They’re out. Governor removes all six DeKalb school board members. Bring in the lawyers.
Setting the stage for a court battle, Gov. Nathan Deal just announced at a press conference that he is removing all six veteran DeKalb school board members.
He has created a nominating committee to find replacements. The committee includes former DeKalb Schools administrator Garry McGiboney, who is now with the state Department of Education, state board member Kenneth Mason, former state board member Jim Bostic, Sadie Dennard, education chair, DeKalb Chamber of Commerce, and Alicia Phillip, president of the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta.
Former state and DeKalb school board member Brad Bryant will be liaison between the district and the governor’s office. (Interesting that both McGiboney and Bryant were mentioned to me as possible superintendent candidates before Michael Thurmond was hired two weeks ago.)
Deal was apparently not moved by a last-minute appeal from Thurmond who testified last week at the state Board of Education hearing that he could work with this board and that its removal will make his job harder. Nor was Deal moved by some in the DeKalb delegation who sought alternatives to the controversial removal of elected officials.
Deal’s actions could still be reversed as there are two court hearings this week on lawsuits filed by the school board. A federal judge has already said that Deal can suspend the six, as he chose to do today but he can’t name replacements, pending the outcome of a Friday court hearing. A Superior Court judge will hold a hearing Thursday.
And Deal acknowledged the precarious nature of his DeKalb decision today, saying, “Certainly, the final determination by either the Superior Court or the federal court could affect the final disposition of this matter. But we don’t know what that will be at this point. I feel it’s my responsibility to act as the current law stands.”
So, DeKalb remains in the legal limbo that we began discussing Sunday here on the blog.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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244 comments Add your comment
FedUP
February 25th, 2013
7:51 pm
About time!!! The board has had PLENTY of time to FIX the problems. I am a graduate of Dekalb, lived in DeKalb for most of my life and a retired educator from DeKalb. It is really sad to see how the system has gone down over the past few years. Shame on the board for not getting things right. Thank you Gov. Deal. Now maybe the Board will contain EDUCATED people who are interested in the EDUCATION of the DeKalb children, the welfare of it’s educators, and the concerns of the parents.
397
February 25th, 2013
7:54 pm
So Pardon MY Blog contends that only the White elected members of the Dekalb BOE are competent to serve. I find it most interesting that James Bostic is brought in again to have a hand in resolving the Dekalb board issues. There has never been a bigger sell-out than Dr. Bostic! He is to Georgia’s governors what Steven was to Leonardo DeCaprio’s Calvin Candie.
dekalbite
February 25th, 2013
8:04 pm
Walker has literally hundreds of thousand a year at stake in family income from his family’s employment in highly paid non teaching positions in DeKalb. Did anyone think he would go quietly?
Bull Sullivan
February 25th, 2013
8:05 pm
Gov. Nathan Deal announced today at a press conference that he is removing all six veteran DeKalb school board members….
It is easy to ascribe merely good intentions to this action by the Governor, after all, as he said, “I feel it’s my responsibility to act as the current law stands.” But underlying this action, the latent racism and class discrimination of the old, white, grey haired good ol’ boy network is clearly apparent. The Governor’s action, based on a law passed by a white super majority of legislators in the Republican Party dominated General Assembly in 2010, clearly reeks of the existing white middle class bias against persons or groups who aren’t members of their private club. This action mimics that taken against the Sumter County Board of Education, whose members were found lacking the class and behavior of the well to do State Board of Education, which, how surprisingly, is dominated by white, upper middle class, Republican Party contributors. The seven women serving include three educators, one of whom, Mary Sue Murray, serves as a paid consultant to SACS, The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the “so called” accrediting agency that faulted the management and behavior of the DeKalb County Board of Education. SACS, it should be pointed out is a private corporation, a ‘non profit” whose officers and staff are extremely well compensated through funds paid to them by the State and local Boards of Education, public and private K-12 schools and State and private colleges and universities. The majority of Officers and Staff are white, upper middle class bureaucrats, answerable to no one. Their “Accreditation” is not much more than an act of extortion, a private, non -regulated corporation holding sway over the vast majority of all schools in Georgia, and given free rein to do so by the the white, wealthy, Republican dominated General Assembly. Given their office location in Decatur, County Seat of DeKalb County, can anyone seriously state that no bias existed on the part of those who conducted the SACS inquisition which has lead to today’s action by Governor Deal? The people of DeKalb County elected the BOE, DeKalb County is obviously being made a whipping boy for the white elite who are “embarrassed” by the process we learned in High School Civics to call “Participatory Democracy.” I guess the members of the DeKalb County Board of Education just didn’t contribute enough to the Republican Party…they just aren’t members of the Good Ol’ Boys Club. A concern for your child’s education? Not high up on this ethically challenged Governor’s list. As he said, his primary concern is the impact that a loss of accreditation would have on corporate relocation and job development. How about considering, Governor, the impact that ranking in the bottom tenth percentile in Education, on numerous and various ranking lists has on “Corporate Relocation.” People Vote, you appoint, Governor, who is the champion of Democracy?
Joesnopy
February 25th, 2013
8:09 pm
I think this is a warning for the board. He will end up reinstating them soon once Thurmond gets in to look at the problem. DeKalb problem is politics from the CEO office. DeKalb had a strong superintendent. The current CEO went after the man for making a money mistake. The former superintendent is not a crook. Yes the contractor he picked to build the schools was maybe a mistake or I would say he paid too much but the man did not commit a crime. They cannot bring a good case against the man because he did nothing wrong. That board just needs a strong superintendent to put them in line. I bet in the end they will recommend a strong super and all the wasted money will be the issue. They need to still the Futon superintendent. He will not play around. Yes the people do not like the man but he is doing his job. OMG
JJ
February 25th, 2013
8:22 pm
Eric, AMEN!!!
So long fulton county and hello Milton!!! Break up Dekalb before its too late. The economic nuclear bomb blast has already started. Your best teachers will be gone after this school yr. No major corporations will move into Dekalb for the next 10yrs due to this board. It;s a little to late for Dekalb which is sad, used to be the best back in the 70’s/80/s when I attended.
Time to abandon ship and leave Dekalb quickly!!!
vanessa cooper
February 25th, 2013
8:31 pm
I have a pending lawsuit for ADA/FMLA retaliation. Guillory in Transportation laid off all 5 who had used FML or who had a known disability and needed accommodation. I sued, case 1:11-cv-2006, Judge Vining, Ga Northern District Court.
I would join in on the rally.
vanessa cooper
February 25th, 2013
8:35 pm
i appealed to the board as a whole,submitted evidence to them. Now Eugene wants justice. hmmmm, i wonder if he remember when I wanted justice? Now he speaks of God, hmnnnm, I told them i have a father, did they think i was talking about Eddie Long? Now the shoe is on the other foot.
Truth in Moderation
February 25th, 2013
8:36 pm
Amazing!
The Noble Northerners can get away with blatant racism, but the original Southern white inhabitants WHO BUILT DEKALB, could not.
It was wrong then, AND IT IS WRONG NOW. Yes, reverse integration and bussing seem to be the order of the day. Never mind, that you WOULD DESTROY THE CONSTITUTION to get the control that you want. You were too LAZY to prosecute Board members for any criminal activity. Because they are a minority, it is much easier to get the Governor to do the job for you, unconstitutionally. Welcome to Georgia, but please wipe the dirt off your feet before you cross the state line.
dekalbite@bu2
February 25th, 2013
8:39 pm
“Looking for other local reports and found Dekalb is already in the San Francisco and Miami papers because of the governor’s suspension of the board.”
I have been a DeKalb resident for over 30 years and have no mortgage on a very nice home in an affluent neighborhood with high performing schools courtesy of the parental involvement of my middle and upper middle class neighbors. My home is one of my biggest assets. However, I am more concerned about the education of ALL DeKalb students than the PR that might accompany this.
JJ
February 25th, 2013
8:41 pm
Racial divide is an issue no matter how much you wish MLK sermons were actually followed. There are plenty of black profesional educators who can take over the board and work for the kids. Do any of you parents care what color a board member is if he truly acts ONLY for the benefit of the kids???
So replace the disgraced board with some highly corporate “like color” executives than can turn this around for the kids.
And is there anyway of finding out all the “friends n family members” for the last 10yrs and BOOT THEM OFF THE PAYROLL?????
Sick and Tired
February 25th, 2013
8:53 pm
My husband was one of those people who was out of a job in DCSD this pass July. We did not panic. We did hate. We did not whine. We went on with our lives. But if the board members are allowed to file suit with taxpayers money can he and 300 others that were out of a job tag along for the ride. Each of those people were given walking papers and they for the most part did their job and had good character. Yet we pay those with bizarre character issue severance.
For the record I did not vote for Deal, Walker or Cunningham. I liked all the other guys better. But of the three I would have to say Deal looking better and better to me. At least today!
clem
February 25th, 2013
8:55 pm
i live near decatur and hope the folks who drive with educator tags on their cars can teach better than they drive.
clem
February 25th, 2013
8:59 pm
maybe deal can give them a job a gpb
dekalbite@bull sullivan
February 25th, 2013
9:02 pm
“The people of DeKalb County elected the BOE, DeKalb County is obviously being made a whipping boy for the white elite who are “embarrassed” by the process we learned in High School Civics to call “Participatory Democracy.” I guess the members of the DeKalb County Board of Education just didn’t contribute enough to the Republican Party…they just aren’t members of the Good Ol’ Boys Club.’
Surely you are not a resident of DeKalb County. The children of the “white elite” (and the “black elite” – DeKalb has plenty of those as well) have very good student achievement and the least to lose in all of this.
Look at the student achievement data of the schools that have high populations of poor, primarily African American and non English speaking students in DeKalb:
http://archives.gadoe.org/ReportingFW.aspx?PageReq=111&CountyId=644&PID=62&PTID=213&T=0&FY=2011
These are the students that are achieving at lower rates than their counterparts in demographically similar school systems. We do NOT have inferior children, parents or teachers. The problem is the management of educational resources.
As a liberal Democrat, I believe ALL students deserve:
1. A safe and clean learning environment
2. Competent well compensated teachers in reasonably sized classrooms
3. Abundant access to cutting edge science and technology equipment and supplies
Level the playing field to see how most students can flourish.
dekalbite@joesnopy
February 25th, 2013
9:10 pm
“The former superintendent is not a crook. Yes the contractor he picked to build the schools was maybe a mistake or I would say he paid too much but the man did not commit a crime.”
Lewis is alleged to have taken his mistress to the Ritz Carlton at Reynolds Plantation during the week when they were being paid to work and no work was done. According to testimony of the then CFO, Lewis also charged a trip to the Bahamas to the P-card (county credit card). Lewis told all of the administrators in many administrators meetings that charging ANY personal expenses to the P-card was criminal, and if they were caught doing this they would be terminated and prosecuted. My supervisor was so paranoid she used to lock up the P-card in the safe. These actions are criminal if he it is proven he did them.
dekalbite
February 25th, 2013
9:21 pm
My comments seem to be caught in the filter.
Truth in Moderation
February 25th, 2013
9:27 pm
@JJ
“So replace the disgraced board with some highly corporate “like color” executives than can turn this around for the kids.”
If the local school board districts had wanted someone like that, or someone like that actually lived in their district, THEY WOULD HAVE VOTED FOR THEM!
Your problem is that you really don’t like the “public” in public schools. You want a private school paid for by the “public”, and that the “public” bows to your wishes.
What will you do when the “appointees” are replaced at the next election? The current school board member’s voters haven’t changed.
Don’t worry! Obama has promised NEW BRAINS FOR ALL IN 2023!
Person
February 25th, 2013
9:27 pm
Its about the children!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now, look for a superintendent
Charles Douglas Edwards
February 25th, 2013
9:28 pm
We pray and HOPE for the best education possible for the nearly 100,000 students in the Dekalb County School System !!!
Educating our children is one of the most important things that we do.
GOOD Luck to all the teachers staff and administrators in Dekalb County.
Let’s re-focus our attention back to our students education.
bootney farnsworth
February 25th, 2013
9:32 pm
can’t help but wonder if a segment of the population would rather the kids be stupid than have white people on the board
jason carter, I’m thinking of you baby.
bootney farnsworth
February 25th, 2013
9:36 pm
you go, DeKalb. you fight for the right to have ignorant children, so long as black people are the ones making them that way.
keep it real. real stupid.
bootney farnsworth
February 25th, 2013
9:39 pm
then
“45 years later”
judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.
what’s important IS the color of their skin – screw their character
Frustrated in DeKalb
February 25th, 2013
9:44 pm
One of the underlying issues is the quality of people who run for the School Board. Walker won because most thinking people who had more than a two minute conversation with his opponent walked away shaking their heads. Walker’s statement that there is no nepotism in the school system is a blatant lie. Just look at how sone former BoE members pushed their incompetent family members up to the DCSS feeding trough. Wood initially one because voters in Avondale and Columbia areas were angry with the incumbent, Phil McGregor. If Walker and Woods had any self respect for themselves, and cared about the students, they would step down. Walker can run for re-election, but anyone who is listed on his campaign disclosure will be villified by other citizens. And this whole cult of St. Nancy the Jester is a joke. She is as bad as Walker and Wood. Any day now, DeKalb will be on CNN and in national publications, and we can all hang our heads for electing these idiots. Maybe someone from the national press corps can uncover the specifics of nepotism that the local news agencies are unwilling to do. Message to the black legislators who did not stand with the Governor today: The future of the children of DeKalb trumps the race card! The voters will remember this day across the county. Many, many voters in South DeKalb lost faith in Mosby and crew today. Oh that’s right, none of them have children in South DeKalb Schools. And how is it one Stone Mountain legislator sends his kids to Fernbank? When the going gets tough, politicians show their true grit, or complete lack of it. The Georgia Legislative Black Caucus took several huge steps backwards when Rep. Haigler was elected Chair.
bu2
February 25th, 2013
10:11 pm
@dekalbite
There were comments that the board should be removed because the loss of accreditation would result in bad PR. We’re already there:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/26/education/gov-nathan-deal-of-georgia-ousts-6-on-dekalb-county-school-board.html?_r=0
Blaktaxpayer
February 25th, 2013
10:14 pm
I am African American, proudly so…but I am so ready for change in this school system that I don’t want to see a single black on the board. I want a board of old balding white men…some good ol boys who look like Sunny Perdue. They will clean house and recalibrate this thing. Because at this point I am convinced that the friends and family culture will continue with the black folks in. Dekalb has turned me into uncle ruckus. But that is a change…and once it is recalibrated and voters act like that have some sense then we could consider the value of diversity… This is about as bad as when Washington DC voters re-elected crackhead Marion berry as the mayor….sometimes you got to protect people from themselves!
teach one
February 25th, 2013
10:16 pm
Many of you suggest that it’s about the children, however, you post some of the most racist comments. I, for one, think that the board should be replaced, but reading the racist comments on this blogs make me understand the civil right movement even more. I am sure that the majority of S.D. has realized that we made a bad decision with our board members. Even the north end made bad decisions about some of their BOE members, but your racist comments are not needed. We also do not need YOU to elect our board members for us. Many of you are the reasons why there is still a divide between north and south. If voters in S.D. were not familiar with the issues with the school system were to read this blog, they would feel that it is about race. Some of you mentioned Rev. Al, Jessie Jackson, and others; we still need them because of people like YOU. They say that the truth normally does come out in the end. You’ve shown your true color. You need to stick with the facts or you are going to lose many S.D. voters….the students, palace bloat, teacher compensation as compared with other metro districts, attorney fees, etc. The End. Sorry for the errors….Good Night!
really?
February 25th, 2013
10:33 pm
Come on people, I know you must be frustrated but do your really think Deal cares a gnat’s anus about the kids of Dekalb County? Wow, Mr Charlie to the rescue and this is 2013.
Bernie
February 25th, 2013
10:49 pm
Who stands for the children? @7:21 pm – Not Bitter my friend and I certainly understand agree as to the reasons why it was done. Just the process of getting there is indefensible in a democractic society! I felt the same way about the process of hiring and the pay package of Mr.Thurmond is completely out of bounds and UNJUSTIFIABLE.
Today’s decision by this Governor has only made things worse. You now have an sizable amount of the communities Voters feeling their VOTE has no value or worth. Quite possible a re-election of the ousted individuals to be re-elected. Then what do you do?
The Good ole Boy way of business as usual is no longer acceptable and will not be tolerated. This will be a political problem that will be studied for years to come. Unfortunately the children are the PAWNS in this game of Chicken and they will be the ultimate LOSERS!
Too Bad the Adults in the room unable to see the long term and financial harm this uproar has caused. The money that will be spent will be reduced of funds available that should be used in the betterment of the Children’s education and welfare of Dekalb County
big picture
February 25th, 2013
11:08 pm
It could be argued that the voters who put these individuals into office are part of the problem themselves. They are arguably not concerned for ALL of the children of the district. I watched plenty of their “board-speak,” and it was clear that they were voting and making decisions to only benefit their pet schools. Why did SCW feel that she should offer scholarships to students in one school when she is supposed to be looking out for students across the county? This is the point of this particular SACS policy.
The race politics of this county are relentless. They spill into the schools, and the kids lose out. How would you like to be a bi-racial kid in this county? Which “community,” based on the comments of the outsted board members and the new super, do you believe is more open to these children? And students of other races don’t have a chance.
Funny, watching the folks who keep stating that the elections must stand, it seems clear that these are people who do not have children in the schools.
Truth in Moderation
February 25th, 2013
11:24 pm
“Funny, watching the folks who keep stating that the elections must stand, it seems clear that these are people who do not have children in the schools.”
If the DeKalb County schools are soooooo bad, then why do YOU have your children in them?????
Where is YOUR SACRIFICE to pull them out and home school them, at least until things get straightened out. And don’t tell me you can’t afford it. You’ve got a computer to blog on right? You can always sell your house and move to an apartment or rental. I know PLENTY OF HOME SCHOOLERS who have made such sacrifices. So please, don’t waste your crocodile tears on us. You would rather be LAZY AND SELFISH and not do your duty to make sure any criminal board member is prosecuted and LEGALLY removed. Because, if the current Board had not been charged with criminal wrong doing, then what CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT does the Governor have to remove DULY ELECTED OFFICIALS?
YOU AND THOSE THAT ARE LIKE MINDED ARE NOT WITHOUT GUILT.
RAMZAD
February 26th, 2013
12:48 am
This is a glorious day for DeKalb County. It is instructional that Eugene walker continued his race bait talk about “political lynching” and “kangaroo court.” I am so delighted that his fixation on hate for white people will no longer be part of the DeKalb County school system.
Truth in Moderation
February 26th, 2013
1:16 am
@RAMZAD
LOL! You are new here, right?
Don’t worry, Pres. Obama promises NEW BRAINS FOR ALL in 2023!
Shrek4259
February 26th, 2013
7:30 am
Funny how libs think they have all the answers & know everything. I guess that means running a once great school system in the ground by electing incompetent representatives.
mom of student
February 26th, 2013
7:43 am
Why can’t the board operate like the PTA? Add a parent with a child in Dekalb Schools, a teacher who is embedded in a classroom and knows what the trenches are like every day, no raises, no support, no morale, and a DEKALB business owner who needs this school system to work. Dekalb was one of the best, we need to clean house from the county office on UP! Teachers do not have a say and no one has even asked their opinion. Maybe a walk out of teachers, students and administrators would make a difference.
Big picture
February 26th, 2013
8:00 am
Truth, you act like you know something about me. My house is on the market. I am sick of large classroom sizes and “inclusion” structured classrooms that require students to be interpreters because the system is paying for attorneys rather than resources in the classroom. I have purchased books for my children because the county cannot afford copies that the kids can take home. I have invested tens of thousands of dollars on tutors and outside testing to ensure that MY children are getting the education they deserve.
I believe in public schools and that all classes of children have something to learn from each other. You apparently believe that education dollars are well spent on lawsuits and constitutional rights, not classroom supplies, teachers, and educational outcomes. If you feel so strongly about it, put your own money into Walker et Al’s attorney pot and let education dollars pay for the classrooms for those children who do not have the resources that I have.
Many of us are done. Many of us who have tried to fight the good fight against fiscal mismanagement are giving up. Who is that good for.
But you win. Wanna buy a house, or a 100. I can point out many on the market.
Private Citizen
February 26th, 2013
8:12 am
I want a board of old balding white men…some good ol boys who look like Sunny Perdue. They will clean house and recalibrate this thing.
ha
Private Citizen
February 26th, 2013
8:14 am
Where is YOUR SACRIFICE to pull them out and home school them
Truth, you looney bird, some people have to work for a living.
Shrek4259
February 26th, 2013
8:34 am
The haters on this blog don’t even realize why their circumstances are what they are & will never really improve. Playing the victim never wins. They would rather wallow in misery than to take steps to improve their situations.
Pardon My Blog
February 26th, 2013
9:09 am
@397 – I never said such a thing. Unfortunately, this group (with the possible exception of Speaks) has so much extraneous baggage and have been making alot of questionable decisions which have the appearance of nothing more than making a profit from that decision. Melvin Johnson is a friend of Crawford Lewis and was part of his administration which also cast a shadow on where his heart is. Then you look at their backgrounds, some of it public and some of it not so public, and the closed door meetings in which decisions were made because they knew only 5 votes were needed.
Someone said it best on a previous blog, the students that they have hurt the most are located in their districts!
Who stands for the children?
February 26th, 2013
9:39 am
Bernie, you state a valid point. It is indefensible when one feels their vote is of no value or worth. I have mulled over this situation and, while the actions Deal took are actions that make a voter hold their nose, there was no other choice. Our founding fathers and signers of our Constitution definitely wanted a checks and balance in place. What better example of that than Nixon. The voters put him in office; he abused his power (no mistaking that point since years later the tapes of his conversations have surfaced) and, while he bowed out without Congress having to impeach him, the country was spared. Checks and balances. For every body (this case the DeKalb Board of Education) there is a higher governing body who, given the checks/balances powers, can remove them for probable cause . (From what I see no one is contesting there exists probable cause, given the infractions they committed). So, in the end, considering the options, either let a Board remain in place and financially ruin this county, or remove them before further damage is done, I would have to say what was done simply had to be done. I can live with checks and balances.
OriginalProf
February 26th, 2013
10:54 am
@ Shrek4259, February 26th, 8:34 am: “The haters on this blog don’t even realize why their circumstances are what they are & will never really improve. Playing the victim never wins.”
How true. However, as I read back over the comments here, it seems that “the haters” can refer to “haters of black people in South DeKalb” as well as who I think you mean.
Witnessweeine
March 10th, 2013
8:38 am
Jim Bostic on the nominating committee ? The hachet man? He has no interest in the welfare of the children. He does what SACS wants. OoopOoop, another school system destroyed. YOU WILL SEE.
Witnessweeine
March 10th, 2013
8:46 am
Chug, stop hoping , the Governor and SACS will never take action in Cobb. Look at the make-up of the board. Interesting, huh.