PATCH VOICES: "New Direction" for Atlanta Public Schools?

Editor's Note: Ed Johnson ran an unsuccessful campaign last year for the Atlanta School Board District 9 At-Large seat. Here he writes an open letter to Atlanta Public Schools' Superintendent Erroll Davis concerning last week's revelation that APS would be removing several principals from schools before the 2014-15 school year.

Mr. Davis:

Apparently Morris Brandon Element School principal has rightfully and ethically informed the school’s community of her pending dismissal for no other reason, to her knowledge, than “the district is ‘moving in a new direction’” for which your superintendency has judged her unfit.

Won’t you explain to the Atlanta Public Schools community at-large 1) exactly what the district’s “new direction” is and 2) why the district is moving that way?  I, for one, am unaware of any such “new direction.”

Obviously, my questions here pertain to the district itself and do not pertain to any personnel, singularly or collectively. Therefore, to be clear, any explanation that attempts to parry with “it’s a personnel matter” or “take it up with the Board” or some other such rubbish will be viewed as deeply unethical and high-handed behavior.

Your explanation must also give account of the decision-making process that produced the decision to move the district in a “new direction.” Your explanation must leave no doubt about the Board’s role or your role as superintendent in the process.

Please do explain, Mr. Davis, prior to any of Monday’s noticed Atlanta school board meetings.

Finally, Mr. Davis, this matter brings to mind yet again the troubling statement the AJC has you on record as having said: “I try to make the best decisions I can and not worry about the consequences.”

Consider, Mr. Davis, that although corporate managers tend to not worry about “the consequences,” moral and ethical education system leaders do. You see, consequences offer opportunities to learn today to make tomorrow better. So, for example, it is unfortunate there remains little, if any, interest to learn from APS’ massively systemic CRCT cheating. Consequently, aspects of that God-awful saga have continued with you as APS superintendent, such that tomorrow is unlikely to be made better.