Angry Parents Speak Out About 'Chaos' and 'Confusion' Surrounding Principal's Resignation

Angry and concerned parents of Buckhead's only public high school spoke out at a Tuesday community meeting about the confusion and sudden changes surrounding their principal since he announced his resignation on Friday. About 80 parents and community stakeholders filled the gymnatorium at Garden Hills Elementary at 6 p.m.

Associate Superintendent Steve Smith, Board Chairman Reuben McDaniel and Board members Courtney English and Nancy Meister tried to answer questions lodged by the parents at the meeting.

Parent Sue Rodman was the first parent to speak during the community meeting and she set the tone with, "What in the hell has happened here over the course of this weekend?"

"That is the million dollar question," Smith answered before going through the timeline of events following the principal's resignation announcement on Friday.

North Atlanta High Principal Howard "Gene" Taylor announced on Friday that he was resigning, effective Dec. 1. Gwinnett County Schools announced that Taylor would become the new principal of Berkmar High in Lilburn.

On Monday, Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Erroll Davis announced that Taylor would be promoted to the North Region Executive Director following a transition period in an effort to keep Taylor in the district. However, on Tuesday afternoon, a motion to approve Davis' recommendation for the promotion was not seconded by a single Board of Education member, so the motion died.

Taylor can still apply and compete against other candidates for the North Region Executive Director position.

District 4 Board of Education member Nancy Meister made the motion. Since there were only eight members attending the meeting, the motion would have passed with three votes.

Many of the parents in attendance were unaware of the special called meeting, which took place a couple hours before the community meeting.

Parents wanted to know why, although board members Chairman Reuben McDaniel and Courtney English continually affirm their support of Taylor, no one seconded the motion to approve Taylor's promotion.

"I thought it better not to take a vote... The support was not there to do that today," said Board member Courtney English, who later said, "I think Dr. Taylor is good. I think Dr. Taylor's good for kids. I think Dr. Taylor's good for North Atlanta."

McDaniel answered that it was atypical for a board chairman to second a motion, but parents were not convinced by his arguments.

Some even shouted for him to "shut up" while he explained.

To which he responded, "I will not stand here and have people tell me to shut up."

More than the mixed messages parents and students have received about Taylor's resignation and promotion, parents seemed most concerned about the effect the changes would have on their children, some of whom will have had three principals in two years as well as three different guidance counselors.

"It doesn't appear that you've got yourself together because you are making mistakes," one parent passionately said about the district officials and board members.

"The children are suffering...You are destroying lives."



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