DeKalb school board to probe pro-annexation allegations

The DeKalb County Board of Education will look into allegations of improprieties by a member of the board accused of advocating for the Atlanta annexation, a statement from board Chairman Melvin Johnson said Friday.

Johnson, in a statement sent to media Friday afternoon, said the board will consider the allegations against board member Marshall Orson at its next meeting April 1 in the Cabinet Room of the Robert R. Freeman Administrative Center, 1701 Mountain Industrial Blvd. in Stone Mountain.

“Recent news reports and communications from stakeholders of the DeKalb County School District have raised important and serious allegations,” the release states.

Opponents of the annexation have said they found emails from Orson’s personal account sent to state Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver, D-Decatur, and Atlanta City Councilman Alex Wan, among others, where Orson pushes for annexing a swath of DeKalb County into Atlanta. The move could disenfranchise thousands of students and take from the county’s tax base.

Orson has denied pushing for the annexation, saying his words were taken out of context.

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