(The Center Square) – The DeKalb County House Delegation wants answers about the hiring of DeKalb County School District Superintendent Dr. Devon Horton.
Horton was indicted last week by a grand jury in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois along with Antonio Ross, Samuel Ross and Alfonzo Lewis. He is accused of taking kickbacks from contracts awarded to companies owned by the three men while he was superintendent of the Evanston/Skokie School District 65.
The DeKalb County Board of Education placed Horton on paid administrative leave after the indictment. Horton was hired in 2023.
The delegation formed a committee, which Doreen Carter, D-Lithonia, will chair.
“This subcommittee will listen carefully, act thoughtfully and operate transparently,” Carter said. “Our community has spoken loudly and clearly – they expect better from all of us entrusted with the care of our children’s education.”
The committee will look at legislation that could “prevent similar situations in the future,” the delegation said in the release.
“Our first obligation is to the students, parents, teachers and taxpayers of DeKalb County,” said Karla Drenner, D-Avondale Estates. “We are committed to working together, with transparency and fairness, to ensure that our school system remains focused on academic excellence and ethical leadership.”
Horton will be arraigned in federal court on Wednesday. His lawyer defended his client in an emailed statement to The Center Square.
“Under his leadership in DeKalb County, graduation rates have gone up, student attendance has risen, student performance has improved, and hundreds of teacher vacancies have been filled with high-quality educators,” Terence Campbell wrote. “The allegations in Chicago relate to conduct that is several years old and have nothing whatsoever to do with his very successful work on behalf of the students, families, and teachers in DeKalb County.”
One former DeKalb County Board of Education member said in 2023 she had concerns about Horton.
Joyce Morley told The Center Square in October 2023 that she questioned Horton’s spending and who he hired to work for the district. She has voted against his personnel recommendations and says she was critical of his “disruptive” approach to education.
“I’m going to ask for an internal investigation,” Morley said in an interview with The Center Square. “I want to see everything he’s spent, everyone he’s hired.”
The DeKalb County Board of Education said in a statement it was concerned about Horton’s indictment. The board has a called meeting and an executive session scheduled for Wednesday.
