Judge denies DeKalb County School Board

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — DeKalb County School Board members were hoping a judge would put a stop to a meeting that could begin the process of their removal, but they were denied Wednesday.

On Thursday, all nine board members are set to find out if the state Board of Education will recommend that the governor remove them from office. But the DeKalb County School Board is challenging the law that gives the governor authority to suspend it.

Earlier this week, the county board filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of that state law. The suit also sought to put Thursday's meeting on hold until that is ruled upon, but the request was denied.

"I want everyone to know that we respect the decision of the courts," said Dr. Eugene Walker, the board's chair.

A Fulton County judge ruled that Thursday's meeting will proceed as scheduled because the county board failed to give the state board five days' notice ahead of its challenge.

The judge also scheduled a hearing for next week to determine whether to put the whole process on hold while constitutionality of the state law is still being challenged. Despite the state board's recommendation, a temporary restraining order may still be put in place to prevent the governor from taking action. Next week's hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Feb. 28.

Walker, the rest of the board and the interim superintendent met in Lawrenceville on Wednesday for governance training.

Governance is an issue the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges said the district needed to work on when the accrediting agency put the school system on probation in December.

WSBTV