The principal who caused a stir at Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School for admonishing a teacher who posted a student’s pro-LGBTQ artwork is no longer leading the school.
Bipul Singh has been replaced by O’Marr Curry, who is currently assistant principal at Whitehead Road Elementary and previously taught third and fifth grades at Alps Road Elementary. He has a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education from UGA and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Mercer University, and is currently working on his PhD from Mercer.
“We are thrilled to have O’Marr Curry become the next principal of Oglethorpe Avenue
Elementary,” CCSD Superintendent Robbie Hooker said in a news release. “We are confident that he will bring to OAES his track record of building strong, effective relationships with his colleagues, students and families, and that he will foster a safe and positive school environment that promotes academic rigor and high student achievement.”
Singh raised parents’ ire last year when he compared a fifth-grader’s rainbow flag with the words “Gay is OK” to a Nazi swastika and told the teacher to remove it. Parents and teachers called for the Clarke County School District to remove Singh, but the administration under Superintendent Xernona Thomas and the school board took no action.
It’s unclear whether Singh left of his own accord or new Superintendent Robbie Hooker opted not to renew his contract. CCSD did not respond to a request for comment.
Curry’s appointment was part of a slate of personnel moves the board approved May 11, also including hiring Jennifer Martin as executive director of teaching and learning, Chris Griner as chief financial officer and Tessa Barbazon as executive director of student and family supports.
The BOE also gave its tentative approval last week for a $214 million budget covering the 2023-24 school year.
School district officials are no longer proposing raising the property tax rate from 18.8 mills to the legal maximum of 20, and the current version of the budget is $5 million less than originally proposed. But even without a millage rate hike, with the tax digest growing at a 14% clip, many homeowners will pay more in taxes. Most of the increased state and local revenue—up from $189 million last year—will go toward raises for teachers and other employees, as well as health care and retirement costs.
During a brief discussion, board member Patricia Yager said she wants more funding for arts education, while Tim Denson and Linda Davis said the board was not given enough detail about the budget. “I’m not sure I’m comfortable voting for it without seeing some of those possible changes there,” Denson said. He, Davis and Claudia Butts voted against the tentative budget, which passed 5–3.
The BOE will take public input on the budget at 6 p.m. May 23, 4 p.m. May 24 and 5 p.m. June 1 at CCSD headquarters, 595 Prince Ave.
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