School Board to Name Panel in Search for Superintendent
The Los Angeles Board of Education agreed Thursday to appoint a 14-member citizen commission to weigh the merits of a local versus a national search for a replacement for retiring Supt. Sid Thompson. The commission is also to recommend criteria for the selection and report on both issues by July 15.
As a starting point, the board issued its own general criteria Thursday, saying the successor should have held a leadership position in a large urban school district and have a deep understanding of such issues as bilingual education, immigration, poverty and cultural differences.
Advocates for the immediate promotion of Deputy Supt. Ruben Zacarias into the top job described the criteria as overly vague and expressed concerns that it does not emphasize the importance of experience in the Los Angeles Unified School District. The advocates also said they have backed away from a threatened recall of board member David Tokofsky to instead focus on ensuring a fair selection process.
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