Runoffs likely for DeKalb school board

A very different school board may lead DeKalb County into an uncertain future. Early election returns, with only a handful of precincts reporting, had several incumbents in tight races that looked headed for runoffs.

Last year, in response to a near loss of accreditation, Gov. Nathan Deal replaced six elected board members. Only four of his appointees stood for election, with all facing opposition. And in late-night returns, with some precincts still uncounted, only one of those four had built what looked like a solid lead while two other incumbents, both elected two years ago, also had healthy leads.

Tuesday’s election comes at a delicate moment for Georgia’s third-largest school district: DeKalb, under the guidance of Superintendent Michael Thurmond and a board dominated by Deal appointees, has been limping toward recovery after recording a historic financial deficit and being placed on probation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. SACS recently boosted the rating up a notch, but it remains two steps from full accreditation.

A big change on the nine-member board, which has three elected members at the moment, was possible because the Georgia General Assembly cut two seats effective January 2015, and adjusted the terms so that the remaining seven could all be contested Tuesday.

Here’s what was happening in each of the districts as the returns rolled in:

• District 1, which includes Dunwoody and Brookhaven, was never in question since newcomer Stan Jester had no challengers; Deal appointee John Coleman opted against running. Jester is married to Nancy Jester, who was removed by Deal and was running for state superintendent.
• District 2, from Brookhaven to the Emory University area, had incumbent Marshall Orson pulling ahead of the former board member he unseated two years ago, Don McChesney.
• District 3, an arc from Avondale Estates to the southwest corner of the county, was undecided and possibly headed for a runoff; Deal appointee Michael Erwin was leading his four challengers, but not by much.
• District 4, from near Buford Highway to Stone Mountain, was a contest between two incumbents — Deal appointee Karen Carter and elected member Jim McMahan — and two newcomers, with no one holding a commanding lead, though Carter and McMahan had an edge on the rest.
• District 5, in southeast DeKalb, had four challengers against Deal appointee Thad Mayfield, and seemed headed for a runoff, with Mayfield leading the pack.
• District 6, from Stone Mountain to Lithonia, was a race between board chairman Melvin Johnson, who was elected two years ago, and one challenger, with Johnson building a strong lead.
• District 7, from Clarkston to near Lithonia, pitted two challengers against Deal appointee Joyce Morley, who had a strong lead.

The winners will make decisions that affect the district’s trajectory, with selection of the next superintendent chief among them.