Overview:
Gov. Brian Kemp has suspended all seven members of the Dublin City Board of Education following a State Board of Education recommendation over the district's accreditation crisis, tied to a $20 million financial shortfall, and has formed a nominating committee to recommend temporary replacements for him to appoint.
DUBLIN, Ga. — Gov. Brian Kemp has suspended all seven members of the Dublin City Board of Education, citing concerns over the school system’s accreditation status.
Kemp signed an executive order Monday suspending Amanda Smith, John Bell, Jeff Davis, Joanna Glover, Peggy Johnson, James Lanier and Kenny Walters. The suspensions follow a recommendation from the State Board of Education after an Aug. 12 hearing.
The move comes after the Dublin City Board of Education notified the state that the district had been placed at the accreditation level immediately preceding a full loss of accreditation. That notification triggered a process under Georgia law, culminating in the Aug. 12 state board hearing. Following that hearing, the state board recommended that Kemp suspend all eligible members of the Dublin school board.
Last week, the Georgia Board of Education unanimously voted to recommend the suspensions in connection with a $20 million financial crisis within the district — a shortfall that has already led to 46 job cuts and the removal of top leadership.
Kemp is now moving to temporarily fill the vacated seats. His executive order establishes a four-member Dublin City Board of Education Nominating Committee, which will recommend temporary replacements for Kemp to appoint.
Matt Donaldson, the State Board of Education member representing the congressional district that includes Dublin, will chair the committee. Other members include the state representative serving the area, former Dublin Mayor Phil Best, and Dublin community member Edwin May.
The governor’s order, signed Aug. 17, does not detail the specific issues that led to the district’s current accreditation status, nor does it specify a timeline for selecting temporary board members.