Caution, meltdown in progress

Accreditation at risk for Atlanta Public Schools; lawsuit also filed | ajc.com

Atlanta Public Schools risk losing accreditation if their bickering school board cannot right itself and comply with the law, a key agency warned Wednesday in a formal threat of action.

The cautioning letter from Mark Elgart, president and CEO of AdvancED, came on the same day four dissenting board members filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the appointments last month of a new chairman and vice chairwoman. The plaintiffs said they had no other recourse after colleagues acted illegally and refused to change course.

...Members on both sides agreed as late as this week they should be talking to mediate their differences. But even with the threat of litigation looming, they still could not agree in which order.

Four members wanted the board to undo its actions that changed leadership first, saying it would bring the board into compliance with the law. The other five refused, saying that they were in compliance unless or until the courts ruled otherwise.