As CPS prepares to close a record number of schools, the fate of students and communities is in question.
Join the conversation
We encourage our readers to leave comments and engage in dialogue about our stories. But before you do, please check out our "rules of the road."
Recent Notebook Entries
Right Now On Notebook
By:
By:
Subscribe to catalyst-chicago.org by e-mail
Other Blogs
catalyst-chicago.org feeds
Current Issue
Sentiment behind Huberman flap deserves shoring up
By: Lorraine Forte / February 05, 2009
It’s the straw that broke the grassroots back: the appointment of Ron Huberman to head the Chicago Public Schools.
An overflow crowd met at Operation PUSH headquarters this week to plot strategy aimed at forcing Mayor Daley to rescind his selection and launch a national search for a schools chief. It’s just the latest in a recent string of public meetings on education that reflect growing dissatisfaction among community groups with Daley’s management of the system.
It’s the straw that broke the grassroots back: the appointment of Ron Huberman to head the Chicago Public Schools.
Tuesday night, an overflow crowd met at Operation PUSH headquarters to plot strategy aimed at forcing Mayor Daley to rescind his selection and launch a national search for a schools chief. It’s just the latest in a recent string of public meetings on education that reflect growing dissatisfaction among community groups with Daley’s management of the system.
Daley continues to insist Huberman, former head of the Chicago Transit Authority, is the right pick. True, Huberman has managerial experience, which gives him a leg up in terms of overseeing the day-to-day operation of the school system. His background as a police officer is a plus when it comes to improving school security, always a pressing concern for parents, students and teachers
But those who oppose Huberman’s selection have a compelling case when they argue that his resume is too thin because he has no background in education. Teaching kids is simply not the same as getting the el trains to run on time or creating a database to improve crime-fighting. In Chicago, the job is even more complex because so many students live in poverty and come from troubled homes and communities. Managerial skills are a plus, but they are no substitute for expertise in a particular field.
Educational expertise is particularly critical at this juncture in CPS’ history. Schools, especially high schools, must move up to the next level in terms of achievement. The mayor’s signature initiative, Renaissance 2010, has arguably done more to fuel frustration with the system than to improve it, and has still left too many needy communities without better schools. A University of Chicago researcher is slated to release a much-anticipated report on Renaissance this year that is expected to be critical of the effort.
So what’s the next step? It’s got to be something more than daily efficiency reports and elaborate performance evaluation systems, which Huberman is reportedly set to bring on board. At a time like this, what’s needed is a visionary leader with real educational chops, who inspires confidence among teachers, principals, students and parents. (Tuesday night’s crowd repeatedly invoked Chief Education Officer Barbara Eason-Watkins, who is remaining in that post. One speaker suggested Eason-Watkins should have stayed on as CEO, with Huberman brought in as her chief operating officer.)
Daley says he won’t go back to the days when the system was run by cast-off career educators who got big pay packages when the School Board decided to get rid of them. Fair enough. But that’s a problem caused by picking the wrong career educator and could be resolved with a high-quality national search.
Organizers insist the flap over Huberman won’t die down, although they admit ousting him is a long shot at best. But the long-term repercussions may be just beginning. Activists at Tuesday’s rally want a new state law that would require City Council approval of Daley’s pick to head the school system. With new reform-minded Gov. Pat Quinn in office, they think they’ve got a shot. Another idea that might well resurface is the call for an elected School Board.
University of Chicago professor Charles Payne, a well-respected expert on education and social policy, recently told a group of activists at a citywide meeting on education reform that “Top-down power alone will never give us the schools we want. That power needs to be held in check.” That democratic sentiment is coming to the forefront and deserves support.
By Lorraine Forte
Sentiment behind Huberman flap deserves shoring up
Catalyst's editor in fact was a major factor in the appointment of Arne Duncan as CEO in 2001. For a few months, Catalyst was talking up Arne's "qualifications" (which, if anything, were back then even more thin than Ron Huberman's). Why the change of heart at Catalyst?
Also, since the problem is indeed process, isn't it time to eliminate the Amendatory Act (which gave Chicago's mayor the dictatorial power to appoint a "CEO" and the entire Board of Education) and return Chicago to a little bit of democracy? Now that Wall Street models of management have collapsed (and brought down the "global economy" Mayor Daley prattles on and on about), can't we get this "CEO Model" eliminated in Chicago, too? Already, New York is talking about sunset on their mayoral control model, and Los Angeles never did it. It's not too late for Chicago to re-discover democracy in school governance. And it doesn't matter who the mayor is. The model has failed, just as the economic models based on the same dictatorial fantasies have failed. PUSH and the others should be in Springfield demanding a repeal of the entire Amendatory Act, and not simply trying to goose Daley for the Huberman ploy.
After all, can anyone argue with a straight face that Paul Vallas (in 1995) or Arne Duncan (in 2001) was more qualified than Ron Huberman (in 2009)? Give it a rest. Mayoral control was a bad idea back when Jesse Jackson (Sr.) was boosting Paul Vallas, and it's remained a bad idea since.
Sentiment behind Huberman flap deserves shoring up
I'm not sure about Huberman but I think the mayor correctly noted that all the past educational managers ran CPS into the ground. I don't think there is anything all that impressive about BEW either.
I stopped in an watched a few school closing hearings. While I found some of the teachers and administrators and some closing school very dynamic and impressive--the CTU reps were a total joke. Who was the guy who couldn't even put on a tie? They were a bunch of hacks and an embarrassment. If these are the professional educational managerial types touted, I'll take Huberman.
Sentiment behind Huberman flap deserves shoring up
Mayoral control has failed!? Really? Compared to what? The good old days when Chicago Public Schools were a national joke . . . when the fate of a child's education rested on the caprice of a morally bankrupt teachers union . . .when middle class parents would not permit their children to go a CPS school.
Thirteen years after the mayoral dictatorship, middle class families are now itching to get their kids into at least some CPS schools. . . there are waiting lists at many magnet and specialty schools . . . good teachers are lining up to teach here . . . businesses and foundations are partnering with schools and the district and providing millions in grants . . . teachers are respected for being effective . . . more than half of elementary school kids are meeting or exceeding state standards on ISATs. . . there are schools that a truly diverse and where teaching and learning occurs.
You're right George, it's been a dismal failure. Let's go back to the good old days.
Sentiment behind Huberman flap deserves shoring up
Universal Public Education is a relatively new endeavor for our human race. There are no "Good Old Days"! For example, if we were to serve our ELL population in a child centered manner, we would have more support for real dual language programs. Honest research supports dual language as the best program for ell students. CPS administrators have yet to keep up with the latest quality research on what would help a good portion of our ell students. Most central office administrators act as if they have have no sense on how to meet the needs of ell students. When will CPS central office come clean and say they are a failure. Daley you failed and your puppets failed! Visit http://edplan.cps.k12.il.us/ the 2002 plan by Duncan and see how they had some very good ideas but in practice failed miserably. Lack of leadership and lack of permission by Daley left this online document stillborn. Honest research notes that Chicago needs to extend the instructional day and provide time for staff to meet, using known successful praxis to develop true collaboration and expertise. King Daley and his surrogates are active here because they know the emperor has no clothes!
Sentiment behind Huberman flap deserves shoring up
University of Chicago professor Charles Payne should tell John Q. Easton and Melissa Roderick at the The Consortium on Chicago School Research (CCSR) at U of C to earn their money and really advocate for our children instead of taking our money!
Sentiment behind Huberman flap deserves shoring up
"...Daley says he won’t go back to the days when the system was run by cast-off career educators who got big pay packages when the School Board decided to get rid of them. Fair enough. But that’s a problem caused by picking the wrong career educator and could be resolved with a high-quality national search..." (Catalyst, earlier).
Three factual questions:
1. Did Daley 'say' those words to Catalyst's reporter, or were they conjured from somewhere else?
2. Which CPS administrators were the 'cast-off' career educators during the 1980s and early 1990s that Daley refers to in those (uncritically quoted) ravings cited by Catalyst without context or follow up?
3. Are you sure Charles Payne is at the University of Chicago?
Instead of just quoting every Daley teacher bashing union busting ramble as "fact," why not ask him a follow up question or two.
Like:
Mr. Mayor. There were seven schools superintendents between 1980 (when the banks foreclosed on CPS and established the School Finance Authority with strict budget oversight). They were:
Angeline Caruso (interim) 1980 (after Joe Hannon resigned).
Ruth Love (1980 - 1984)
Manford Byrd (1984 - 1989)
Richard Stephenson (interim, 1989)
Ted Kimbrough (1989-1993)
Argie Johnson (1993-1995).
The last two of those and Ruth Love were from out of town. The others were veteran administrators in CPS. All but one of them (Caruso) was an African American. Since Daley, every 'CEO' has been white and with no educational experience or credentials.
Anyway, now that we've got the list of educators straight...
Then -- the Amendatory Act (Daley gets control, 1995) and (Chief Executive Officer) CEO Paul Vallas (followed by CEO Arne Duncan followed by CEO Ron Huberman). Just like on Wall Street, the books are cooked (once the "bottom line" is test scores -- and don't ask which test when, because that would also tell you how Daley's been spinning the story the same way the CEOs on Wall Street cooked their books).
Each of the 'Chief Executive Officers' of CPS since Vallas has been paid more than $180,000 per year (much more than the salary of the predecessor educator superintendents).
Additionally, Vallas got a bonus upon leaving of about a quarter million dollars (that's right; he was kept on as a 'consultant' for at least a year after Daley dumped him in June 2001).
Now back to those statements attributed to Daley in Catalyst.
As usual, Daley is lying -- and ranting and teacher bashing.
The question isn't whether Daley does this (he does routinely at this point in his imperial career) or why (he's constantly replenishing that Salvation Narrative he's the centerpiece of)...
The question is this:
Why don't reporters ask him follow up -- factual -- questions when he launches into one of those grotesque run-on sentences that always contain ruthless and mindless attacks on teachers, public schools, and unions?
Take a very relevant contemporary example.
Daley's people are now floating the claim that CPS is facing a $400 million 'deficit.' Where are the figures to back that up: spreadsheets; data in our 'data driven' system?
You see, by the end of FY 2008, when Daley's finance people at CPS divided the CPS reserves into two separate funds in the reporting documents, CPS had a total reserve of more than $500 million. Which means, if that $400 million (future) 'deficit' claim is true (first, show us the numbers) then CPS will go into the next fiscal year with a reserve (surplus, if you will) of $100 million --
...and that's assuming CPS uitlized the entire FY 2008 reserve to cover that 'deficit'.
Sentiment behind Huberman flap deserves shoring up
George, thanks bringing more clarity to the Daley and his surrogates spin!
Sentiment behind Huberman flap deserves shoring up
To Say No: No one said that CPS is perfect or that it has met its goals. Lord knows it has a long way to go on several fronts, including ELL and SPED. But George Schmidt's pining for days when the Chicago Public Schools were in decline and calling their resurgence a "dismal failure" is absurd. Think back to the 1980's and early 1990's, then try to convince me that there hasn't been positive change. Those, like George, who insist there hasn't been, are just dishonest.
As to George's apparent view that CPS is not in a deficit situation because it has "reserves" . . . .well, my goodness, what can one say about that except "thank God George has no real resonsibilities." Pray that people who are bit more forward looking and financially responsible than George are guarding CPS' assetts. If people like George had their hands in the till, CPS and Chicago's children's future public educaiton would return to the brink of bankruptcy. Remember the Christmas, CPS ran out of cash on payday before winter break? Fun times. Aaaah, the good old days!
And to Thanks George: I would never count on George Schmidt to bring clarity to any issue. A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing and George has only a little bit of knowledge and an extreme, and ultimatley selfish, political-social outlook.
Sentiment behind Huberman flap deserves shoring up
I appreciate Mr. Schmidt's questions and his point of view. What is indefensible is the lack of transparency in the Mayor's office and at CPS. That is NOT the democratic way. The lack of transparency in its operation, leads CPS open to conjecture. ALL should demand transparency in the operation of CPS!!! "Just the facts", that is what we all we are waiting for, the facts. With Huberman and his "spin mistress" Bond in place, I doubt we will get the facts. I remember how Duncan would always evade all tough questions.
Sentiment behind Huberman flap deserves shoring up
What gall and arrogance that CPS doesn't give us all the Facts! What is CPS and Daley afraid of? Their incompetence exposed!!! Kind of leaves one open to conjecture til CPS comes clean?
Sentiment behind Huberman flap deserves shoring up
What issues does the leader of a $5 billion dollar organization grapple with on a daily basis? Are they educational strategy issues? Financial management issues? Do you have any idea? These are the type of questions that I would like to hear the readers of this blog discuss.
To insist that you need to be an expert in education to manage a $5 billion dollar organization is quite naive. Can the head of GM fix your car? Can the president of motorola design a cell phone? This is just one of the questions you should ask when insisting that the schools ceo needs to be a former principal.
This discussion seems to take place between many people with the same general background. A little diversity of experience and perspective is needed to make this discussion meaningful.
I believe the key skill for a leader of large organizations is to be a good leader (communicator, organizer, listener, manager, inspirational, good judgement, etc.). Typically, any large organization will have subject matter experts that can advise the leader.
Sentiment behind Huberman flap deserves shoring up
Diagenes, I attended The CPAA conference last week where Huberman spoke; he never mentioned the words student, instruction, or teacher. He did, however, talk of accountability, and closing schools.
To assume that teacher leaders are not capable of being good communicators, organizers, managers, inspirational, and have good judgement, etc. is wrong. As a matter of fact, I believe that is the definition of a qualified teacher. I would certainly trust a teachers to run a school system before I would bring in someone who is the head of a bankrupt company like GM.
Sentiment behind Huberman flap deserves shoring up
One of the most significant issues facing our nation today is the collapse of major corporations that have been managed by management experts that know little if anything about their product. The example of the GM CEO not being able to fix a car is a perfect example of leaders attempting to lead with little knowledge about what the people they are leading do. GM has at it's helm one of the most respected and well credentialed corporate leaders in America today, yet GM operates only on the generosity of taxpayer bailout money.
Companies that are operated by CEO's that can build and repair their products such as Apple, Microsoft, McDonalds, and Walmart are weathering this economic storm quite well. And by the way the CEO of Toyota, who has been largely responsible for GM's decline, can build and repair his own car. Can you imagine the CEO of film company not knowing how to operate a camera. How about a CEO of dance company that doesn't know what balet is. Would the CEO of a trucking company that doesn't know how to drive a truck really be effective?
There are countless educators in this country that are spectacular managers. Virtually all other school systems in this country have educators that are also good managers running school systems. To think that Chicago is not capable of finding an outstanding CEO that is also an outstanding educator is simply not true. There are probably many reasons why we do not want an educator as a CEO, but it has nothing to do with ability or compentence.
Add your comment