Sen. Emanuel Jones Calls for Immediate Removal of DeKalb County School District Superintendent Following Federal Indictment

Following news of a federal indictment against DeKalb County School District Superintendent Dr. Devon Horton, Sen. Emanuel Jones (D–Decatur) issued the following statement:

“I am calling for the immediate dismissal of Superintendent Devon Horton. The allegations of wire fraud, embezzlement and tax evasion outlined in the federal indictment are deeply troubling and indicate that he is incapable of leading the DeKalb County School District.

This is not a misunderstanding or administrative error. The indictment details how Dr. Horton allegedly schemed to steer public contracts to his personal associates and received tens of thousands of dollars in kickbacks. It is a breach of public trust and a disservice to the students, educators and families of DeKalb County.

I am equally concerned by the DeKalb School Board’s recent decision to extend Dr. Horton’s contract and increase his salary, despite allegations that there was knowledge of an ongoing federal investigation. If any board members were aware of these allegations and chose to ignore them, they, too, must be held accountable.

The Governor has the authority under Georgia law to initiate a review and remove superintendents under indictment. I urge him to do so if the board fails to act.

In 2013, Governor Nathan Deal intervened to protect the district’s accreditation and restore credibility to our schools. Today, we face a similar moment. We must take decisive action to ensure our schools are led with integrity and focused solely on student success.

As a longtime public servant and former Chair of the DeKalb Delegation, I know how much is at stake. The people of DeKalb County, especially our students and parents, deserve better.”