DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Parents and elected officials in DeKalb County are calling for an investigation into the entire school board following the federal indictment of Superintendent Devon Horton.
Channel 2’s Tyisha Fernandes reports the demand for an investigation comes after the board extended Horton’s contract and approved a $60,000 raise, despite being warned of a federal investigation.
“The governor in my opinion is the only one who has authority to step in and clear some of this ambiguity,” said Sen. Emmanuel Jones, who is urging Gov. Brian Kemp to investigate the board.
In 2013, Gov. Nathan Deal removed the entire DeKalb County School Board, except for one member, due to allegations of fiscal mismanagement. This historical precedent is cited by those calling for current action.
Former school board member Dr. Joyce Morley mentioned that an anonymous source had warned the board about the federal investigation into Horton, making his indictment unsurprising.
Joel Edwards, who leads the organization Renew DeKalb, is advocating for an external audit of the district’s contracts and hires to ensure accountability and transparency.
“We need to start from ground zero to make sure that everybody in this school system is qualified to do the job," he said.
Horton’s resignation contract includes a clause that entitles him to payment for another month, regardless of the reason for his departure, and waives a $15,000 repayment to the district.
As Kemp is currently out of the country, it remains to be seen how he will respond to the calls for an investigation into the DeKalb County School Board.
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