North Atlanta drama continues. Parents now alarmed over teacher resignation.
I am getting copied on emails between parents at North Atlanta High School and APS, and it doesn’t sound like detente has been reached over the purge of the school’s leadership team a week ago.
I am also getting calls now on the resignation of an English/journalism teacher whose hiring created tensions between principal Mark MyGrant and APS, although it remains unclear why.
The resignation of Amy Durham, coupled with the reassignment of Laura Brazil, academy leader for North Atlanta High’s Global Broadcasting and Journalism, has alarmed many parents with children in the program. One parent said her child is a finalist for a $200,000 scholarship but needs recommendations that he now can’t get.
You can read Durham’s resignation letter here. (She actually does not resign in the letter, but retracts her pledge of employment since she was never approved by the board.)
Durham and school board member Nancy Meister were middle school PTA co-presidents together and remain friends. When I asked Meister last week about why APS was dragging its feet approving Durham’s contract, she declined comment, saying it was a personnel matter.
MyGrant said he has been frustrated and upset by the board’s inaction on Durham and vague allegations against her that have never been formally outlined or ever substantiated.
He told me last week: “In August, I was contacted by Deputy Superintendent Karen Waldon on three separate occasions reporting anonymous allegations alleging that I was planning to fire a employee leaving for maternity leave, and was hiring two new teachers that were ‘racist.’ I did all I could do to investigate these claims with the very limited information I received, but one of the teachers never got processed and the one that signed a contract and is currently working has never been approved by the board. Her name was taken off the gains report in August and didn’t return in September or October. I tried for weeks to get answers from the very top on down, but was completely stonewalled. “
Many parents believe Durham was the casualty of a school board dispute. I can’t speak to what concerns APS may have about Durham’s hiring, but I can say that many parents spoke highly of her teaching to me this week.
A second point of contention has been the counselors that APS school chief Erroll Davis promised to the the North Atlanta High audience Tuesday.
But, in an email copied to me, a parent wrote:
Frankly, in light of the precipitous removal of the respected administrators, I considered Mr. Davis’ offer of outside grief counselors to be both a recognition of the injustice the students felt (which is traumatic), and an appropriate attempt at reconciliation. I am sorry that many students were told their were no grief counselors and were unable to access the services.
North Atlanta interim principal Sidney Baker responded:
Yes, there were four additional counselors on site in the media center. I am sorry for the confusion. Also, the NAHS counselor team was also available for any student as well.
Someone on the blog suggested that North Atlanta High was probably returning to normal. I don’t think that is the case, yet.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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182 comments Add your comment
Top School
October 15th, 2012
10:01 pm
@private citizen needs this info…please all post…
http://www.youtube.com/user/TopSchoolAtlanta
Private Citizen
October 15th, 2012
10:19 pm
@Top School, Let’s have a talk. I have a question for you, too.
1. I can read your post just fine. I’ve had similar questions about moderation. I’ve had a couple posts not see the light of screen. Fine with me. A blog is someone’s property, as like a book editor, I guess they make the decisions. Overall seems to work well on this site and I am glad for the amount of dialogue, different people and ideas. It is really a great thing.
2. The main thing I want to ask, and I do not mean to be tacky, but are you from Buckhead? Did you grow up there? I get the impression that you are not from Buckhead but have made Buckhead your concern. Maybe you grew up in Buckhead. I guess what I am trying to say is historically “Buckhead” is a small but wealthy area for this part of the country. “Buckhead” is the Beverly Hills of Georgia, although I’ll admit Roswell Road has little in common with Rodeo Drive with its Cartier store, etc. (even if there is Phipps Plaza). I guess I just don’t get it. Main cities have these type of areas, Dallas, Los Angeles, Atlanta. I can tell you that in Georgia outside of Atlanta, “Buckhead” is viewed like Beverly Hills or something.
3. I “get it” about concerns inside the school house. Some have said having a school within a school is a bad idea and leads to trouble. I agree with this as some kids who can not make the test score requirement for the fancy program at the time, it makes some kids feel bad. I can understand this. At the same time, what do you do with the savant kids? I’m not talking about this school, but in general is it a good idea to have a separate program for super high performing kids? It is not about money and funding. I’ve seen these type programs receive just as little funding as other programs, identical distribution of books and materials. But yes, they tend to house in the nicest part of the building. It’s a real question of should all kids be in general ed. or should you have lots of speciality programs. Getting angsty about college prep programs seems weird. I guess I was always too independent to relate. for me, school was mostly a place to get away from, not a place to exploit resources. But yes, if there are concerns about access to classes and such, sounds good to address it. If there is one thing meaningful I can tell you, I think doing race categorization is harmful and it would be better to look at things based on income and economic caste. Low income kids need augmentation, support, and help, but making it a race issue is just incredibly arrogant to other races in need.
4. My concern is treatment of labor. I wish we could get some Georgia State faculty to weigh in because they have a significant school of education, are in the urban setting and there are academics there whose mission is studying these issues with progress is mind. I think some of them might know more than you and me, but I am glad to engage you.
Private Citizen
October 15th, 2012
10:20 pm
! Top School, thank you for the YouTube link. Great! I can’t wait to view / process it.
Mary Ann
October 15th, 2012
10:28 pm
Top School: I’m a concerned APS parent, and if your allegations are true, then we have a mountainous, systemic injustice that may require Federal intervention. I’m just the kind of pesky, Senator-calling, letter-writing busybody who lobbies against such crimes.
However, here’s the issue– your posts don’t give us anything to work with. I’m interested in your views and I do not dismiss them out of hand. However, I can’t really Google effectively based on vague hints. If the things you suggest are true, then they are well hidden– that would be the only reason why more people weren’t outraged by the injustice. Since they’re so well hidden, you can’t really expect other people to be able to dig up the information. We don’t know where to start looking. It would be really helpful if you could post links to web sites or use specifics.
I don’t doubt that with more than a decade of APS employment experience you have some powerful anecdotal data. But if you advocate for a particular position, and you wish to influence other people to share your opinions, you’re going to need to give us evidence in the form of links, facts, names and numbers. That way we can weigh the evidence and make an informed decision.
Private Citizen
October 15th, 2012
10:39 pm
@ Top School, I love my video links. Johnny Winter and James Brown are two of the geniuses of the prior century. I am purposefully lampooning the race addiction of Atlanta and also the greater South. Historically, the newspaper is the correct venue for satire. It is a serious matter. If you grew up in the civil rights era, we were supposed to have solved and transcended race issues, My personal opinion is that people died for these issues to resolve them. Martin Luther King and “I Have a Dream” is from Atlanta. I think the point of Martin is that he wanted to resolve race issues and not perpetuate them. Atlantans need to set the example for the rest of the South and move into the future, as has been the pattern of greatness for the great city of Atlanta. I’ll save you the horror stories of working with poor people of many races. I think race categorization is harmful and classification by income is the best way to supplement and help those who need help. That’s my opinion – at the moment. Maybe I’ll learn something and my opinion will change.
“Now is the time to lift our nation from the quick sands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood.”
Former NAHS student
October 15th, 2012
10:41 pm
As a former student at North Atlanta (as well as student under Sid Baker at Sarah Smith) and freshman in college at Boston University, on a full tuition scholarship, I can 100% say that Mrs. Durham was one of my favorite teachers/administrators at North Atlanta. Every one loved her no matter black, white, or hispanic. She was always gracious and ready to help no matter the circumstance. When I found out I received the scholarship, Mrs. Durham was one of the first people i notified and she was possibly just as ecstatic as my parents. This is a sad day for North Atlanta and I feel bad that my school has gone through all this unnecessary mess. The administrators that were removed as well as Mrs. Durham did the school wonders and now that they are gone, I am throughly worried about its future.
Jamal A.
October 15th, 2012
10:55 pm
I’ve known Mrs. Durham for just a year and know that she’s the farthest thing from a racist. Racist? Like really? Where did that come from? I don’t really have strong ties with Aps as I was only a year in, but you can’t let good-hearted people suffer for a failure in leadership.
Logan
October 15th, 2012
11:20 pm
This is wrong. Ms.Durham is a hard working woman and isn’t racist at all. She’s helped me along with almost everyone I knew in high school. These are dark times.
Samantha Hughes
October 15th, 2012
11:36 pm
I am a former North Atlanta student, graduated class of 2012. I now attend the University of Georgia, and I am personally appalled at the allegations against Mrs. Durham. She was my counselor and personally helped me and many of my classmates apply and find the best colleges for us. As someone who knows her personally I can vouch that she is not in the slightest raciest. She is genuinely kind and has the best intrest in mind for all her students. She is a unique teacher in that she will personally take time out of her day to help her students and get them where they need to be if necessary. I think it is embarrassing and disrespectful how APS has treated this situation as well as the situation with the rest of the administrators. I was proud to be a North Atlanta Warrior. The school had changed immensly from my freshman year to my senior year, and I had high hopes that it could only continue to get better, but I am now very concerned. My brother is now a freshman and I feel bad that he won’t experience the same high school I loved.
Top School
October 15th, 2012
11:48 pm
some how last post did not post…
said oops you’ve already said that…
but not showing up…
Cathy Barshay
October 16th, 2012
12:32 am
I have known both Amy Durham and Kelley Day for many years and I have had the honor and privilege of volunteering on various school projects with them on many occasions. They are amazing bundles of energy and ideas and are incredibly generous and kindhearted. Time and time again, I have witnessed their sincere dedication to the idea of public school education and the tireless time and talent they have devoted to making APS a success. The fact that the system they fought so hard to build up is now knocking them down is a bitter irony and a sad commentary on the state of affairs within APS. Call me crazy but I don’t know of any ‘racists’ that would eagerly and willingly enroll all of their children in a school, volunteer thousands of hours of time to that school and even go to work in that school (a school where they are in the minority population by the way), if they really had any issues with racial equality. It just doesn’t make any sense. I can only hope APS, the School Board and Mr. Davis can put politics aside at some point and do the right thing by Amy and Kelley.
2011 Graduate
October 16th, 2012
1:56 am
Amy Durham worked tirelessly for my best friend who is African American and got him into a good school despite all of the odds that stood in her way.She also helped me every step of the way in my college making time from my top schools to finding scholarships that I could qualify for and gave me guidance in picking the school but never did she tell me where to go.When I was in the College Zone there was always several sign up lists for colleges that were coming to talk to students and these colleges would be anyone from Havard, Georgia, or FAMU.This is a lady who cared so much for everyone that is a downright shame that this has happened to her. I know of a bunch of former students that would be on the streets right now if it wasnt for the tireless work of Amy Durham. I remember my Senior year she made a deal with the Offensive and Defensive line who were people of all races that if we did not let up a sack and if we got a few sacks on Riverwood then she would make all of us dinner. We held up our end of the deal as did she when she made Pasta for all of us and our coaches. Amy was very helpful and it saddens me that some of the people who I have know for years will not have the luxury of having Amy when they need her during this time. The Durham family is a great family and this could not happen to better people. They were gracious enough to let me take there oldest daughter to prom my junior year. I hope that people realize the truth and that Mrs Durham has her name cleared as do all of the other leaders. This is a grave day for North Atlanta High School.
Top School
October 16th, 2012
2:01 am
@ Private Citizen “Atlantans need to set the example for the rest of the South and move into the future”
Through my research and conclusion…the irony… minorities that could make a difference continue to hide the secrets about how they manipulate the APS system so their children can attend the Northside (mostly white) schools. They are instrumental in the discrimination of their own race.
I worked for APS for 13 years at the APS Warren T Jackson Elementary. Only 3 of those years were under the present leadership. My last 3 years were spent …observing corrupt leadership.
I filed a anonymous investigation and as a result suffer under relentless retaliation by the APS administration. In less than 3 months after filing the grievance I was escorted out to the Northside school. No due process…no investigation.
The cheating scandal disclosed what the previous administration was capable of doing to staff that attempted to stand up to unethical behavior.
My research and case opened many other unethical issues in APS Northside schools besides the issues that were dealing with my case.
Testimony came from teachers on staff, previous teachers, parents of minorities attending the school illegally, and various retired APS employees that were free from the system to speak.
These issues are deep rooted. APS Northside schools. In the past …parents in this northside community manipulated many different ways to keep the APS NORTH schools in operation during the years of low attendance. Parents dedicated to these public schools found ways to increase their student attendance.
The history of Northside APS schools and the minorities that were allowed in to grace their doors …and how and who were involved in those secrets…are in the shadows of Northside High School’s current problems. The “teams”…that were designed to separate the children into a class system …are a reflection of the Buckhead shadow of elitism.
The minority fear…is still very much alive in APS Northside schools today.
And the secrets are still secret due to the politics and the fall out that might happen to families that feel they can not speak up against the corruption.
Happy to share my views and observations…some issues have documentation…some are from interviewing individuals with first hand experiences that shared their story with me. I spent the last 10 years researching the history of Atlanta’s integration of their public schools and talking to those involved in Northside APS.
APS Board Members know this…the older Buckhead families of Northside APS have lived through it… along with the affluent minority families that were allowed entrance to the mostly white Buckhead public schools through the underground system.
I found it was difficult to find anyone willing to stand up to speak.
I was the only one asking questions…and sometimes when asking the difficult questions…the fear created just nods and smiles or no answer at all.
This is a difficult topic for minorities and white Buckhead families that know the history.
It has been most disappointing for me peel back the layers that exposed this.
Yes…Atlanta deserves better…and this needs to stop.
This is where the civil rights movement started…and the Norhside APS secrets need to be exposed…and dealt with so we can move on with honesty, integrity and success.
I ended my teaching career because of this. Could not continue knowing what I discovered.
Atlanta’s future public schools will not rise to their potential with the secrets.
Our children deserve leadership that admits to their mistakes and honors those who make the effort to do the right thing in truth.
Feel free to contact me through the You Tube website.
Top School
October 16th, 2012
2:26 am
@ Mary Ann
I tried to retype what was lost in my first attempt.
I am happy to discuss my thoughts and any documentation that might help you to understand.
I think Ms. Durham suffers the backlash of the systems attempts to hide and correct the problem. As with me at the time of such turmoil…she has no idea the history that created this APS mess. She is not the cause.
Let me tell you WHO is the CAUSE of this PROBLEM…old Buckhead., old APS administrators, teachers and families. They continue to bury these discriminatory secrets in exchange for the inside connections that falsely make them feel successful.
I am sorry for the school’s loss…and sorry for the suffering of an individual that obviously gives from the heart.
Wilbur
October 16th, 2012
6:10 am
Errol Davis has created big questions about his leadership at APS. One poster said that Davis “dissembled” which is an excellent description. The next few weeks are going to prove that Davis did not tell the truth about why the changes were made, He did not tell the truth about the putative state take over. He did not tell the truth about NAHS being so underperforming that change was needed.
It seems, sadly, that race is the driver of Davis decisions and that the APS is as big a cesspool as ever.
Private Citizen
October 16th, 2012
9:25 am
I wouldn’t sue for 10 million, I’d sue for 50 million if someone is willing to march into a work environment, skip due process, and destroy people like they’re snapping their fingers and then spend ten minutes at a podium to slough it off.
The macro perspective (overview) I am getting from this is that the State of Georgia does not police or otherwise regulate their public school administration, provide rules and enforce basic method and process. It is not just APS, there are a lot of Georgia school districts where the greater admin run it like it is a business they personally own, like they’re Barons over the tenant farmers and serfs – insert parents / students / teachers are you see fit. I sue the state, too, for dereliction of duty in regulating this activity. They’re the ones who should have solid organization law and be doing deposition and discovery, not the individuals who get run over.
The abusive school admin. problem is wide spread / systemic. I’ve seen in a district where they routinely move administrators around like they’re playing checkers. It is nerve racking to work in this type environment. It is like the central office keeps everyone off balance and on the edge of their teeth.
If you really clear your head for a moment, there is vacant leadership or organizational structure in the state. With all due respect to Mr. Barge, all he does is redeliver that landslide of garbage from the outside foundations and directives. That’s probably why he looks so relaxed in the photo. He has mastered the role of the politician, to stand back and play host to the golf game of power interests invading the state: testing, instructional themes. etc. But in reality, there is no boss on the farm and maybe there never was so it has rooted and gotten worse and worse like a mafia in a neighborhood. Part of the problem in the current age is everyone is brainwashed to play so nice and talk about their “feelings” whereas in reality, in the “Leadership” age where Georgia State University is forced to provide “Leadership degrees” (and you can tell it is de-emphasized on their website), there is very little real leadership. It is all about following the corporate Borg and being smooth.
Anyway, in APS an ambush occurred. They might as well have been wearing camouflage, and dropped out of a helicopter with machine guns. Is this the government you want? Maybe there is a judge somewhere who has a little higher standard.
Private Citizen
October 16th, 2012
9:38 am
I once had somebody screw me around in Atlanta area. I said, “Oh no, you’re not going to do that, are you?” I told them three separate times, “I am going to go to the courthouse and file on you, are you sure that’s what you want, are you certain?” Each time they held their ground on screwing me around. I got their corporate information and sued them. When the day for court came it was a really hot day and five of them had to come down to the courthouse in separate cars and each pay for parking and walk a block or two to get to the courthouse. Inside they court room they’re all sitting in the pews, not even sitting together, looking like a bunch of unhappy cats on a fence. Inside the court house, in the hallway their lawyer approached me and wanted to make a deal. I told him no. I went in the courtroom and sat down. After another 40 minutes, their lawyer approached me again and seemed real serious this time and a little desperate like he might lose his job, so I went with him to separate side room and he had everything prepared to resolve the matter.
PS Inside the courtroom I took one look at the judge and I said to myself, “I’ve got this NAILED.” It all comes down to the judge. Judges set the tone and policy for an area.
Private Citizen
October 16th, 2012
9:45 am
Hey Georgia, where’s the chain of command? Where’s the basic rules?
Observer
October 16th, 2012
11:09 am
It seems as if a lot of people are using this anonymous blog to air vendettas and nameless, unprovable conspiracies.
And to Top School– the monolithic “Buckhead” that you write about may have existed when you knew it (which clearly was some time ago), but it’s all changed since then, not least because many of the “Buckhead oarents” have gone over to private schools. Go back on this blog-thread and some of the others about NAHS, and read some of the posts by the students, especially the ones from black students who were bused across town to school in Buckhead. Tempus fugit.
Darlene Lahasky
October 16th, 2012
11:18 am
A week after Erroll Davis’ meeting with concerned citizens of Atlanta at NAHS, we are no closer to an understanding of the recent events. It is clear that all remains unclear.
This is truely an “American Tragedy”, played out by actors with a sense of justice and fairness “next-to-none”. Self-preservation-and all that entails-and the preservation of out-moded ways of thinking may be instinctual, but are also the hallmarks of cowardice and arrogance where business is concerned.
As a parent of four graduates of NAHS, I can say that they were all prepared for university life and study. Bumps in the road did happen along the way, but my husband and I owned these bumps, never blaming the school, the teachers or the student body for these.
The northern sector of Atlanta was basically lost to a public system of high-school education 20 years ago. To not acknowledge the strides made by (the stealth removal of) this administration, to dismiss the time, the care, the demand for increased academic excellence, and the hard work of parents over these years, is an insult, and smacks of megalomania and misplaced priorities.
In ending, I have always admired the tenacity and sense of duty of Mr. MyGrant and his administrators, and that of Amy Durham and Kelly Day. APS wants a level playing field? It may never be as level as it has been of late. I thank every parent and teacher who worked so very hard to make it so.
Ksmith
October 16th, 2012
3:33 pm
First of all Ms. Durham is not a certified Teacher. This is public record so you can look it up. That is why the board was so slow to approve her. They are trying to figure how is that a non certified teachers get a job and Mr. Mygrant never took to the time to interview any that were certified. I have a sibling who was in here class and she simply told the kid she was fired. That is not the way she should have told her students. Very unprofessional to me. APS never said that is why these teachers were assigned to other schools. Mygrant is the one playing the race card not APS. The problem is that the Buckhead community was to pick and choose who teaches at that school. If that is the case wouldn’t you want a teacher that is certified in his/her field. No they are more concerned with having control and being able to manipulate staff.
Mom of NAHS student
October 16th, 2012
4:12 pm
I am SO sad for NAHS. We have been with ATLANTA public schools since kindergarden- NAHS. APS and Errol Davis are SO out of TOUCH. Obviously, they have NO IDEA who Amy Durham is or what she has been doing for their schools over the past 10-15 years! Whoever pulled this claim off must feel VERY ashamed. Errol Davis doesn’t know how much this hurts the students and the parents who support HIS schools. Please get in touch !
Student without a Teacher
October 16th, 2012
4:18 pm
I was one of Amy Durham’s students, and since her resignation we have been left without a teacher. APS has yet to hire a replacement, and I blame them completely for her resignation. She was a fantastic teacher and was fair and kind to all her students, of ALL races and genders, and I have never heard of such a ridiculous accusation of racism.
Top School
October 16th, 2012
7:42 pm
Are the two comments posted above acceptable for the blog?
Just trying to explain the HISTORY of a Northside APS Administrator’s tactics to manipulate and cheat within the APS system. Adding bonus checks to select teachers through payroll, falsifying teacher and student attendance, manipulating the hiring processes…are just a few of the unethical antics recorded in testimony.
The general attitude of APS Northside leadership. They operate in spite of APS. They operate their public schools with an attitude they have “PRIVATE” status. The are above any set of rules created by the APS system. Adopted APS rules and procedures do not apply to the Northside schools.
Wilbur
October 16th, 2012
8:57 pm
Errol Davis did not need no stinking tribunal or no stinking investigation. There were allegations of racism and in the cesspool of APS that alone is enough. It’s positively Orwellian! Today the AJC tells us something of what was really going on and how Davis continues to prevaricate.
LJ in MB
October 17th, 2012
1:15 pm
I’ve known Amy and her family for 15 years, and I have watched as she and her family opened their home to people of all races, religions and ethnicities. There is no way these allegations of racism are true, and the fact that APS is unwilling to stake its case but is willing to let a fine and dedicated teacher resign is terribly sad for all the children of APS. The leaders do not have the best interest of our students in mind when they treat someone who has dedicated almost 20 years to APS as a person not worth their efforts to rectify any wrongs against her or to honor her with the honesty and candor she deserves.
Amy and her family are one of the reasons that the schools in the North Atlanta cluster are growing, thriving and improving each year. Amy gave tirelessly to her children’s school PTAs, constantly showing her appreciation for the teachers and administrators while spending untold hours working for the schools’ benefit, before dedicating herself professionally to helping all kids at NAHS reach their potential.
She and her family are just and good people, and I am sure she is bravely exposing the wrongs being committed by APS because it is better for us all in the long run even though it is supremely difficult for her in the short term. She continues to be a role model for all of us dedicated to sending our children to our local public schools and carrying on her vision of making these schools be all they can be.
David Durham
October 17th, 2012
6:11 pm
KSmith, my wife is a certified teacher. She did not tell any of her students that she was fired. Shame on you.
Here we go again
October 17th, 2012
9:08 pm
Karen Waldon has a track record of “issues” with white administrators. Her actions should br investigated…bet you will find the problem.
LWBouldin
October 18th, 2012
11:58 am
Most of the disturbing and divisive comments posted on this blog seem to come from individuals unfamiliar with North Atlanta High School or the individuals in question. Stop making unfounded and inflammatory comments. North Atlanta is an example of how wonderful things can happen when people of diverse circumstances, backgrounds and races come together in support of students and community. I am grateful my daughters had people of character and commitment including – Amy Durham, Kelley Day, Mark MyGrant, Melissa Gautreaux, John Denine, Laura Brazil, Mona Fairley-Nelson and Reginald Colbert- as role models.
TCCB
October 19th, 2012
12:00 am
Top School, touch down!!!!!!
TCCB
October 19th, 2012
12:14 am
@ LWBouldin Be serious; and cut the crap the The North Atlanta cluster is doing every thing possible to keep minority children out of those schools and you know it!!!!!!
judie
October 27th, 2012
9:45 am
Hello parents of north atlanta schools! This mess has been going on since 2001 throughout the northern schools in Atlanta. Wake up parents and teachers,you may be next. Look at all the problems at Jackson Elementary and how the school system tried to silence what was going on there. It is just another Atlanta Adminstrator’s bully tactics. Keep the investigations coming because are still alot of hidden bugs under slimy rocks.