Dr. Norman Sauce III, interim chief for the DeKalb County School District
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - The DeKalb County Board of Education is set to vote Monday on whether to name Interim Chief Dr. Norman Sauce III as the district's permanent superintendent, facing pushback from critics over the lack of a broader candidate search.
DeKalb school board vote
What we know:
The DeKalb County Board of Education will vote on Monday to consider approving Interim Superintendent Dr. Norman Sauce III as the lone candidate to lead the district permanently.
Dr. Sauce has served as interim school chief for the past 10 months following the resignation of Dr. Devon Horton, who stepped down amid federal criminal charges.
Dr. Sauce has worked in public education for more than 27 years, serving as a teacher, principal and chief of student services.
Parent and critic concerns
What they're saying:
Parent Tatiana Haggerty expressed a desire for more choices in the selection process.
"We should always consider someone else," Haggerty said. "I really believe there should be a second opinion. I don’t think we should put all of our marbles in that one basket. I think we should look further."
Former DeKalb County School Board Member Dr. Joyce Morley criticized the board. She said the board did not conduct a proper search.
"I don’t believe he’s prepared in order to take on the position," Dr. Morley said. "How is he a sole finalist and you didn’t do a search? How is he your selection but you didn’t ask anyone else? There should be at least two or three people who the board has vetted. There should have been at least a search, a search firm and the public should have had something to say about that and at least three or four people who were vetted."
School board leadership response
The other side:
The school board declined an on-camera interview but released a statement from Chair Allyson Gevertz.
"The Board has carefully considered the leadership qualities and experience needed to guide our District forward," Gevertz wrote. "We look forward to continuing this important process and to making a decision that reflects our commitment to providing strong, stable leadership for DCSD."
Candidate status statement
What we don't know:
It remains unconfirmed whether the school board will consider opening the application process to external applicants if the vote fails. Sauce released a statement saying he is "deeply humbled and honored" to be considered for the role.
He added that he remains committed to working with employees to ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from FOX 5 reporter Christopher King, who conducted interviews with parent Tatiana Haggerty and former school board member Dr. Joyce Morley, as well as official written statements from Board Chair Allyson Gevertz and Interim Superintendent Dr. Norman Sauce III.