Outgoing Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent John Deasy hinted Friday he may run for public office, but he declined to say exactly what post he might seek.
Deasy said in a conference call with reporters that he had not made up his mind what he would do next, but he has three options in mind: working in youth corrections, supporting the development of future school board supervisors or making a run for political office.
Although he didn’t elaborate on what public office he might seek, he was asked what changes he would like to see on the school board.
“I don’t run for office — yet,” he said.
The 53-year-old Deasy, who resigned Wednesday after three years as superintendent, said his top concern was always the well-being of students.
“My concern was, is and remains that youth well-being be paramount and that their rights come first,” he said.
Deasy said future superintendents should focus on “courageous acts” and not “worry about personal consequences.”
Deasy spoke during a conference call organized by the advocacy group Students Matter, which was involved in litigation challenging teacher tenure rules in the state and pushing for equal educational opportunities for students in low-income areas. Also taking part in the call were former Oakland schools Superintendent Tony Smith and former Sacramento City Schools Superintendent Jonathan Raymond. Organizers said they wanted to send a message about the damaging political climate faced by “student-focused leaders, despite having improved student outcomes, particularly for our most vulnerable kids.”
Deasy came under fire from United Teachers Los Angeles for his support of the lawsuit, and his push to have standardized test scores used as more of a basis for rating the performance of teachers.
Deasy said several large school districts across the country have “watched a leader depart with strong histories of support of students.”
He also said he has seen a “move away from accountability” by teachers when it comes to poor academic achievement of students.
He rejected suggestions the problematic rollout of the LAUSD’s $1.3 billion plan to provide iPads or laptops to every student, teacher and administrator and the breakdown of the district’s records system that caused thousands of students to miss needed classes at the start of this school year contributed to his resignation.
“I think they played no role,” Deasy said. “Technology is hardly a bad thing.”
But he suggested that issues surrounding the technology were used as a political tool to avoid a discussion about improving student achievement and providing equal educational opportunities for all students.
“My opinion is that they were strategically used, actually, to not have the conversation about what was making some folks comfortable or uncomfortable,” he said. “I wish I could have found a better balance between my feeling of urgency and my observation of overwhelming peril and poverty for kids and the ability to have built a more unified will to move quickly to do that.”
UTLA officials were critical of Deasy, saying he had a confrontational style and was quick to blame educators for problems at schools.
“The district should be led by someone who understands the diverse needs of the district, its 640,000 students and its 60,000 employees — including 35,000 educators — and who is responsive to the board of education,” according to a union statement issued following Deasy’s resignation. “The new superintendent should believe in shared decision-making with all stakeholders in the district — parents, community, students, educators and the school board.”
The union, which is still in the midst of negotiations for a new labor contract, said the district has “an opportunity to move in the direction of fully funded schools and collaborative management, instead of treating school improvement as a ‘corporate turnaround’ model, over-emphasizing testing, undermining equity and access for students and attacking educators.”
Deasy will remain with the district — which has 640,000 students across 900 schools — on “special assignment” until Dec. 31.
According to a “separation agreement” with the district, Deasy will continue receiving his salary — $350,000 a year — through Dec. 31, and the district will continue to fund his health benefits through June 30, 2015.
While on “special assignment” with the district, he will remain available to assist with the transition to the interim and/or new superintendent, but he will not perform any LAUSD work unless specifically instructed to do so by the district.
Former Superintendent Ramon Cortines was named interim superintendent and will be on the job beginning Monday. Cortines, 82, retired as superintendent in April 2011. This will be his third stint leading the LAUSD.
—City News Service