Education
Education

Governor replaces three school board members

ajc.com
By Ty Tagami
Jan 5, 2017

Gov. Nathan Deal has named three new members to the Dooly County school board after suspending them over accreditation issues.

The 1,500-student system in Middle Georgia has been roiled by controversy since at least 2015, when the Dooly board faced complaints that its members were meddling in schools, a cardinal sin according to accreditation organization AdvancEd.

Last fall, the organization told the state board of education that the board had not mended its ways, and in November Deal suspended five board members.

Two of them are being succeeded by the winners in the November election, leaving three for Deal to replace. On Tuesday, he named Rev. F. Thomas (Tommy) Mason, Jr., Dr. Wanda Parker-Jackson and Michael Bowens to fill the three unexpired terms.

About the Author

Ty Tagami is a staff writer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Since joining the newspaper in 2002, he has written about everything from hurricanes to homelessness. He has deep experience covering local government and education, and can often be found under the Gold Dome when lawmakers meet or in a school somewhere in the state.

Follow Ty Tagami on facebookFollow Ty Tagami on twitter
More Stories

Keep Reading

A Georgia student warned friends about a shooting threat. He was expelled for it. (Abbey Edmonson/AJC)

Credit: Abbey Edmonson

Georgia student going to court after being expelled for warning of threat

The middle school student was expelled after he sent messages to friends about a video he'd seen with someone threatening to shoot up area schools.

School starts in about a month in metro Atlanta. Check the dates here.

Most students in metro Atlanta will start school the first week of August, while others go back in July. Some school districts are already preparing for the return.

Supreme Court rulings could factor into case of Cobb teacher fired over book

Two Supreme Court rulings could impact a lawsuit by a Georgia teacher fired over a book she read to her class.

The Latest

A Georgia student warned friends about a shooting threat. He was expelled for it. (Abbey Edmonson/AJC)

Credit: Abbey Edmonson

Georgia student going to court after being expelled for warning of threat

Supreme Court rulings could factor into case of Cobb teacher fired over book

School starts in about a month in metro Atlanta. Check the dates here.

Featured

The city of Brookhaven's mayor and City Council last week decided to remove the colored panes of glass from the dome of Brookhaven's new City Centre after residents objected to the brightness of the colors, seen here Friday, June 27, 2025. (Reed Williams/AJC)

Credit: Reed Williams/AJC

Brookhaven removes colored glass from City Centre dome after uproar

Some say the colors were too bright, the dome looked like ice cream with sprinkles and the hues distracted from the building’s muted design.

Confederate group sues to stop Stone Mountain’s ‘truth-telling’ exhibit

The Sons of Confederate Veterans allege the park’s changes to its Civil War history exhibits violate state law.

Georgia student going to court after being expelled for warning of threat

The middle school student was expelled after he sent messages to friends about a video he'd seen with someone threatening to shoot up area schools.