Clayton County School Board: Obligations and Violations

By Lois Robley, Ph.D. and Tom Creely, Ph.D.

In March, The National Accreditation Commission voted unanimously to revoke Clayton County school district’s accreditation September 1, 2008, unless the district meets the conditions set forward by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

The decision follows allegations that the Clayton County School Board is riddled with financial mismanagement and unethical behavior. A special investigation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools was initiated after Board members filed complaints against other Board members, and members of the faculty and staff, and parents sent written complaints. In January, SACS visited Clayton County schools and interviewed staff members and board members and reviewed the County’s financial records. In February, after compiling the findings of the investigation, SACS sent a scathing report to the Clayton County School District recommending that accreditation be revoked, stating the “Clayton County Board of Education is fatally flawed.”

To students and residents of Clayton County, this is a big issue and many residents have gathered to voice their concerns. The loss of accreditation in September could possibly prevent students from graduating next year. It could also hinder students’ chances of getting into college, and their eligibility to receive HOPE scholarship funds and other scholarships and grants. In a district where students are reliant upon public education, these concerns are a vital issue to both parents and students.

Thousands of Clayton County residents have attended school board meetings and press conferences to demand the present School Board members step down, as many feel the Board has not lived up their obligation to put students first.

Other than violating the standards for accreditation, what other violations do you think the Clayton County School Board has committed? Have they violated the public’s trust? What obligations do members of the Board have? Are they obligated only to the students they serve or to the larger community as well?

Dr. Lois Robley, Ph.D., is assistant director and professor of ethics at the Siegel Institute. Dr. Tom Creely is assistant professor of Leadership and Ethics at the Siegel Institute, Kennesaw State University.