Cobb County School Board Members Called to Appear Before Grand Jury

Updated 6 p.m.

On March 25, the Cobb County grand jury sent a request to meet with all seven members of the county’s Board of Education on April 1 at 9:30 a.m. in the Grand Jury Room at 10 East Park Square in Marietta.

“We can’t discuss anything that the grand jury does,” said Kathy Watkins, director of communications for the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office.

Watkins said the grand jury will not release its actions, recommendations or discussions to the public until its May 5 "general presentment."

"But until then, it's private," Watkins said.

A source close to the situation told Patch that the balanced calendar is one of the issues to be discussed.

This afternoon, Patch contributor Ethan Fowler spoke to board member Lynnda Crowder-Eagle, whose Post 1 includes Kennesaw Mountain, , and Hillgrove high schools.

"It’s not a grand jury indictment, this is the civil grand jury." said Crowder-Eagle. She said this is the first time the grand jury has asked the entire board to appear in front of them.

However, it is not unusual that the grand jury subpoenas the chair or the superintendent, said Crowder-Eagle. Last year she was asked to appear before the jury for transportation questions.

Crowder-Eagle said she is not sure what the request is about this time.

"That’s all determined from the district attorney’s office (Pat Head, civil and the criminal)," she said. "The only topics that we know for sure is the balanced calendar and other topics."

Check back with Acworth Patch as we keep you updated on this story.