Overview:
The Gwinnett County Public Schools Board of Education has voted to terminate the contract of Superintendent Dr. Calvin Watts.
The Gwinnett County Public Schools Board of Education has voted to terminate the contract of Superintendent Dr. Calvin Watts.
In a special called executive session held Friday morning, the board for Georgia’s largest school district decided in a 3-2 vote. Watts’ contract, initially set to expire in July 2026, will now end in April 2025.
Dr. Watts made history in 2021 as the district’s first Black superintendent. However, his tenure has been met with mixed reactions from the community. In 2023, parents and stakeholders were divided over whether his contract should be renewed, with concerns arising over a reported 35% increase in student fights, the fatal shooting of Norcross High School student DeAndre Henderson near campus, and a shift in discipline policies toward “restorative practices” rather than traditional tribunals.
Despite those concerns, the board had previously voted 4-1 in favor of a two-year contract extension for Watts. Gwinnett is a five-member school board, with two members newly elected in 2024. Rachel Ruffin Stone, representing District 1, joined the board in Jan. 2025 after defeating incumbent Karen Mulzac Watkins. Mr. Steve Gasper also joined the board in Jan. 2025, representing District 3, which was held by long-term school board member Mary Kay Murphy, who served on the board for two decades.
In a statement on her Facebook page, Board Vice-Chair, Tarece Johnson-Morgan released a statement.
“There was a recent decision made by the majority of the past board to extend Dr. Watts’ contract and that decision did not consider the voices of the newly elected board, it was financially irresponsible, and it seemed to be more about an individual than about the collective,” Morgan-Johnson’s statement read. “I promise to remain committed to the success of our school system and meeting the needs of ALL students including the most marginalized students experiencing poverty, language challenges, and special needs. I don’t make back door deals, engage in political games, nor do I have a personal agenda. I center the needs of children first.”
These times right now are not easy as many people are struggling with the decisions coming out of the White House. I want you all to know that although I am only one of five on this board, I will do all I can to ensure each and every child knows they belong and are safe to be who and how they are. I have personally and professionally invested in the education and social emotional wellbeing of our students and I will continue to do so.
No threat, bullying, defamation, or harassment will deter me from having a moral conscious to do what is just and right for our precious children. I will stand strong like a tree rooted in the values of justice, equity, and liberation.
I will unapologetically and authentically have the audacity to ensure all of our children have the resources, access, & opportunities.