With Fernandez leaving, the nation’s three biggest public-school systems will be without permanent bosses and, more important, without a clear vision for reforming their chronically troubled schools. In November Chicago Schools Superintendent Ted Kimbrough said he was quitting in the wake of continued criticism of his performance, especially his failure to raise test scores or lower truancy and dropout rates. He officially left office three weeks ago. In September, at the start of the school year, William Anton resigned as superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District because of opposition from the teachers’ union and what he described as “micro-management” by the city’s school board. Deputy Superintendent Sid Thompson has been named interim superintendent; his contract expires in June.
New York and Chicago are actively looking for replacements; Los Angeles officials say they’re keeping Thompson in place for the time being. But all three cities could have a hard time keeping anyone at the helm of their schools. The job of running a large urban district has become as much political as pedagogical, with educators battling budget cuts, racial and ethnic tensions, and often conflicting agendas of the public officials who hire them. That’s why the average tenure of big-city school chiefs is now only about two years, says Michael Casserly of the Council of the Great City Schools, which represents the largest school districts. “Kids get their education jeopardized when the leadership of a school system changes so rapidly,” Casserly says. “It’s hard to maintain any momentum when you keep changing horses.”
Although all three cities share the burden of more troubled children and less money, each has its own difficulties:
In New York the central board of education itself has come under attack, with critics calling for a complete restructuring of how the schools are governed. Violence is a major issue; nearly half of the high schools have weapons detectors. Students say they need weapons in class to protect themselves.
In Chicago a radical decentralization plan has been dogged by community disorganization and a lack of support from the superintendent’s office. Test scores are dismal: in the 1991-92 school year, 49 percent of sixth graders scored in the bottom quarter of a national test of basic skills.
In Los Angeles the recession has meant a drastic cutback in funds, and teachers are threatening to go out on strike Feb. 23. Half of the students are below the poverty level, and 41 percent speak only limited English.
Fernandez’s ouster came at the end of a day-long public hearing during which dozens of parents, community activists and politicians spoke passionately about the man touted as a savior when he came to New York after running the Miami schools. His most bitter opponents were members of a local school board who had refused to implement the gay-tolerance curriculum, with a book list featuring such titles as “Heather Has Two Mommies,” “Gloria Goes to Gay Pride” and “Daddy’s Roommate.” After the vote, Mary Cummins, president of that local board, said she was “elated.”
In the end, the traits that made Fernandez appeal to New Yorkers three years ago may have been the same characteristics that led to his downfall. A blunt man to begin with, he became even more outspoken when under attack. In his autobiography, “Tales Out of School,” he described the central board of education as a “nettlesome” body whose “time-wasting intrusions and demands” made his job impossible. He even predicted his demise. “This is not the same board that hired me,” he said. “It may well be the one that fires me.”
The day after the vote, Fernandez was unapologetic, even proud of his accomplishments. “I think we put some tremendous initiatives in place,” he says. “I’m leaving here with my head high and I can sleep well at night knowing that I did the best thing for the children of New York.” He said he had no regrets but conceded that if he had it to do over again, he might not push the gay-tolerance curriculum on first graders-although, he added, “I still believe in my heart that the earlier you start the better.”
In Chicago, Kimbrough had a hard time almost from day one-not surprising, considering he was taking over a system that former education secretary William Bennett repeatedly called America’s worst. Kimbrough said he came to Chicago in 1990 after seven years running the Compton, Calif, schools because with decentralization, the city seemed to be on the verge of historic reform. Kimbrough’s $200,000 compensation was the highest of any public official in Illinois. But after only six months in office he received a D-minus on a mock report card issued by a citizens’ group. He blamed politics for his woes. “It cripples everything,” he told a Chicago Tribune reporter in November. “There are agendas everywhere you look and everywhere you don’t look.”
In Los Angeles, money is at the top of the list of troubles. The state, which funds 85 percent of the district’s budget, is in the midst of a punishing recession. The district cut teachers’ salaries last year, prompting the call for a strike. In the face of all these difficulties, looking for a permanent replacement for Anton is not a high priority. “The board and the community are very happy with Sid Thompson,” says board member Roberta Weintraub. But if they were in the market, “Joseph Fernandez would be one of my first choices,” she says.
Fernandez says he doesn’t know what he’ll do next; the 982,314 students who counted on him for help will now have to wait for a new savior. Last week, after the board meeting, Fernandez told a newspaper reporter he had just one piece of advice for his successor: “Don’t come.”
New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, the nation’s three largest school districts, must educate a growing number of disadvantaged children. But their burden is made more difficult by shrinking budgets.
NEW YORK CHICAGO LOS ANGELES* Total students** 982,314 411,000 641,206 Current budget $7.4 billion $2.6 billion $3.9 billion Dropout rate*** 17.2% 51.5% 38.1% Average teachers’ salary $40,000 $40,000 $38,720 *UNIFIED DISTRICT. **GRADES K THROUGH HIGHSCHOOL. **CLASS OF 1991
