DEKALB COUNTY, GA — DeKalb County Schools is a step closer to selecting its next superintendent after the school board named Dr. Norman Sauce the sole finalist for the position.
The board approved Sauce as the lone finalist in a 4-3 vote. Sauce has served as interim superintendent since the resignation of former Superintendent Dr. Devon Horton last fall.
Some board members who opposed the decision said their concerns centered on the selection process and whether the district should have conducted a broader search.
“This has nothing to do with Dr. Sauce and his selection. This has everything to do with the process that got us here,” board member Dijon DeCosta said.
Board member Awet Eyasu also supported conducting a wider search.
“Dr. Sauce would still have been a strong candidate, but right now we are doing a disservice for the district by not opening it up for any potential person. We could compare apples to apples,” Eyasu said.
Other board members supported moving forward with Sauce. Board member Whitney McGinness cited feedback from people in her district.
“70%+ saying you don’t need to do a search. Appoint him, and we will be satisfied,” McGinness said.
Board member Andrew Ziffer said beginning a superintendent search now could delay work within the district.
“Launching a superintendent search now would have a very real consequence for this district. At a minimum, it would likely set our work back a year and potentially much longer,” Ziffer said.
The district is currently working through a major redistricting effort and a retooling of its central office.
Horton resigned amid allegations of misconduct from his previous role as superintendent of a school district in Illinois. His trial on wire fraud, embezzlement and tax evasion charges is scheduled for next month. He has pleaded not guilty.
Horton was also indicted by a DeKalb County grand jury in connection with an alleged domestic violence incident involving his wife.
A final vote on naming Sauce superintendent is expected in early October.
WSB Radio’s Ashley Simmons & Graham Carroll contributed to this story.
