ATLANTA — Following the outcry from community leaders and members in DeKalb County, the Georgia state school superintendent is urging the school district to halt the selection process for its new superintendent.
State School Superintendent Richard Woods released a statement on Thursday directed toward the DeKalb County Board of Education. In the message, he noted that interim superintendent Dr. Vasanne Tinsley "has been responsive and has produced results" for the district during her short time in the position.
DeKalb's school district recently announced their sole finalist for the position, Dr. Devon Horton, in a move that upset many parents in the county due to an ongoing federal civil rights lawsuit and the fact he's coming from a school district of roughly 6,500 students to one of over 93,000.
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Woods said Dr. Tinsley has made efforts to continue building a partnership with the state's office and also to mend fractured relationships in their own community.
You can read the full statement at the bottom of this story.
He called the current state of the DeKalb school district to be at a "critical juncture" and that all students and faculty in the county deserve "stability" in order to continue building on the momentum the school district has gained in her time.
"Though the selection of a superintendent falls within your purview as the local board of education, I respectfully urge you to pause the selection process and afford Dr. Tinsley additional time to get the district on solid footing," Woods said.
He signed off on the letter by saying the success of all students in DeKalb "directly impacts the success of our entire state" due to the county being the third-largest school district in Georgia.
Here's the full statement from State School Superintendent Richard Woods:
To the members of the DeKalb County Board of Education:
In her brief tenure as interim superintendent, Dr. Vasanne Tinsley has been responsive and has produced results for DeKalb County Schools. She's worked hard to form a partnership with my office and repair relationships within the DeKalb County community.
The DeKalb County School District is at a critical juncture. DeKalb students and educators deserve stability, and it is essential that the district does not lose its recent momentum.
Though the selection of a superintendent falls within your purview as the local board of education, I respectfully urge you to pause the selection process and afford Dr. Tinsley additional time to get the district on solid footing.
As one of the largest school districts in Georgia, the success of DeKalb County Schools directly impacts the success of our entire state.
Respectfully,
Richard Woods
State School Superintendent