The DeKalb County Board of Education announced its second superintendent finalist Thursday afternoon, nearly a month after the board reversed its decision to hire its first choice.
Cheryl Watson-Harris is second in command at the largest school district in the country, serving as first-deputy chancellor for the New York City Department of Education. According to her bio on the department of education website, she returned to New York after more than 15 years in Boston, where she worked as a principal and network superintendent until 2015. She began her teaching career in New York in 1993.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution first reported the hire Thursday morning.
“Cheryl Watson-Harris is part of the next generation of outstanding leaders in public education,” school board chairman Marshall Orson said in a statement announcing the selection. “A proven change agent, Cheryl is described as a ‘champion for children.’ She fits the criteria desired by the DeKalb community, including her dedication to high levels of academic achievement, her experience helping lead large, diverse, urban districts, her commitment to equity for all students, and her ability to plan with a long-term vision for the District.”
Now begins a 14-day waiting period, mandated by the state, before the district can officially offer Watson-Harris a contract.
Watson-Harris, who has no previous experience as a school districts top leader, would lead Georgia’s third-largest district of about 99,000 students as it seeks to transition to some semblance of normalcy amid the coronavirus pandemic. School buildings were closed for the last 10 weeks of the school year, which pushed learning online through online portals to mixed reviews from teachers and parents.
“Throughout my career as an education leader, I have made it my priority to ensure every child has access to high-quality education and is prepared for successful citizenship in our fast-paced 21st century global community,” Watson-Harris said. “I believe the public school system is the heart and soul of our country. I am confident my experience in district restructuring and the equitable allocation of resources, as well as my achievements in improving school performance, can help DeKalb Schools continue to move in the right direction.”
She would replace Ramona Tyson, who has said she intends to retire at the end of the month. Watson-Harris also brings to the table her own share of turmoil, including allegations she received preferential treatment in receiving placement for two of her daughters at some of the city's more elite schools.
According to the New York Post, one daughter entered a selective middle school in the eighth grade, though the school normally accepts incoming sixth graders. Another daughter was placed in a school for the gifted and talented known to choose students based on entry test scores and try-outs.
A week ago, she withdrew her name from contention for the superintendent’s job at Sarasota County Schools in Florida, which has about 44,000 students.
"That was just a personal choice," she told the Sarasota Herald-Tribune newspaper after withdrawing her name for the position.
The school board initially announced Rudy Crew as its single finalist for the superintendent position on April 23, with five board members heaping praise on the selection during a meeting held via Zoom and aired on the district's public access channel.
Just over two weeks later, in a stunning reversal, the board voted not to hire Crew, with several opting not to say why publicly. The selection had been met with concern from residents who felt Crew’s history — including allegations Crew bullied a subordinate and obstructed a rape investigation involving a 14-year-old student — showed he was not suitable for DeKalb.
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