ORANGE : School District Faces Leadership Vacuum

The Orange Unified School District is without a top administrator following the sudden withdrawal this week of a top candidate for superintendent and the abrupt resignation of the interim superintendent Thursday night, district officials said.

The district had hoped to woo Dennis Smith, superintendent of the Cajon Valley District in San Diego, to accept the top administrative post, but he backed out fearing micro-managing by the school board, said district officials who did not want to be identified.

Compounding the district’s management woes, Marilyn Corey resigned as interim superintendent after clashing with board members in a closed hearing.

Board members would not comment Friday on Corey’s resignation.

The district has not had a permanent superintendent since June, 1992, and has gone through seven superintendents since 1989.

Corey and board members argued over an item on Thursday night’s school board agenda to allocate $150,000 in legal fees to the district’s attorney, Mary Jo McGrath, district officials said Friday. McGrath represents the district in a hearing to discipline three top school administrators accused of sexual harassment.

Corey, who initiated the sexual harassment investigation last fall, urged the board to approve the request, officials said.

But board members, who had approved $70,000 in fees to McGrath last year, asked for more information on the hearings, which have already gone longer than expected, district officials said.

After the closed-session meeting broke up, Corey turned in her resignation and failed to attend the public school board meeting. The board postponed a vote on the funding request.

Corey’s departure surprised officials.

“I’m stunned and shocked,” said David Reger, president of the teachers union. “I would have liked to have seen her stay, and lobbied the board to hire her as a permanent superintendent.”

District officials were already reeling this week after Smith, described by some board members as “an excellent administrator,” backed out of signing a contract. Officials were so sure Smith was going to sign, a special reception was planned for Friday night.

Officials said Smith was scared away not by the prospect of coping with the district’s problems, but because he feared the school board would micro-manage his administration, district officials said.

Smith did not return repeated phone calls Friday.