Fulton principal of Westlake Highschool, Jamar Robinson, and his wife, Georgia State University Professor Ann Marie Robinson, drowned at a beach during vacation.
What We Know:
- The couple was vacationing in San Juan, Puerto Rico. They drowned at the beach Sunday after Ann struggled against a current. Jamar tried to help, but both went under the wave.
- The couple has two boys, ages 14 and 15; they will remain with relatives in their home.
- Jamar Robinson attended school at Southwest DeKalb High School, where he was a drum major. After graduation in 1995, Jamar attended Flordia A&M University, serving as a drum major but this time for FAMU’s Marching 100. Here, Jamar met Ann. Jamar then earned advanced degrees at Georgia State University and Georgia Southern University.
- Ann Robinson earned her master’s degrees at both FAMU and Georgia State. She was working towards her doctorate at Georgia State. She worked as an assistant professor at Georgia State and was up for a promotion to associate professor this year. Her classmates knew Ann as an “encyclopedia” because of her love of learning and intelligence.
- The news has rocked the community. According to Jamar’s s father, the family has received overwhelming love and support, commenting, “It’s just amazing how many lives he touched, and how far his reach was. I just think it shows how much he was loved and respected”.
- The school released a statement on Jamar’s death, “Robinson was an inspirational leader who brought joy with his passion for education and his students. We join the community in remembering him and expressing our condolences to his family”.
- Raquel Russell and fellow band members created a tribute video for the principal. Russel commented, “Mr. Robinson was an outstanding man. I would not want any other principal. He was the best principal on this planet, and I mean that”.
Jamar’s legacy will live on through Fulton County. According to student Cameron Jones, “His legacy was just as important as he as a person was, and he would’ve wanted us to be our best no matter what.”
