STONE MOUNTAIN, GA (CBS ATLANTA, Reporter Newspapers broadcast partner) –
The DeKalb County School Board met on Wednesday to vote on a new chairman, but for the second time, they failed to agree on who should be the leader.
No one received the five votes needed to elect a new chairman. That means the current board chairman, Gene Walker, will remain in his position. He received four votes.
“If they can’t even come together to vote for a chair, how can they come together and get off probation?” asked David Schutten, president of the Organization of DeKalb Educators. “How can they come together and how can the public have confidence in this board?”
The squabbling Wednesday comes as the district struggles to get off probation. Its accrediting agency, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, found the board has mishandled millions of dollars and abused its power for years.
While the school board is on the hot seat, there are also rumors that School Superintendent Cheryl Atkinson plans to resign. Neither Atkinson nor board members have commented on that possibility.
“The school board members really aren’t talking to anybody, so it’s just driving the rumor mill and driving speculation,” said Schutten. “Hopefully, they can bring this to some kind of a close as quickly as possible.”
The board has the option of voting again on a new chairman in 30 days.
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