Superintendent updates grand jury on legal fees

The DeKalb County school system spent more than $3 million on legal fees last school year and is expected to spend twice that amount this year, according to a DeKalb County grand jury report.

The information was attributed to Superintendent Cheryl Atkinson, who has met with successive grand juries as part of an agreement with District Attorney Robert James.

The report for July-August session, like prior grand juries, calls for the empaneling of a special grand jury to investigate school system finances, including legal fees. Atkinson reportedly told the panel that the projected legal costs for this year will exceed the budgeted amount.