DeKalb Schools superintendent Dr. Horton’s hiring drew early controversy

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - Dr. Devon Horton, the DeKalb County Schools superintendent since 2023, was suspended by the Board of Education on Thursday following an emergency meeting.

The suspension comes days after Horton was indicted on federal charges tied to his previous tenure leading Evanston/Skokie School District 65 in Illinois. The indictment has renewed scrutiny of Horton’s leadership and reignited debate over his controversial hiring last year.

SEE ALSO: DeKalb superintendent indicted on 17 federal counts in Illinois case; placed on leave

Dr. Devon Horton's federal indictment

What we know:

A federal grand jury in Illinois returned a 17-count indictment against Horton and three associates, accusing them of steering contracts to friends, approving false invoices, and receiving kickbacks while he served as superintendent of District 65.

Prosecutors allege the misconduct occurred years before his move to Georgia. Horton’s attorney has said the charges are "unfounded and unrelated" to his work in DeKalb County.

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Following the indictment, the DeKalb County Board of Education voted to place Horton on administrative leave while it reviews the allegations. Officials said Dr. Norman C. Sauce III, a former district administrator, will serve as interim superintendent.

DeKalb County school board's 6-1 vote

The backstory:

DeKalb County’s superintendent search concluded in April 2023 with Horton as the sole finalist. Two weeks later, the board voted 6-1 to approve his contract, ending months of uncertainty and sparking new controversy.

The decision came after heated public forums in which parents and educators raised questions about his leadership record and a 2021 federal lawsuit from his Illinois district that accused officials of promoting "race-based programming."

At the time, Board Chair Diijon DaCosta defended the choice, saying Horton brought "vision and experience needed to move DeKalb forward."

During DeKalb’s superintendent search, community members questioned whether Horton’s experience managing a district of 8,000 students in Illinois prepared him for a system with more than 92,000 students.

The April 2023 vote revealed divisions within the board. Member Joyce Morley cast the lone "no," arguing that the board ignored public input and forced out interim Superintendent Vasanne Tinsley too quickly.

Supporters, including board member Vickie Turner, accused critics of spreading "salacious lies" and insisted Horton deserved a chance to lead.

Horton took office July 1, 2023, pledging to focus on teacher retention, academic performance, and rebuilding trust in a district that has faced years of leadership turnover.

During his first year, DeKalb faced payroll delays, staff shortages, and budget disputes. Horton frequently cited those challenges as evidence of the need for systemic reform.

As of Thursday, federal prosecutors have not announced a trial date in the Illinois case.

DeKalb County officials said the board will continue reviewing Horton’s status "pending legal developments." For now, the district’s day-to-day operations will be led by Interim Superintendent Sauce.

SEE ALSO: Who is Dr. Norman C. Sauce III?

Dr. Horton's legal troubles

Dig deeper:

FOX 5 Atlanta has obtained several federal court documents related to Dr. Devon Horton.

Lawsuit over equity curriculum

The 2021 lawsuit, filed by District 65 teacher Stacy Deemar in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, claimed the district’s mandatory "antiracist" training and student lessons violated the Equal Protection Clause and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.

The complaint described race-based "affinity groups," "privilege walks," and classroom materials that focused on "whiteness" and "white privilege." It alleged that teachers and students were treated differently based on race.

Defendants, including Horton and other district leaders, denied the allegations, calling the claims politically motivated. The case remains pending and has not resulted in a judgment.

2006 bankruptcy

Newly surfaced court records show Dr. Horton filed for personal bankruptcy twice in less than a decade, first in 2006 and again in 2015, years before his hiring in Georgia and long before his current legal troubles in Illinois.

According to records filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Horton sought Chapter 13 bankruptcy protection in October 2006, listing more than $636,000 in assets and about $481,000 in liabilities.

The petition included four Chicago-area properties, a condo on South Calumet Avenue and three single-family homes on the South Side, all solely owned by Horton. He reported a Lexus ES 300 sedan, a $30,000 pension, and household goods valued at $2,200. The filings show mortgages totaling roughly $225,000 owed to the Bank of New York and Washington Mutual.

Court records show Horton’s average monthly income at $5,624 and expenses at $2,724 at the time of the filing. The Chapter 13 petition sought to reorganize debt rather than liquidate assets, suggesting he intended to repay creditors through a structured plan.

2015 bankruptcy and financial struggles

Nine years later, Horton filed again, this time under Chapter 7 in the Southern District of Illinois, seeking a full discharge of personal debts. The 2015 case, also in Cook County, listed fewer assets and included delinquent mortgage balances, student loans, and consumer debts that reflected residual financial hardship from the housing market collapse and years of property depreciation.

The 2015 filing effectively wiped out unsecured debts after the court approved liquidation of remaining assets. No criminal or civil misconduct was alleged in either case.

Horton’s bankruptcy history predates his rise to prominence as a school administrator in Chicago and later as superintendent of Evanston/Skokie District 65, where federal prosecutors now allege he participated in a kickback scheme involving education contracts.