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Judge Says DeKalb School Board Hearing Will Proceed Despite Lawsuit

February 20th, 2013

A state hearing that could result in the suspension of all nine members of the DeKalb County School Board will proceed as scheduled.

Attorney Bob Wilson filed a lawsuit yesterday to obtain a temporary restraining order to stop Thursday’s scheduled hearing by the Georgia State Board of Education on whether to recommend to Governor Deal that the members of the DeKalb board be replaced. But today Judge Kelly Lee denied the request because it wasn’t submitted five days in advance, as required by law.

The lawsuit has frustrated some stakeholders. State Senator Fran Millar of Dunwoody says that, at the hearing tomorrow, the state officials should recommend to Governor Deal that he replace the board.

“I think they’ve had more than enough chances at this point,” Millar says. “I think their behavior over the last month has shown nothing that they’ve tried to get ready for this hearing. And, we’ll see what happens.”

However, the DeKalb board will have their day in court. Judge Lee has scheduled a hearing for February 28^th. At that time, the state will have to explain why DeKalb shouldn’t get a restraining order to keep the governor from suspending the board, if state officials recommend it.

A copy of the lawsuit filed February 19 on behalf of the DeKalb County School Board by their lawyer, Robert Wilson, asking for the court to stop the State Board of Education hearing scheduled for Thursday, February 22.

A copy of Judge Kelly Lee’s order dated February 20 denying the Dekalb County School Board’s request to stop the hearing (case number 2013CV227450).