5 year of county/system management experience along with a degree from a fine (brick and mortar) university, is well repected by their peers, parents and other professionals in the system. I do not know of anyone in DeKalb’s current central office staff that matches that criteria and I think it is rather basic. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that all three candidates come across as well-spoken, intelligent, visionaries for public school education and one of them will be selected regardless of race and free from corruption (then you can all call me Pollyanna). Here’s to hope.
Dani Girl
March 30th, 2011
6:31 pm
Dr. John Trotter is the head of a MILITANT UNION that often defends incompetent teachers. For him to criticize administrators is much like the pot calling the kettle black! MACE, the Union he represents, is an embarrassment to Georgia education and educators. I suspect some administrator will take them on for slander at some point. I hope so.
MJM
March 30th, 2011
8:32 pm
If the Decatur IL. lady is chosen good news for this city. She is over paid, brought all of her incompetent croney’s with her and over paid them. Shehas run the district almost bankrupt and took all of the credit for anything good whether or not she had a thing to do with it. She then blamed the teachers for most all of the districts problems. Check her record I believe she has one agenda and that is to receive a reitrement check from three states!
Dr. John Trotter
March 30th, 2011
10:08 pm
Hey Dani Girl: Why don’t you try to take on MACE? It appears that you are probably an administrator whom MACE has rattled. MACE has gotten under your skin, right? Ha! The absolute defense against slander or libel is the truth. Sorry, Dani, but this is the law.
Dr. John Trotter
March 30th, 2011
10:10 pm
Oh yeah, Dani Girl, MACE defends good teachers against bad administrators. Are you one of those bad administrators. In fact, MACE devours administrators who abuse teachers.
Dr. John Trotter
March 30th, 2011
10:12 pm
@ Dani Girl: I left off a question mark. Let me repeat the question: Are you one of those bad administrators?
BB
March 31st, 2011
1:58 pm
Gloria Davis is absouletly wonderful-she is the next best thing to sliced bread. I am sure Georgia will absolutely love her. She has personality plus and only cares about “her babies” (that is what she calls the students). Glo is all about teaching and learning, every child every day. Dodge City, Kansas loss was totally our gain. Oh how we will hate to see her go-she is nothing but wonderful. I believe that citizens of Dodge City felt the same way they also gave her glowing remarks-thats how it works-everybody says shes wonderful and then she moves on down the road!
Dani Girl
March 31st, 2011
6:29 pm
Dr. Trotter, I am one of those “bad” ex-teachers. I presume you will admit that some teachers are “bad.” However, if one of them pays you a sum to join MACE, I hear that you will defend them against those “bad old” administrators no matter that they cannot teach. It is quite well understood across Georgia (and elsewhere) that MACE is an EMBARRASSMENT to the education profession. You do defend incompetent teachers. The only thing that MACE devours is its reputation and the innocent kids who you allow to go unprotected due to incompetent or less-than-desirable adults.
Ramzad
April 2nd, 2011
5:54 pm
I would be careful not to make too much of the black male’s attrition rate at KIPP. The national prospects for black male academic and life success and the societal challenges posed by the bleak developmental profile of black male is s subject for immediate national discussion.
KIPP teachers and administrators are not magicians. The only place the adoloscent black male is not dropping out of is the
“client” end of the criminal justice system. It is downright foolhardy to suppose that KIPP has a special formulae to keep black males in school.