ATLANTA (CBS ATLANTA) -
Students and parents packed the gymnasium at North Atlanta High School Tuesday night to hear why their beloved principal was suddenly ousted.
Mark Mygrant and five others from the school's leadership team where removed from their positions on Friday.
Before the meeting, a couple dozen students protested outside, chanting, "We want answers. We want answers."
Inside, Atlanta Public School Superintendent Erroll Davis addressed the large crowd, telling them the school is struggling academically. "My view is this school needs to be a lot more than it is," Davis said.
Davis also told the crowd that student performance and low graduation rates have put the school in danger of being taken over by the state.
During the question and answer session, a woman criticized Davis.
"Honestly, how is losing our school to any other entity possible worse than you?"
The woman's words received cheers and applause from the crowd.
Despite the criticism, Davis kept his focus on the struggling students who likely weren't represented at the meeting along with their parents.
Davis said the interim principal's removal was a personnel matter that should have remained private.
"But you asked me to share it publicly. If I have a team that didn't make the lower standard for five years, why should I have confidence that team will make the higher standards next year?" Davis said.
The meeting was interrupted with a brief appearance by the recently ousted principal. He was given a standing ovation.
Students return back from Fall Break on Wednesday. There was chatter Tuesday night about planning a walk out.
That may not happen now that they know the reasons for the changes.
Four of the staff members who were removed from the school were reassigned to other schools in their same positions.
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