Board of Education fires DeKalb County superintendent

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - The DeKalb County School Board has voted to sever ties with Superintendent Cheryl Watson-Harris.

During a virtual meeting on Tuesday, the board voted on a separation agreement to take effect immediately. The board said its relationship with the superintendent had been deteriorating for a while and had become irreconcilable.

"The Board lost confidence in Mrs. Watson-Harris’s ability to provide the leadership the District needs in the face of significant challenges," the board wrote in a statement to FOX 5.

Cheryl Watson-Harris (DeKalb County School District)

The move comes after criticism over the way the superintendent and the board handled complaints of poor conditions at Druid Hills High School.

"We appreciate Mrs. Cheryl Watson-Harris for her service to the DeKalb County School District and wish her the best in her future endeavors," Board Chair Vickie Turner wrote in a statement sent to FOX 5.

DEKALB SCHOOL BOARD 'CONCERNED' BY STATE SUPERINTENDENT'S CRITICISM OF DRUID HILLS HIGH REPAIRS

Watson-Harris was named superintendent in summer 2020. Before coming to DeKalb County, Watson-Harris served as First Deputy Chancellor for the New York City Department of Education, the largest school district in the country.

She has worked in New York and Boston as a teacher, principal, and an administrator.

"The immediate departure of Mrs. Watson Harris will have no bearing on the search for the next superintendent," Turner wrote. "The Board remains fully committed to an open and transparent process and supporting the students of DCSD."

Dr. Vasanne Tinsley (DeKalb County School District)

Deputy Superintendent Dr. Vasanne Tinsley will serve as interim superintendent.

"Dr. Tinsley brings a wealth of experience to DCSD, formerly serving as the Deputy Superintendent of Student Support & Intervention in the district," the district released in a statement to FOX 5.

Turner said the board has the "utmost confidence" in Dr. Tinsley's ability to operate the day-to-day activities within the district.

Dr. Tinsley has worked for the district for more than 27 years. She started as a school counselor and worked her way up the ranks becoming Director of Student Services in 2014. Two years later, she would be promoted to Deputy Superintendent of Students Support and Intervention. 

The district is the third largest in Georgia and 29th largest in the country. It serves about 93,000 students, more than 140 facilities, and employees more than 15,000 people including nearly 7,000 teachers.