From Rochester City Newspaper:
Update from Rahm Emanuel's press conference follows this story.
Rochester school board President Malik Evans has confirmed that Superintendent Jean-Claude Brizard is leaving Rochester [a statement from Brizard is at right]. Brizard will become head of the Chicago schools system, which is under a mayoral control form of governance. The announcement was made by Chicago Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel this morning.
Evans says that Brizard text messaged him the news this morning. Evans said he felt like he'd been "kicked in the stomach." [Read Brizard's resignation letter to Evans.]
Evans says that the school board will meet in executive session tonight with its attorney to review Brizard's contract with the district. Brizard signed a new three-year contract about four months ago.
Board member Van White says he expects an apology from Brizard to the community for Brizard's abrupt departure.
On Friday, four school board members had a press conference reiterating their support for Brizard. Board President Malik Evans said that he trusted Brizard to tell him if Brizard's career plans had changed. Some board members also said it would be irresponsible of Brizard to leave after initiating so many changes in the district, including opening and closing schools and changing grade formations.
UPDATE: 1 P.M.
It's official. Rochester schools Superintendent Jean-Claude Brizard has been chosen by Chicago Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel to be the next head of Chicago's school system. The announcement was made in a press conference in a Chicago school and Brizard was present.
Emanuel said he interviewed six or seven candidates, but Brizard was the only one who talked about reform in terms of its benefits to children. Other candidates talked about reform as if the reforms themselves were the most important thing . . .
Posts
This pick is consistent with the Gates /Bloomberg/Obama/Duncan/Weingarten/Klein, model of ed reform. The fact that results offer no tangible positive result is no longer an issue. The fact that they are attempting reform is sufficient for the political winds at this time. Years from now when the results are factually deciphered the public will know what those in education already have experienced, this is all a power grab by corporate America to exploit the education market as they see it!
ReplyDeleteSometime, in a few years, the community protests will grow loud enough, so that people (in the media) will seriously look at how destructive the school killers / education deformers have been to American education.
ReplyDeleteWhat a terrible pass the public gave the autocratic politicians, superintendents and unelected policy-making philanthropists (e.g., Gates or Broad) authority over the schools! The public gave up its democracy and look what happened! No more public meetings, no more public discussion, no more group decisions (elected school boards).