Imagine sitting for a job interview while the rest of the world is watching.
And no, the boss isn't Donald Trump and it's not for a TV show. Rather, as a senior staffer for Attorney General Sam Olens explained to the Atlanta school board Monday, if they want to interview a candidate for superintendent, they must do it in public if a quorum is present to ask the questions. Ritter acknowledged there are some who disagree with their interpretation of the law.
Atlanta public schools suspended its search for a superintendent after the recent appointment of Erroll Davis, but the news surprised board members nonetheless.
"That was maybe the biggest shocker of all," said board chairwoman Brenda Muhammad after the meeting.
The briefing on open records and open meetings law was delivered by senior assistant attorney general Stefan Ritter. It came weeks after the attorney general sanctioned the board for violating the law, essentially putting the board on a year's probation.
Other surprises for Muhammad included an interpretation by the attorney general that all communications on public cellphones, computers and other devices -- including voicemails and emails -- are public, even if the content is private. Ritter warned board members not to discuss even such private matters such as their kids' dental records on such devices.
Prior to the briefing, the board voted to spend $2 million in federal Race to the Top funds. The money was part of $34 million in grants that would be lost if it went unspent by Sept. 30. Superintendent Davis said he wanted to ensure the money was earmarked and that he needed the board's approval. It will be sent on computers in the schools, Davis' chief of staff, Steve Smith, told the board.
The meeting was called as part of an ongoing process to fly straight after running afoul of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), the primary accrediting agency in Georgia..
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