The Georgia Association of Educators has filed a lawsuit in DeKalb County Superior Court on behalf of three GAE members against the DeKalb County School District, claiming breach of contract, claiming that the district allegedly failed to issue written contracts for the 2025-2026 school year.
Under Georgia’s Quality Basic Education Act, all certified professional personnel are legally entitled to annual written employment contracts. On May 2, 2025, the school district sent an email to nearly 700 certified employees, including the three plaintiffs, Dena McTyre, Jason Moffitt, Culisha Curry, stating they were no longer eligible for employment contracts due to a “review and alignment process for all positions.”
According to the lawsuit, which was filed on Dec. 16, 2025, the district claimed that although these employees would no longer have written contracts as mandated by Georgia law, their roles, responsibilities, and continued employment would still “remain secure,” as a “valued employee,” and they would “retain all applicable rights and benefits” under Georgia law. The lawsuit claims that requests for clarification from the school district were met with a list of frequently asked questions and a YouTube video.
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“This is unprecedented and frightening,” said Mike McGonigle, GAE general counsel and legal services director. “DeKalb has undermined the very purpose of the law, which is to avoid, in part, the ambiguity of “at-will” employment. Certified educators across the state have relied upon the consistency and certainty of this basic right for decades. We are asking the court to treat GAE members with the respect and dignity they deserve by requiring DeKalb to issue written employment agreements.”
To read the complaint as filed, click here.
