The Georgia Association of Educators (GAE) has filed a lawsuit in DeKalb County Superior Court on behalf of three members, alleging that the DeKalb County School District failed to issue written contracts for the 2024-2025 school year. The suit claims this is a violation of the Quality Basic Education Act, which requires all certified professional personnel in Georgia to receive annual written employment contracts.
On May 2, 2025, nearly 700 certified employees received an email from the district stating they were no longer eligible for employment contracts due to a “review and alignment process for all positions.” Despite this change, the district told employees their roles and benefits would remain secure and that they would continue as valued employees under Georgia law. Attempts by staff to get further clarification were met with answers through Frequently Asked Questions and a YouTube video.
Mike McGonigle, GAE General Counsel and Legal Services Director, said: “This is unprecedented and frightening. DeKalb has undermined the very purpose of the law, which is to avoid, in part, the ambiguity of ‘at-will’ employment. Certified educators across the state have relied upon the consistency and certainty of this basic right for decades. We are asking the court to treat GAE members with the respect and dignity they deserve by requiring DeKalb to issue written employment agreements.”
