25-member panel to seek new DPS superintendent
Seeing Rod Paige's name highlighted in the news story below makes this outrage seems like a joke in disguise.
Two days ago this appeared in the Detroit News.
After ruling eight weeks ago that Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb must cede academic control to the Detroit school board, Judge Wendy Baxter ordered Friday that Bobb stop interfering with academic matters entirely.
"Mr. Bobb's powers are not all-encompassing … the law does not say he has all authority," Baxter told attorneys for the board and Bobb, who was state-appointed in 2009 to lift the troubled district from a deep financial crisis.
Now, as if they didn't have enough problems, they're going to get advice from Rod Paige. Maybe Detroiters don't realize Paige's consulting group looks to be gathering cobwebs these days.
But some people on the committee have long, distinquished records in education. I wish them well:
Anthony Adams, president of the Board of Education
Robert C. Bobb, emergency financial manager for DPS
Ruby Newbold, president of the Coalition of DPS Unions
Rod Paige, former U.S. secretary of education Richard Swoope, president, Citywide Student Council with DPS
Steve Ilmer, interim dean, School of Education, Wayne State University
Deborah Ball, dean, School of Education, University of Michigan
Curtis Ivery, chancellor, Wayne County Community College District
Kevin Magin, associate superintendent, Wayne RESA
Judge Wade McCree, Wayne County Circuit Court Karen Kosniewski, president and CEO of Junior Achievement, Detroit
Keith Johnson, president, Detroit Federation of Teachers
Dan Ringo, business manager, Operating Engineers
Helen Moore, local activist and student advocate
Dahia Shabaka, retired DPS administrator
Sherry Gay-Dagnogo, educational performance, United Way
The Rev. Ronald Griffin, Rose of Sharon Church of God in Christ, Detroit
Russ Bellant, commissioner, Detroit Public Library
Christal Bonner, teacher with DPS and parent Mario Morrow, director of communications, state Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth Sister Consuelo Alcala, congregation of St. Joseph
Juvette Hawkins-Williams, board of education member
Elena Herrada, board of education member
Annie Carter, board of education member
Terry Catchings, board of education member
by Jennifer Chambers
Detroit — A newly named 25-member committee --including a former U.S. secretary of education --will begin searching next week for the next superintendent of Detroit Public Schools.
School board president Anthony Adams on Monday released a list of members who will work with a national search firm to locate candidates for the district's top post, which has been vacant for seven months.
Adams, along with Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb; Ruby Newbold, president of the Coalition of DPS Unions; and former U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige, are committee advisory members. Educators, two university deans, a judge, a pastor and several local activists round out the remainder of the list, which includes four other school board members. Of the 25 members, 21 have voting powers to recommend a candidate for superintendent to the school board.
"We tried to have a broad cross section from the community with different interest and viewpoints," Adams said.
The name of the search firm, which was selected by the board and Bobb, will be revealed on Wednesday, Adams said.
District spokesman Steve Wasko said the emergency financial manager has agreed to proceed with a contract for a search firm. Details of a contract, including how much the firm will be paid, have not been finalized, he said.
On Friday, Wayne County Circuit Judge Wendy Baxter signed a permanent injunction that restored the board's academic authority and ordered Bobb to stop handling academic matters without board approval.
Asked what Bobb's role will be in the superintendent search, Adams said Bobb will have a vote like other members. "The ruling said we have to work together. He has the ability to contract with this person, so he needs to be in the room," Adams said.
Chris White, co-chair of Coalition to Restore Hope to DPS, said the board should work toward restoring confidence in the district as it seeks a superintendent.
"We have to be realistic — no credible professional will be interested in coming into a district with an emergency financial manager and hostile political climate," White said Monday.
In 2008 the board fired Superintendent Connie Calloway. It later named Teresa Gueyser as acting superintendent, a decision Bobb challenged.
He laid off Gueyser July 1, saying there wasn't enough money for her $190,000-a-year job.
— Jennifer Chambers
Detroit News
2011-02-15
http://www.detnews.com/article/20110215/SCHOOLS/102150366/1026/25-member-panel-to-seek-new-DPS-superintendent
INDEX OF OUTRAGES
