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Decatur school board says probe found too little evidence to fault superintendent over podcast studio
An independent investigation found insufficient evidence of wrongdoing by Superintendent Gyimah Whitaker over her connection to a studio owned by her husband, the school board chair said. The board has not yet released the report, which it says will be made public within 10 days.
The independent investigation into Decatur schools Superintendent Gyimah Whitaker’s connection to her husband’s podcast studio found insufficient evidence of wrongdoing, Decatur school board Chair Carmen Sulton said Oct. 13.
Sulton announced the finding during her chair’s report. She said the completed investigation report would be released within 10 days. The board had not made the report public as of Oct. 14, and no other board members commented after Sulton’s announcement.
The board began an independent investigation on May 28 after community members raised concerns about Whitaker recording a City Schools of Decatur-branded podcast in the same space where her husband, Jason Whitaker, operated his studio. Jason Whitaker hosts The JWhit~ Podcast, which has expressed negative views about Muslim and transgender people.
Attorney Elizabeth Kinsinger conducted the investigation. The issue also drew scrutiny because school board members who had appeared on Whitaker’s podcast previously said they did not know her husband owned the studio.
In May, a spokesperson for the superintendent said no public money had been spent producing the podcast at the studio. Whitaker also said she did not share her husband’s views.
The board’s findings have been announced, but the report’s contents—and the investigator’s reasoning—will not be available to the public until the board releases it.