Los Angeles Unified School Board names new superintendent

The Los Angeles Unified School Board (LAUSB) has unanimously named a new superintendent, without consulting with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. The mayor recently gained partial control of school district operations under a newly enacted California law that is being challenged in state court. Retired Navy Vice Adm. David L. Brewer III prevailed over several other candidates on the strength of his intelligence, accomplishments, and leadership skills, according to the school board. Mr. Brewer has no experience as a school district administrator, let alone one which is the scene of a rhetorical and legal war between Villaraigosa and the school board. The mayor, who was traveling abroad at the time of the selection, says he hopes the new superintendent will be an advocate for change in the district but that he is disappointed with the board's selection process. Prior to departing on his trip, he insisted the board await his return and include him in the selection process. He wanted to review the entire list of potential candidates. However, the board's last and best offer was to let Mayor Villaraigosa interview finalists and provide input, much like a school board member, on the condition he ultimately supported the board's choice. The mayor rejected this offer because in his view it would not be consistent with his new powers under the recently enacted legislation. The new law, which is effective Jan. 1, 2007, gives the mayor authority to veto the hiring and firing of superintendents through a council of local mayors that he would dominate. While some state legislators who support the takeover denounce the board’s action as a snub of the mayor, LAUSB President Marlene Canter insists the timing of the selection had nothing to do with the mayor’s trip. "We started this in February," she adds. She says she expects the board to offer Brewer a multiyear contract.

[Editor’s Note: For background on the LA dispute and the aims of presumptive mayor-elect Adrian Fenty for the District of Columbia’s public schools, see last week’s Legal Clips summary at the first link below. The Washington Post reports at the second link that Mr. Fenty has been meeting with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg about school reform and "expects to deliver a plan to the D.C. Council by December that would give him control of the District public schools, based largely on the New York model." He "described a city-run Department of Education and having the school superintendent report to a deputy mayor for education."]
[NSBA School Law pages on LA mayoral takeover litigation]