Gov. Nathan Deal says the suspensions of two DeKalb County school board members who tried petitioning for their reinstatement have been upheld.

Deal said Wednesday that Chief Administrative Law Judge Maxwell Woods ruled that Sarah Copelin-Woods and Pamela Speaks didn't prove that being reinstated would help the school system keep its accreditation or earn it back if the district were to lose it.

The system was put on probation by an accreditation agency after a six-month investigation.

In a report, the accreditation agency cited long-term leadership issues including nepotism, fiscal mismanagement, inappropriate micromanagement and intimidation within the district.

The audit resulted in six of nine school board members being removed.

Deal says two others have petitioned for reinstatement and rulings on their cases will be determined at a later date.

Tags: suspensions, accreditation, DeKalb School Board