Education
Education

DeKalb principal accused of ‘40 acres’ racial comment

By Ty Tagami
Jan 28, 2016

A DeKalb County high school principal was removed after he was accused of making racially-charged comments to school staff.

Someone reportedly mounted fliers throughout Lakeside High School that alleged the principal told janitors and security staff at a meeting: “You don’t want to mess with me. I’m a redneck master with a degree. I run these 40 acres!”

School district Superintendent Steve Green issued a statement Wednesday saying there was an investigation into allegations regarding the principal, who had been "removed from the school." Green said any violations of policy or law would be prosecuted "to the fullest extent."

The principal, Jason Clyne, who is white, could not be reached for comment. Typically, in these situations, officials remain on the payroll and work in a different location until an investigation is completed. DeKalb did not identify who would run Lakeside in the principal’s absence.

The alleged flier appeared on Twitter Tuesday, claiming a history of offensive remarks by the principal.

ExploreRead more about the principal and reactions from parents at myAJC.com.

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.

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