U.S. District Judge Richard Story has denied a motion by the six members of the DeKalb School Board who were suspended by Governor Deal last week. Absent other legal action, this means that the suspension will proceed as planned, and the Governor will replace the six members.

I agree with Judge Story's decision and commend him for acting so quickly since time is of the essence. In my opinion, the key line in the Order is his statement that the ''interest of the public in a healthy public school system outweighs the interests of board members in serving in their positions." That's precisely why I supported suspension.

Unfortunately, this decision does not mean that all legal questions are answered and I suspect we may see more litigation. My sincere hope is that we can quickly move the focus away from continued litigation and onto what is really important - the students, academic achievement, and the restoration of full accreditation.

Again, applicants who are interested in serving as replacement members on the DeKalb School Board should send the following information to dekalbschoolboardnominations@georgia.gov:

1. Legal name, contact information and home address
2. District seat for which one is applying
3. Resume, CV and/or brief biography
4. Statement of interest

The panel will accept applications until Wednesday, March 6, at 5 p.m.