School board member accused over downloads

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga.,None — A Clayton County school board member is under fire after investigators said they uncovered inappropriate materials on her district-issued computer.

District 7 member Trinia Garrett is accused of having inappropriate downloads on her computer, though school officials haven’t revealed the exact contents. The discovery stemmed from an investigation of district equipment last year.

Channel 2's George Howell attended a Monday night meeting in Jonesboro where board members confronted Garrett, but she wouldn’t back down. It began quietly, but the gloves came off when a board member asked whether Garrett had a computer.

"Yes ma'am, it's in the closet, would you like it back?” Garrett said.

She also demanded that someone outside the district re-examine her computer. When board members asked if the district should foot the bill, Garrett fired back.

"I don't need nobody to pay for nothing for me. I have people to do stuff for me,” she said. “I just want it to be examined by somebody that is not affiliated with Clayton County. That's what I want, and I deserve that and I'm deemed it."

http://bcove.me/dlm60i1x

After the meeting, Howell asked Garrett if the accusations were true, but she said more investigating needs to be done.

"You know what, I don't even know because of the way that it is. That’s why I asked for it to be examined outside of Clayton County," she said.

Other school board members declined to speak on camera, but Clayton County Education Association representative Sid Chapman said the group’s infighting could mean more trouble.

“It seems to be divided and that’s the part that disturbs me because when the board starts fighting, that's what led us down the same road when we got in trouble with accreditation,” Chapman told Howell.

Garrett will have another chance to defend herself at a hearing next month.

WSBTV