(The Center Square) – A member of the Georgia State Board of Education will lead a committee tasked with replacing members of the Dublin City School Board who were suspended by Gov. Brian Kemp.
Kemp issued an executive order suspending the board after a lengthy hearing Wednesday that included testimony about the school’s financial struggles. The State Board of Education recommended the suspension of the seven-member board in a unanimous vote.
The board is required by law to hold a hearing when a school or school system is a step away from losing its accreditation and make a recommendation to the governor. Cognia, a nonprofit that evaluates schools for accreditation, listed the Dublin City School Board as “accredited with conditions” in April, attorney David Younker said during a presentation. The Dublin City School System has 2,300 students, he said.
Board members Amanda Smith, John Bell, Jeff Davis, Joanna Glover, Peggy Johnson, James Lanier and Kenny Walters have 30 to 60 days to appeal the suspension, according to state law.
The Center Square was unsuccessful prior to publication getting comment from the board.
State Board of Education member Matt Donaldson will chair a nominating committee to select replacement members for the Dublin City School Board, according to the executive order. Donaldson represents the congressional district that includes Dublin.
Kemp also appointed Dublin Republican Matt Hatchett, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, and Perry Republican Larry Walker, the Senate president pro tempore. Hatchett and Walker sent a letter to the State Board of Education requesting a review of the Dublin City School Board, asking it to act quickly after Cognia issued its accreditation recommendation.
“This is an important moment for Dublin City Schools, and our focus must remain squarely on improving outcomes for students, families, educators and ultimately taxpayers who fund the school system,” Walker said in a statement. “The work of this committee is crucial to restore confidence and stability to Dublin City Schools.”
Also on the nominating committee are former Dublin Mayor Phil Best and Edwin May, a member of the Dublin-Laurens County Economic Development Authority, according to information from the General Assembly.
The evaluation from Cognia came months after a report from the Georgia Department of Audits said it identified purchases that “raised concerns about potential waste and abuse of public funds, along with weaknesses in staffing and compensation practices.”
“Numerous expenditures raised concerns about the appropriate use of public funds,” state auditors said. “These types of expenditures reflect a pattern of poor oversight and lack of controls designed to safeguard taxpayer dollars and promote fiscal responsibility.”
Brian Smith, representing the Dublin City Board of Education, said the school board was not getting accurate information from its former finance director, who resigned in August 2025. The finance director testified at the hearing but invoked the Fifth Amendment when asked specific questions. The finance director is under criminal investigation, according to Smith.