Flap over firing illustrates one challenge for a new superintendent

In the weeks after Nov. 2, when David Dude became Decatur school superintendent, he plunged into a whirlwind agenda, showing up at nearly every civic event, from the State of the City address to a focus group for the city’s community action plan. He even marched as “Big Chief” during the Meade Road Mardi Gras parade.

But not until Feb. 26 when he fired Susan Riley, longtime popular media clerk at Decatur High School, did he feel this city’s culture, history, and wrath all rolled into one.

Her firing spurred a backlash that illustrates one difficulty new superintendents can encounter, particularly in small districts.

Dude later admitted he knew little about Riley when he fired her, and had never even heard her name until about three weeks before he did.

He quickly learned. On Feb. 29 at a rally Dude attended, students and ex-students spoke passionately about Riley’s impact on their lives as friend, comforter and informal counselor. Hundreds more poured out thoughts and emotions on social media. After answering dozens of emails over the weekend, Dude changed Riley’s status to suspended with pay. Then, after about a month-long investigation by Atlanta attorney Jonathan Poole, she got her job back, returning to work April 18.

The flap doesn’t necessarily signal rough times ahead in Dude’s tenure. At least that’s the opinion of Dr. John Zauner, third-year executive director for the Georgia School Superintendents Association.

“The first year is never easy,” Zauner said. “Then you add the fact (Dude’s) a first-time superintendent, and that’s doubly hard. Then you add he’s in a one-high-school district, where roots go deep and people have a lot of investment in the high school and not the system.”

The personnel fracas wasn’t the first time the community had rallied to help Riley. In May 2013, her daughter Angela suffered a traumatic brain injury after being struck by a car. Thousands of dollars were raised for Angela’s medical expenses and an outdoor fundraiser was held featuring several bands.

“Personnel is a sensitive matter,” Zauner said. “I don’t know a whole lot about this case, but it looks to me he made the right decision. It’s not easy to pull the plug on someone and then bring her back. He understood this was a whole lot bigger than letting go a non-tenured employee.”

Dude still isn’t saying why Riley was fired to begin to with. He told the AJC’s Maureen Downey earlier that he “may have been misled,” but hasn’t elaborated on that statement in the weeks since.

He has made one major administrative change by having the three-person human resources staff report to him instead of, as previously, to chief operating officer Noel Maloof, who was Decatur High principal in 2014-15.

According to Zauner the national average tenure for superintendents is 2.8 years, although Decatur superintendents average 12.5 years, which is exactly how long Dude’s predecessor, Phyllis Edwards lasted.

Zauner believes Dude is hitting all the checkpoints for ensuring some longevity. Number one is the superintendent’s relationship with the board, and Dude’s appears solid. In early March Decatur’s board released a rare “Statement” supporting Dude’s hiring Poole. (Still unknown is how much the inquiry by Poole, who charged $235 an hour, cost the district.)

Second is community involvement and, Zauner points out, “understanding history and local politics,” which has been a very public priority for Dude since day one.

Dude, who came from Iowa City, Iowa, has also taken advantage of the GSSA’s offering a mentor or executive coach for one year. His is former Fulton County superintendent Stephen Dolinger, with whom Dude has met several times “learning about Georgia and making connections with key folks around the state,” he said.

Zauner said, “He’s been there six months (as of May 2). That’s as green as green can be. Give him time to fit the landscape.”

Dude attended a memorial service April 16 for Eddie Fowlkes, a man he never met. Fowlkes was a longtime Decatur High School graphic arts teacher, coach, historian — and Susan Riley’s close friend.