The Georgia Association of Educators (GAE) has filed a lawsuit in DeKalb County Superior Court on behalf of three of its members. The suit alleges that the DeKalb County School District failed to provide written contracts for the 2024-2025 school year, which GAE claims is a violation of state law.
According to the Quality Basic Education Act in Georgia, certified professional personnel are entitled to 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.” The district told employees that while they would not receive written contracts as required by law, their roles and continued employment would remain secure and that they would retain all rights and benefits under Georgia law.
Requests for clarification from affected employees were answered with Frequently Asked Questions and a YouTube video from the district.
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.”
