Michael Thurmond: On the job and the hot seat in DeKalb. And board seeks restraining order to stop state
Michael Thurmond (AJC photo)
The AJC is reporting that the DeKalb County school board filed a lawsuit today challenging a state law that could result in the removal of the nine school board members.
(Do you get the sense that the DeKalb’s board focus has moved from the schoolhouse to the courthouse?)
According to Ty Tagami’s story:
The suit, filed in Fulton County Superior Court, seeks a temporary restraining order to prevent a hearing by the Georgia Board of Education Thursday.
The hearing could result in a recommendation to suspend the DeKalb board. Such a recommendation would give Gov. Nathan Deal authority to remove the DeKalb board per a 2011 law. The law requires a hearing — like the one scheduled Thursday — for any school district whose accreditation is on probation. DeKalb was put on probation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in December. The agency threatened to strip accreditation altogether if the school board doesn’t address financial and management concerns.
The lawsuit, filed by Decatur attorney Robert Wilson on behalf of the DeKalb district, alleges that the 2011 law violates the Georgia constitution because it authorizes removal of local elected officials “without any individualized finding of misconduct.”
When I received a tip this morning about the restraining order, one of the first people I called was Michael Thurmond who told me that this was a board action and that he could not speak to it.
But since I had him on the phone, I asked him some other questions, including why he pulled his own child out of DeKalb schools. (To his credit, Thurmond is accessible, providing a cell phone number and speaking directly to the press rather than through a spokesman. I think leaders do better to speak for themselves.)
First off: Did Gene Walker bring him on board?
While Thurmond has known Walker for years and considers him a friend, dating back to their shared time in the state Legislature, Walker did not propose him for the interim school chief’s post. It was new board member Marshall Orson, says Thurmond. He notes that he and Walker ran against each other for Congress in 1992
Thurmond said he is impressed with Walker’s decision to step down from the chair’s post for the sake of the system.
What he thinks media got wrong thus far:
He says that when he offered to speak to the state Board of Education on Thursday — if that hearing is held — he intends to to speak for the district, not for the board.
On the hiring of McKenna Long & Aldridge to provide governance training to DeKalb at a cost of $150,000:
“I recommended we get an outside firm with expertise and experience in governance training,” he said.
This training is not just for the board, but for him and the central office staff as well. “Looking at the SACS findings, governance is the issue time and time again. SACS really focused on governance. That one seemed to be intractable. I want to start a baseline to restructure the culture,” he said.
(Thurmond sent me the scope of work document from the law firm, which I will post later in a Google doc.)
Can he work with this school board?
“Yes, I have no choice. This is the board that the people elected. I have no choice but to do what I need to do. This is the board that hired me to do what I need to do.”
He mentioned seeing signs of improvement already. I asked him enumerate:
“We are going to have new board leaders, a new chair and vice chair. My hiring — that was a courageous move to bring someone from the outside, who, as so many people have pointed out, does not have an education background.”
“We hired McKenna Long & Aldridge to help us with governance.”
“The fact that we are going tomorrow to get board training — whole board training for the superintendent and the board — from the Georgia School Boards Association.”
“I am reaching out to stakeholders that have not had a special relationship with DeKalb Schools, including the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce. I had a great initial meeting with them. I reached out to the DeKalb delegation. I was scheduled to meet with the DeKalb County Commission this morning but had to cancel. I met with Mark Elgart [head of the accrediting agency] today and had a great meeting with him. The lines of communication are open. People I’ve met seem to be at least hopeful that we are moving in the right direction.”
Why he made the decision to take his daughter out of DeKalb schools and enroll her in private school: (Thurmond’s daughter is a TV reporter in Tennessee.)
“For two years in a row, I tried to get her into Bouie. Just like other parents. I tried every legal, ethical device to try to get her in. We never got into the lottery. So, we made the decision to send her to private school. My goal is that parents do not have to make the decision we made. I love public education; I love my daughter more. The reason she is on TV in Chattanooga is that she got a great education. Every parent is not as fortunate to be able to afford private school or even make the sacrifices we did. No parent should be forced to make that decision, that painful decision.”
Thurmond said he didn’t choose to send his child to the local school because, “It was a failing school in south DeKalb. You could tell that funding was not what it needed to be. The staff was doing their best, but they didn’t have adequate resources. From looking at the resources, the equipment, the maintenance, you could see the school was not up to par.”
“My daughter was a HOPE scholar at UGA. She was an honor student. Basically, she went to college almost free. But I am still paying for middle school. That is just too much to ask of parents. That is why we have to have world-class public schools. We have to be willing to make that investment.”
-from Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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94 comments Add your comment
Who stands for the children?
February 19th, 2013
3:18 pm
Dear DeKalb Inside Out: Unfortunately, the majority who believe the Board is doing a fine job are the majority who go to the voting booths uninformed and non-caring, or worse yet, who do not vote at all. Interesting you should mention a recall election—-want to start the petition drive? Feel sure you would get an abundance of signatures.
Thurston Howell IV
February 19th, 2013
3:21 pm
Herein lies a lesson for all of you young parents out there:
This guy is as “plugged in” and connected as it gets.He’s not a tool of the establishment,he IS the establishment. He took his kid out of their zip code school and got them a real education at a private school. He exercised the exact thing that he (and the elitists on this board) want to deny you:choice.So when they trot out the same old tired boogerman to scare you away from charters,parent triggers and other reforms,just remember what they do,not what they say.
Prof
February 19th, 2013
3:26 pm
@ Curious, 2:40 pm. I think you’re right: the Executive branch is supposed to be separate from the Legislative branch. So when I went to the source–the Ga. Constitution– I found that the “Duties and Powers” of the Governor doesn’t include anything at all related to the removal of elected school boards. I would guess this is where the lawsuit is aimed.
However, under Article II, Section II, paragraph IV (”Recall”) I found that one of the grounds for the recall of public elected officials is malfeasance while in office. The SACS Report certainly seems, to this non-lawyer, to provide examples of this for the various Board members, and also notes that there were many more such acts not included in the Report.
In addition, t here is now a House Bill being rushed through the legislature that would disallow newly elected Board members who have had nothing to do with the loss of accreditation from being removed from the Board in such a recall.
Governor Deal practiced law for 23 years before entering politics, and probably is quite familiar with the State Constitution.
DeKalb Inside Out
February 19th, 2013
3:32 pm
living in an outdated ed system
Please don’t confuse me with somebody trying to save their jobs. I’m just trying to follow the law. This does open up the question as to when it is OK to break the law.
OCGA defines a bad job as whatever the accrediting agency arbitrarily decides is a bad job. That’s still arbitrary.
Fire 'em all
February 19th, 2013
3:36 pm
Gene Walker should have BEEN gone. He was useless. In fact, Gov. Deal needs to fire the entire board!!!! And now they want to learn from some governance class? No. No more money in these people’s hands, and no more time for them.
Atkinson probably was going to clean up the mess but the old guard, led by Gene Walker, said No, so Atkinson said, “see ya!’ I do NOT need to deal with this mess and corruption.
Kick every member of the dekalb county school board OUT. If the county loses accreditation, oh well. You cannot continue to reward or make excuses for bad behavior and financial misconduct.
Just wondering
February 19th, 2013
3:37 pm
Thurmond’s responses are disappointing and yet not surprising. I have no doubt it somehow G Walker was involved in his placement here. Orson is a politician first and foremost and a concerned school board member secondly. How sad it is for the children and teachers into cab who daily are doing without much-needed resources did anyone on this board and our current superintendent believe it is appropriate to spend $150,000 one for training. We are in sad shape. This is a very very dark day in DeKalb.
DunMoody
February 19th, 2013
3:38 pm
Many commentors here are NOT DeKalb residents, including some of the most frequent posters. Their comments are thought provoking, but it would be instructive if it were obvious that passion for correcting the DCSS situation is widespread across the county, not just a purportedly “north” concern. I say that because too often, both in media and within the Central Office, discontent is identified as a north versus south issue (more north, less south). I posit that this issue is of considerable interest among parents, teachers, students, and taxpayers throughout DeKalb County.
A recall effort would be an uphill climb (David voters/taxpayers versus Goliath school board cronies and political friends with deep pockets), but I’m ready to work on that if the SBOE, Governor, and legislature fail us now.
DeKalb Inside Out
February 19th, 2013
3:38 pm
Who stands for the children
That’s democracy at its finest.
Elections
Every single board member is up for reelection next year. There is no better time than the present to make sure your district elects a board member you agree with.
Fire 'em all
February 19th, 2013
3:38 pm
P:S Michael Thurmond is not the man for this job, either. Just more cronyism. Atlanta, Dekalb County, etc., needs new blood, new faces across the board. I don’t know WHO, just NEW.
Prof
February 19th, 2013
3:42 pm
P.S. The House Bill I mention above is HB 115, apparently being fast-tracked through the legislature. Just checking, I see that it was introduced in the House on Jan. 28 and passed by it on Feb. 11; and as of Feb. 12 the Senate had read and referred it to readers.
HB 115 also provides that the state BOE Hearing may occur within 90 days of notice, not 30 days as at present. This too seems relevant to what’s going on right now.
The DeKalb BOE is not the only one that’s maneuvering behind the scenes, I think.
Mountain Man
February 19th, 2013
4:01 pm
Since the School Board has filed a lawsuit trying to prevent the State Board from making a recommendation that they be ousted, I recommend that SACS immediately terminate the DCSS accreditation. Then they can start again.
chillywilly
February 19th, 2013
4:02 pm
I have absolutely no confidence in any of Dekalb School District’s board members. I think everyone of them should be resign immediately. HOWEVER, I do not have any confidence in Gov. Deal either. It appears that Deal has some serious credibility issues of his own and should not be in the business of removing school board members.
Billy Ray
February 19th, 2013
4:16 pm
DeKalb is getting what it deserves. Idiot citizens elected these clowns and now they are going to pay.
Goodbye, DeKalb. You used to be great!
bu2
February 19th, 2013
4:20 pm
@DIO
I think the argument for the constitutionality is that the state is ultimately responsible for education and funds most of it. If the local district is in danger of losing accreditation, then the state would have a compelling interest. I don’t believe the governor should do this, but I can see cases where a county keeps electing the same people, especially if there are legal issues. That’s not the case in Dekalb. Illegal acts have been by the superintendent and employees, not by the board. The problems are governance. And the board is turning over.
DeKalb Inside Out
February 19th, 2013
4:37 pm
bu2
I defer to you on this. I’m not a lawyer and I’m relatively new to politics and everything else we talk about here. I just work on computers. –DIO
bootney farnsworth
February 19th, 2013
4:44 pm
this is like a girl suing a boy to keep him from breaking up with her
Old timer
February 19th, 2013
4:46 pm
Recalll
bootney farnsworth
February 19th, 2013
4:48 pm
BTW: waiting for someone -they know who they are- to say this is the fault of the teachers unions
Stn Mtn/Lithonia Mom
February 19th, 2013
5:05 pm
It is both sad and disappointing to see this school board think only of their jobs than the children they represent. They amount of waste is absolutely sickening. I agree with the need for an outside firm providing governance training but for 150,000. SERIOUSLY!!! With the district being strapped for funding, surely SOMEONE could have negotiated that fee. This is apart of the issue, in my view. Is anyone taking the time to find the best price for services provided? The culture of the board trickles down to the rest of the central office. This board needs to be removed and replaced with a mixed of people that can offer fresh ideas to make the school district run efficiently NOT just educators.
I love teaching. I hate what it is becoming...
February 19th, 2013
5:18 pm
@ThurstonHe took his kid out of their zip code school and got them a real education at a private school. He exercised the exact thing that he (and the elitists on this board) want to deny you:choice.
Let’s be honest here. NO ONE is denying ANYONE the choice to put a child in private school. The discussion is about how a private school education should be funded, by the individual family, or in part by taxpayer money. Hardly the same as ‘denying’ the choice of a private school education.
Concerned DeKalb Mom
February 19th, 2013
5:19 pm
Curious to know…can any DeKalb County citizen begin a recall petition since EVERY board member has a say as to what happens at my children’s school, or am I only allowed to recall the two members assigned to my address?
Private Citizen
February 19th, 2013
5:27 pm
@ME It will never happen that all Georgia local boards of education will be eliminated and no more local intimidation, and schools run by the state, but anyway, here’s the music. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0engL-gGe6w
Private Citizen
February 19th, 2013
5:38 pm
Methinks I got my threads mixed up with the prior post. Pardon.
Sign, One who does tabbed browsing.
Private Citizen
February 19th, 2013
5:49 pm
Mmm Mmm imagine the nice lunch those lawyer fees are going to buy someone. Three layer toasted club sandwich with little toreador toothpicks, Sprite on ice, crinkly French fries, linen napkin, nice view out of the windows of the clubhouse. No bill, just “put it on the tab, same one that the kids use.”
senseandsensibility
February 19th, 2013
6:04 pm
Well here’s a thought.. if the governor can’t remove them then lets have a recall election.. we need to get out there and get the signatures to initiate a recall election. The people need to get involved and get these people off the board.. recall election
dekalbite
February 19th, 2013
7:55 pm
All you have to do is teach in South DeKalb to see what Mr. Thurmond is talking about when he speaks of the lack of resources. There are so many good kids and teachers in South DeKalb. This is what the administration in DeKalb has done for so many years – blame the parents, teachers and students – particularly in low income areas of DeKalb. As long as the managers can blame anyone but themselves, they can deflect responsibility for poor outcomes. It’s obvious the administrators of DCSS have been successful as so many bloggers continue to blame citizens who live in the south part of the county.
Our students are not less intelligent, our teachers are not less dedicated, and our parents are not less involved than demographically comparable schools systems yet we continue to have a lower rate of student achievement. The difference is in the administration of the school system.
Title 1 money is supposed to “level the playing field” but it is not doing that in DeKalb.
http://dekalbschoolwatch.blogspot.com/2010/12/is-dcss-leveling-playing-field-between.html
Lewis moved the decisions for Title 1 spending out of the schools and into the Central Office where it became a “piggy bank” for whatever program or department the administration wanted to fund. Lewis, Tyson and Atkinson liked the “discretionary” funds that the tens of millions (actually hundreds of millions when the stimulus money hit) of Title 1 funding gave them. Will Thurmond be any different?
Lee
February 19th, 2013
8:19 pm
Hmmmm, $150k for governance training. Shouldn’t that be something the State DOE provides?
@Maureen, you’ve got to find another picture of Thurmond. That one reminds me too much of Marty Feldman in Young Frankenstein.
Pay attention about the 1:18 mark.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH97lImrr0Q
Pardon My Blog
February 19th, 2013
8:28 pm
Unfortunately there is only one criteria to get elected these days in DeKalb and we all know what that is although it is not “PC” to say it. We are a laughing stock, look who we have representing us in Washington in the House of Representatives!
10:10 am
February 19th, 2013
8:33 pm
How pathetic to hear weasel words from Mr. Thurmond—in seeking to excuse his opting out of public schools for his own child.
Other weasels on this blog habitually mouth teachers’ union rhetoric, only to Peter out when it comes to sacrificing their offspring to the unreformed disaster which public school parents without such privileged options must endure.
ShooShee
February 19th, 2013
10:37 pm
So he’s going to ’save’ our public schools – but he’s never even been a member of a PTA at a public school? Ha! No. He did it for the money. And a deluded possibility of notoriety to build up name recognition to run for Congress. Nothing more.
Flabberghasted4sure
February 19th, 2013
10:51 pm
@ DIO “Your district, Tucker, voted out somebody aligned with Nancy Jester and voted in somebody aligned with Dr Walker. McMahan voted ‘YES’ to bring in Wilson, Morton & Downs, LLC in to fight the state for their jobs.”
No one in his district is happy with McMahan – In this short tiem on the BOE, he has not been true to his campaign promises for accountability and transparency.
Dekalbite@ShooShee
February 19th, 2013
11:25 pm
” He did it for the money. And a deluded possibility of notoriety to build up name recognition to run for Congress. Nothing more.”
Well, after a while in the vortex that is DeKalb, he will have zero chance for future public office so I hope the money is worth it.
It's time to work together as a team
February 19th, 2013
11:38 pm
Thurmond is a honorable man who should be appreciated for his willingness to help Dekalb in a time of crisis. I don’t think anyone can be paid enough money to take on this type of responsibility with all of the criticism, insults and disrespect hurled at them. Thurmond has a long distinguished history of public service in Georgia, so I don’t think he needs this job for any personal gain. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but if Dekalb County residents are truly interested in making the public education system better, then everyone should work together as a team to help our precious children get the education they so desperately need. It’s time for all adults to behave as adults and stop pointing fingers. Our children are depending upon us!
Private Citizen
February 20th, 2013
8:51 am
$150k training? How about a $148k training and spend $2k on a team of people to give them pedicures while they’re getting the training?
This like “play governor for a day” for members of the public who want to play, complete with $150k training.
Redux: You’re supposed to have a rule book and know how to read it. Whoever said this is the joib of the DOE is right. This is more indulgent unraveling and mis-use of public money combined with “Nobody Home / Gone Fishing!” on the government side.
__________________
I think the #1 difference from when DeKalb was great was that school people did not employ private law firms to solve (and it does not solve) their problems for them. Either this was illegal at the time, or the leaders had more sense of what is appropriate and productive.
Private Citizen
February 20th, 2013
9:04 am
Lee, Now go to FedEx/Kinko’s and pay $1. for color print, and go to the Dollar Store and get a picture frame. http://postimage.org/image/u0yvh1jk9/
Private Citizen
February 20th, 2013
9:39 am
Does everyone realise that private law firms charge $250. per hour billable for talking on the phone? Ever seen an invoice from a metropolitan private law firm? It looks like one of those hospital invoices when the person is in the hospital for three days and racks up a $100k bill. Their whole billing system is completely off the charts compared with regular working schmoes (some call them taxpayers).
Atlanta Media Guy
February 20th, 2013
10:12 am
Hey it is time to work together!
My wife and I work everyday to be team players. Our focus is on our kids schools. We volunteer and we work to make our schools great. We fought the Central office back when Clew ruled the roost. Clew had the media and local leaders in his back pocket. He was able to marginalize our group of parents quickly though media and personal intimidation. I have had an area super follow me around our kids school while I volunteered.
Folks, the Clew crew is still in charge, the crew moved around but they still pull the strings. Ramona -where is that 49 million- Tyson is sitting right next to the interim, just like she did when Atkinson arrived. Why is a person responsible for going 49 million over budget, over two years, still sitting in Kings row at the Palace… Clew chose Tyson as interim…DCSS mired in the muck of mediocrity for over 10 years.
Dewey
February 20th, 2013
11:55 am
This situation has a smell of corruption, self-interest, arrogance. They should all be removed , including the interim superintendent who is making 275,000. With his recommendation they are going to spend 150,000 on governance training-What a joke on those taxpayers! Evidently,cronies abound in those circles of Dekalb County.
Put your Kids/Teachers first!!!!!! The governor needs to remove all and check the monies belonging to the Dekalb School System again! This is a huge embarrassment to our state and educational systems.
Wake Up dekalb parents and demand that they all be removed and elect/hire competent , knowledgeable, and trustworthy leaders
Private Citizen
February 20th, 2013
2:48 pm
including the interim superintendent who is making $275,000. With his recommendation they are going to spend $150,000 on governance training – What a joke on those taxpayers!
Show up, instant half a million dollar tab! cha-ching! Make your mark!
Private Citizen
February 20th, 2013
2:49 pm
I can usually read a book, even a rule book, on my own. And I even have to pay for the book.
creative thinking
February 20th, 2013
5:43 pm
Poor slob thurmond has a right to amass money from school system. whoever on the board recommended him to turn around the system should be removed and take thurmond with them.
solomio
February 20th, 2013
8:17 pm
anyone who thinks michael thurmond will turn around the corrupt and incompetent school system in dekalb is in fantasyland.
Lunch and back to business: Should DeKalb board go or stay? Copelin-Wood still on stand. | Get Schooled
February 21st, 2013
2:14 pm
[...] As he told me the other day, Thurmond now has been meeting with “stakeholders.” And as he did for me, he is listing all the groups he has met with thus far; he again listed the chamber, the legislative delegation, a parents group. He again did not list teachers. [...]
John Bennett
March 5th, 2013
10:15 am
@Private Citizen- Do you have a link showing that the attorney for BOE was making $250 per hour?