The Orleans Parish School Board has been at loggerheads for two years, unable to select a new superintendent. For ideas on how to break the impasse, The Lens invited educators and advocates — including all members of the school board — to weigh in. We are publishing their thoughts in the next week.
The basic question: What does the board need to do to break the logjam and convince a top-notch educator to take charge as superintendent?
For the school board to attract an effective superintendent, we must first become a more professional and respectful board — respectful of one another and of the public.
Whether among board members or from the public in attendance, all dialogue should be conducted with appropriate decorum and respect. If we tolerate name-calling and verbal slurs, productive discussion becomes impossible. We need to follow our own established procedures and policies to prevent our meetings from degenerating into ugliness and chaos.
As elected officials, we are expected to lead and set a good example. What kind of an example do we set for our children if we cannot conduct meetings guided by common decency? Moreover, what qualified candidate would want to work in such an adversarial and disrespectful environment?
Other views on the superintendent searchGail Glapion: Orleans school board must agree on direction before hiring a superintendentAndre Perry: School board should look for opportunity in upcoming court ruling on post-Katrina teacher layoffsMike Stenson: By failing to hire a superintendent, Orleans school board puts politics above educationDeirdre Johnson Burel: Orleans Parish School Board can’t advance a collective agenda, and we all share the blameWoody Koppel: Complex education system requires that Orleans Parish School Board finds the right superintendentKarran Harper Royal: School board needs to set clear direction, not seek superintendent who will tolerate ambiguity
Secondly, our Board must be able to articulate a shared vision and focus on which candidate has the background, qualifications, and ability to help realize this vision. Our vision should include the commitment to provide support for all public schools and educators who are getting the job done for our students — whether they are in an OPSB or RSD school. Our mission, as the school board elected by the citizens of New Orleans, is to effectively support the education of all the children in the community.
Sarah Usdin, founder and former director of the nonprofit New Schools for New Orleans, represents District 3 on the Orleans Parish School Board.
Correction: The tagline on this post originally misstated Usdin’s district. She represents District 3, not 6. (Oct. 14, 2014)