The man who is advocating a city of Dunwoody school system believes that Monday's resignation by Eugene Walker as DeKalb school board chairman won't prevent the removal of the entire school board.

"The state board of education has already made their minds up based on their last meeting," said state Rep. Tom Taylor. "I don't gamble, but I would make book that there is a unanimous vote to ask the Governor to remove them."

CrossRoads News is reporting that Walker announced his resignation during Monday's specially called school board meeting, leaving the embattled school board free to elect a new leader before Thursday's pivotal meeting with the State Board of Education.

"The news of Walker's resigning as DeKalb BOE Chairman was unexpected and stunning," Dunwoody City Councilman Terry Nall said. "A review of the SACS report reveals Walker is sprinkled throughout as being problematic. I question why someone interested in making positive changes for the school district did not take this step much earlier." 

On Thursday at 8 am, DeKalb's school board will appear once again before the State Board of Education. DeKalb's board must convince state authorities that they are making progress in meeting requirements set forth by the Southern Association of Colleges & Schools, which has placed the school board under probation.

The state board will then recommend to Gov. Nathan Deal whether the school board should be removed or kept in place.

Taylor said that if the state board recommends the DeKalb board's removal, "I will bet the DeKalb School Board files a preemptive lawsuit challenging the Governor's power to act against the school board before the end of the week."

Patch will be covering that meeting as it happens in a live blog on Thursday morning.

"Why now, do they think that it is going to make a difference by the hearing on Thursday?" Taylor asked. "Walker has been the biggest part of the problem for years."

Taylor plans to introduce a bill in the General Assembly that would create a Dunwoody school system.

"[Interim DeKalb School Superindentent] Michael Thurmond met with the DeKalb legislative delegation last week," Taylor said. "He will be speaking for the board, sort of as their attorney, after the dismal performance by DeKalb BOE members last time. He told us that they were making progress as a board and he would convey that."

"Either Walker finally accepted his leadership was part of the problem in the eyes of SACS or his chairman resignation is a strategic move in an attempt to save the DeKalb BOE seats upon returning to the Georgia BOE hearing on Thursday," Nall said.

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