The Ethics Commission of the Atlanta Board of Education is expected to decide Friday whether to investigate a complaint filed against at large Seat 7 board member Courtney English for an alleged ethics violation involving his “apparent” employment with a company that is pursuing business with Atlanta Public Schools.
The complaint, filed Nov. 5 by Atlanta resident Janet Kishbaugh, claims English appears to work for of Atlanta-based Child First USA and that company has been soliciting business with “various APS schools” as an after school program provider. That would be a violation of the board’s conflict of interest policy.
It is not clear from the complaint whether Child First USA has ever secured a contract with APS, or whether a Child First USA contract has ever come up for a vote before the school board. Neither English nor Kishbaugh could be reached for comment Thursday afternoon.
In 2010 English was cited for an ethics violation for misusing an APS credit card. He received a public reprimand, a $2,500 fine, and loss of use of the credit card. In February 2011 the school board publicly censured English for failing to pay the fine, which was due Jan. 29. He paid the fine two weeks later.
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