By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
FEB. 4, 2025 | Going back 40 years to the days of the Alton Crews administration, Gwinnettians have always been proud of their innovative schools. The schools since then have been on the cutting edge of a first class educational system, attracting new residents, especially minorities, to come live, play, work and educate their children in a positive atmosphere.
Gwinnett schools have grown into the largest school district in Georgia, and the state’s best district. Not only that, it has on two occasions been named the best school district in the entire nation!
That’s why Gwinnett Countians have been proud of their schools.
Last week a minority of the Gwinnett School Board gave Gwinnett a black eye, as it unceremoniously fired its school superintendent after hiring him four years ago. Essentially, the three minority board members realized that Calvin Watts would not allow these three women to delve into school operations, so they got rid of him. In effect, these three ladies would not follow normal school board guidelines, and provide policy to the school officials.
Hats off to the other two members of the school board, Steven Knudsen and Steve Gaspar, who voted against dismissing Calvin Watts.
The three members who voted to fire the superintendent include Chairman Dr. Adrienne Simmons, Dr. Tarence Johnson-Morgan, and newly-elected Rachel Ruffin Stone.
Now comes the major question: would you, if in education, want to become Gwinnett school superintendent after learning that the board has not worked with its previous superintendent? Experienced and highly-regarded professionals will shy away from the job, meaning that Gwinnett could get a far lesser individual to come to administer this sprawling system. Would you take the job knowing what has just happened?
It’s not that Gwinnett schools have fallen from its high standards. A January 17 update entitled “Strategy, Performance and Accountability” in the system, cited the continued progress of education in Gwinnett. You may read the two-page outline of these achievements here. They are impressive.
So now a search will begin for a new leader for the Gwinnett schools. Meanwhile, parents of Gwinnett children are concerned about the manner in which the majority of the school board has acted. We are stuck with the inept school board leadership for two years, unless a recall might be mounted against the three majority members of the board.
Residents of Buford are mighty proud that there is a second school district in Gwinnett, the Buford City Schools. Two major developments came out of its January meeting.
First, Buford hired from within a new superintendent of schools Dr. Amy Chafin. She replaces another hire-from-within, Dr. Melanie Reed, who is retiring June 1. This was reported in the previous GwinnettForum.
Secondly, against the wishes of the school
Wood
Beard
board chairman, Phillip Beard, the board named its new $62 million, 10,000 seat football stadium after Mr. Beard, who has been on the board since 1975, and chairman since 1979. He has never missed a meeting of the School Board or City Commission.
Minutes from last week’s meeting show: “On a motion by Mr. (Matt) Peevy, seconded by Mr. (Bruce) Fricks, the board unanimously approved the naming of the new Buford City Stadium to “Phillip Beard Stadium” and the naming of the new field to “Dexter Wood Field.” Mr. Beard abstained from the vote.” While the athletic director and football coach at Buford, Wood had a record of winning 118-17 record in ten seasons.
We, and all of Gwinnett congratulate the Buford School Board, and these two men, Phillip Beard and Dexter Wood, for these new honors named for them.
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