Calling the Clayton County school board dysfunctional and unable to save its accreditation, two governor-appointed advisors have withdrawn their services.

James E. Bostic Jr. and William "Brad" Bryant, two state board of education members appointed to help Clayton, announced Wednesday they will no longer work with the board. However, the two said they also will assist John W. Thompson, Clayton's new superintendent.

Gov. Sonny Perdue said the state has offered as much assistance to Clayton as the state law allows and thanked Bostic and Bryant for their efforts.

"The input and assistance that the state and others provided the Clayton County board of education to maintain the system's accreditation have been thorough, well thought out and involved a great deal of effort," Perdue said in a statement. "It is unfortunate that the board members have treated the state's offer of support as an intrusion rather than the assistance it was intended to be. Ultimately, under current law and the Georgia Constitution, the voters have the final authority to hold the board accountable for its actions."

Michelle Strong, the school board's acting chair, said the Clayton board was willing to work with Bostic and Bryant, but they have only met once with the board.

"I am troubled and disturbed by the governor's liaisons asking to withdraw their services for the board of education. To date they have not provided any assistance," Strong said Wednesday. "I have not even spoken with them and to my knowledge they have not reached out to the board of education."

Bostic and Bryant cited policy violations by the board and members putting "their interests above the boys and girls of the school district."

"With the resignation of Special Counsel Glenn Brock, hired for the sole purpose of maintaining the Clayton County school district's accreditation, the inescapable conclusion reached by us – your special state liaisons – is that this district will become the first in Georgia to lose its accreditation," Bostic and Bryant wrote to the governor on Wednesday.

Brock, an education attorney, resigned last week, also citing unethical behavior by the school board.

According to the liaisons' letter to Perdue, their efforts to assist Clayton have been "unwelcome and disregarded."

Bostic and Bryant said they will continue their work on audits of financial and attendance records, which are being conducted with assistance from state offices.

"In my opinion, today they are in worse shape in keeping their accreditation than they were in February," Bostic said.

In February, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools gave Clayton until Sept. 1 to meet nine mandates or lose accreditation. The mandates include the two audits, along with establishing a capable board and adding an ethics policy.

On Wednesday, Perdue signed House Bill 1302, which establishes an ethics commission to govern the Clayton school board. The commission, which will be made up of citizens, will have the authority to issue strict penalties, including fines or removal.

He also signed Senate Bill 480, which allows qualified students who graduate from unaccredited districts to receive HOPE scholarships.

Board member David Ashe said he was happy that the liaisons will work with the new superintendent. Board members Sandra Scott, Yolanda Everett, Lois Baines-Hunter and Rod Johnson did not return phone calls Wednesday.

Although Bostic and Bryant said they will work with Thompson, they said they are not confident Thompson can save accreditation. In addition to the liaisons, SACS' president has said Thompson does not have the characteristics needed to save accreditation, including a "positive record" as superintendent and knowledge of Georgia law.

Thompson, who started Monday, said he will focus on giving students a "world class education." He declined to comment on the board, saying "they're my bosses."

"I will do all I can," said Thompson, an educator for more than 40 years. "I'll go to sleep at night knowing I've been at work 24-7."

Thompson is credited with turning Pittsburgh's schools large budget deficit into a surplus by reorganizing and closing more than 20 schools during his five years as superintendent. Pittsburgh opted not to renew Thompson's contract in 2005.

Even if a new board is elected during the July 15 primary, chances of salvaging accreditation are slim, the liaisons said. The new board would assume their seats July 25.

"According to SACS, they need a team back there Aug. 1," said Bryant, former chairman of the Dekalb County board of education. "That means a new board has six days to demonstrate they can operate as a functional board. I think that is a steep hill to climb."