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The Champion, Thursday, May 21 - 27, 2015
EDITORIAL
Page 4A
Consider the risks of a
new superintendent
What are we to think of DeKalb’s selection to replace
superintendent Michael Thurmond? We reported on May
13 Stephen Green had been selected by the DeKalb County
Board of Education as the sole finalist for the superinten
dent position and we agree, he meets the qualifications.
However, is he prepared to step into Thurmonds ever-chal
lenging shoes?
The DeKalb County School District has more than
101,000 students and more than 13,400 employees. In
cluded among those employees are more than 6,000 teach
ers across 137 schools within the district, which is the third
largest in Georgia.
By contrast, where Green is now there are 39 schools
in the Kansas City Public Schools District and 16,700 stu
dents.
That’s a ginormous difference.
On top of that, Kansas City Public Schools is struggling
to stay accredited with threats similar to Gov. Deal’s oppor
tunity school district takeover in DeKalb.
And though some may consider it a sliver of hope that
he will understand DeKalb’s struggles and see us through
the dark clouds, this is not the best thing to consider as a
common ground for an incoming superintendent.
No one wants to be the bearer of bad news. We know
DeKalb needs a positive change but Thurmond assisted in
helping our school district upgrade this year. Could a new
superintendent charge us back into accreditation danger?
Being that the district is in the midst of a five-year plan,
how are we going to continue that plan with someone who
may have another plan.
A new superintendent means new ideas, possibly new
staff and administration and his decisions may be valuable
to our schools but clearly, more time is needed to fully vet
the candidates regarding the change that our people want
to see.
It would be very disappointing to see DeKalb going
backwards after almost two years of steady progress.
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# WTThe THRILL i s GONE \r
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