After letting the decision slip in a December communication, the Cobb County School Board of Education officially made David Chastain board chair for 2025. The republican majority on the board regularly give the position to the next GOP member up for reelection. Since Chastain faces reelection in 2026, he was granted the privilege of the public spotlight in the hope it gives him a boost in the trending blue area of Post 4.
Of course the BOE maps could change depending on the outcome of a lawsuit arguing the republicans on the board racially gerrymandered the maps in order to hold power.
While Chastain becoming board chair was no surprise, the election of Jon Cristadoro as vice-chair was. Cristadoro is the newest member of the BOE, but the lack of experience was not a disqualification for board republicans.
A statement by outgoing chair Randy Scamihorn- who just won reelection and used the position to solicit his personal opinions on the district website- provided the MDJ with what will disqualify a board member from being elected to a leadership role.
“Speaking for myself, it would be very difficult to support anyone — Republican or Democrat — that does not support the best superintendent in the state of Georgia and possibly the United States,” Scamihorn said in the interview. “It would be very difficult to vote for someone that openly demonstrates that they’re not supporting the superintendent, with all the great things he and his staff has done.”
It is incredible the reporter interviewing the former chair was able to hear anything being said, given that Scamihorn’s lips were so firmly pressed to Superintendent Ragsdale’s rear. However the message is clear, swear fealty to the superintendent or get steamrolled by the 4-3 board majority.
Cobb seems to be the only county in the state where members of the Board of Education must answer to the superintendent and not the other way around. Boards hire the superintendent and hold him accountable when needed. Instead, republicans on the Cobb BOE bend to the superintendent’s will in exchange for parent email lists, free use of the district’s website, the support of the district office’s communications department, and favorable post maps.
The next meeting of the Cobb County Schools Board of Education is Thursday, January 16. The board’s work session is at 2:00 p.m. followed by a closed executive session, and finally their business meeting at 7:00 p.m.
Speakers are allowed exactly 2 minutes for comment and the signup period begins 30 minutes before each meeting and ends 10 minutes before the meeting begins. Comments can be made at either the work or business meeting and must be done in-person. The meetings will be live streamed and recorded on the district website here.