Dekalb School Board to Hold Private Meetings About SACS Letter
The Dekalb School board held a called meeting yesterday to discuss a recent letter they received from their accrediting agency. During that meeting, the board decided any future meetings about the letter would be held in private.
Some community members were surprised by the board’s decision to keep the meetings closed to the public. David Schutten, the president of the Organization of Dekalb Educators, called it “bizarre.”
“The end result of what they did is just to raise more suspicions among both the staff and the citizens and parents of Dekalb County,” Schutten says, “I mean, it’s just constant missteps on the part of the board that makes it very difficult for the citizens of Dekalb County to put a lot of faith in their decision-making processes.”
The letter, from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, raised concerns the board mismanaged finances and that some board members pressured administrators to hire their friends and relatives. Board chair Eugene Walker denies the allegations. But Schutten says the concerns are valid.
“Many, many people have complained for years about the nepotism within the school system, the ‘friends and family’ network,” he says, “I’m glad that SACS is looking at this a little more seriously.”
The board has 30 days to respond to the letter. Calls to officials with the Dekalb Schools were not returned before deadline.
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