FactChecker’s sights have turned to a popular DeKalb Schools critic advocate. At the 4/1 Public Comment meeting, Kirk Lunde delivered his two cents about DeKalb Schools’ Transparency, Communications and Responsiveness.
Transparency
| TRUE “The former head of the Human Resources Division is currently an elementary school principal. He was moved to the schoolhouse in FY 2013. Yet, the current FY 2014 budget shows his salary is nearly $50K over the maximum for an elementary school principal.” |
| According to Jamie Wilson’s employment history, his first year as a principal was FY’13 when he earned $158K. Page 629 of the FY’15 proposed budget has the principal of Livsey Elementary down for $158K in salary plus $35K in benefits.Compare this to Noel Maloof’s employment history. Mr. Maloof was a principal for 8 years at DeKalb Schools and whose earned income was $89K in FY’13. Last year Mr. Maloof was promoted to principal of Dunwoody High School where the FY’15 proposed budget (page 852) has him making $89K. In FY’13 according to Open.Georgia.Gov, 158 people at DeKalb Schools’ elementary, middle and high schools had the title “Principal” and 108 of them had a higher earned income than Mr. Maloof. Most of the principals with a lower earned income than Mr. Maloof only worked a partial year. Mr. Maloof was one of the lowest paid principals in the school district. |
Communications
| TRUE “Video archiving of board of education meetings is no longer done and recent meetings are no longer available on the district website.” |
| In July 2013, DeKalb Schools stopped archiving the board meetings. In response to Mr. Lunde’s comments, allegedly, DeKalb Schools launched a new and improved PDS 24 online with most of the board meetings available on demand, except for some of the controversial budget hearings from last year. |
Responsiveness
| TRUE “The SPLOST IV citizens oversight committee made 22 recommendations to the district administration before July 1st of last year which were not completed as of December 31st during their annual report. 22 recommendations to the administration that were not followed up on.” |
| 39 recommendations were made by the end of last year in the SPLOST Oversight Committee Recommendation Summary (December 2013). The Recommendation Status shows as of the end of last year, 9 completed, 4 in progress and 26 waiting updates. |
“Extremism in defense of liberty is no vice. Moderation in pursuit of justice is no virtue.”