Some Georgia lawmakers have introduced bipartisan legislation that would slash Gwinnett County school board members’ pay if they fire another superintendent without cause.
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The bill would reduce board members’ compensation to $50 per meeting until any superintendent buyout is fully paid.
“We’re paying someone $1.3 million not to work,” State Rep. Dewey McClain, D-Gwinnett County told Channel 2 Gwinnett County Bureau Chief Matt Johnson.
McClain is referring to the estimated $750,000 payout for recently fired Superintendent Calvin Watts and the $580,000 paid to former Superintendent Alvin Wilbanks.
The legislation, House Bill 767, comes after the school board terminated Watts without providing public explanation, effective in April. The board is currently searching for its third superintendent in four years.
“After years of stability and high academic performance in the Gwinnett school system, a lot of parents have reached out to me and are very concerned,” said State Rep. Scott Hilton, R-Peachtree Corners, a co-sponsor of the bill. “It’s just been a rocky last few years, and we want to bring back some stability to Gwinnett.”
Hilton says the bill that has backing from both Democrats and Republicans was born out of necessity.
“I’m a big proponent of let the locals do what works best for them,” he said, “but when things start to hurt our students, absolutely, I step in and fight.”
The legislation also addresses board member communication rights after Chairwoman Dr. Adrienne Simmons reprimanded a fellow board member, Steve Gasper, for speaking to Channel 2 Action News in January.
“As chair, I should be the face of the board and conversing with the media,” Simmons said to Gasper during a recent work session in February.
Gasper voted against firing Watts and spoke to Channel 2 about the decision behind his vote.
“Just a gross misuse of our powers at this time,” Gasper said in January after the vote.
McClain defended board members’ speech rights in the bill. It includes a provision “to prohibit the infringement of communications made by members of the such board.”
“I will make sure that his First Amendment right is protected,” said McClain, “just like anybody’s First Amendment right is protected.”
The legislation would only affect future superintendent terminations and requires 12 signatures from Gwinnett County’s legislative delegation to move forward. The bill has secured the minimum required support and awaits committee consideration.
Channel 2 Action News reached out to the Gwinnett County Board of Education on Thursday evening for comment but has not heard back.
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