The Best Might Already Be in the Job : As search begins, Los Angeles interim schools chief should not be ignored as a candidate

These are the worst of times for the Los Angeles public schools. Several politicians want to carve up the mammoth district in a way that could exacerbate ethnic tensions while doing nothing to improve education. The state budget crisis could worsen local budget deficits and force deeper cuts. There are not enough classrooms, books or supplies. Enrollment is at a high of 640,000 and growing. Safety is a major issue following the fatal shootings of two students on campuses this year. The district cannot afford the additional counselors, cops and metal detectors needed at almost every school.

Add to these woes some school board members who seem to enjoy nit-picking more than policy-making, or who pander to racial and ethnic loyalties. Tensions between African-Americans and Latinos, for example, delayed the selection of an interim superintendent (the fourth schools chief in a decade) last year. Tensions are down, but they could resurface.

Given all these challenges, why would any prominent educator want to be superintendent here? As current openings in New York and Chicago attest, there’s frequent turnover in the tough job of running a big-city school district; average tenure is only two years.

The Board of Education promised a national search when it agreed to promote Sid Thompson to interim superintendent last Oct. 5. That search was postponed until the recent threat of a teachers strike ended. The search can now proceed, but only if private foundations and corporations put up $25,000. Public money should not be spent on a search when some schools don’t have enough textbooks.

And unless the search yields an outstanding candidate, the board could find that in Thompson, the first African-American to head the system, it has the best educator for the job at this time. He knows the district. He knows the major players, from Helen Bernstein of the combative teachers union to Leticia Quezada, the demanding school board president. He is a conciliator who is smart and experienced. And he is committed to the reforms proposed by LEARN.

Thompson wants the job but can he stand up to the board? A vote of confidence and a contract could embolden him and allow him to provide the strong leadership that Los Angeles schools need.