Second School District Official Quits

A high-ranking administrator in the Los Angeles Unified School District has resigned after clashing with Supt. Roy Romer over personnel changes, officials said Friday.

It is the second departure of a top-level employee this month.

George McKenna, one of 11 subdistrict superintendents, quit rather than reassign two senior managers as Romer had asked, Romer said.

McKenna, who has been in charge of schools in South Los Angeles, will be replaced by Assistant Supt. Sylvia Rousseau, who oversees secondary school instruction.

McKenna did not not return phone calls Friday.

Romer said he had asked McKenna to reassign the two deputies because he believed their “leadership styles” were keeping campuses in the South Los Angeles district from attracting top-quality teachers and principals.

Citing confidentiality restrictions, Romer would not elaborate.

“The people under George were barriers to progress,” Romer said. “I felt very strongly about the need for change. George is a very loyal man. He said, ‘I don’t want to do that. I will offer my resignation.’ ”

Romer said he wanted an immediate change to ensure the success of reforms to improve reading and math achievement.

Romer would not name the administrators at the center of the dispute, nor their titles. He said one has the right to return as a principal, but the other probably will no longer work at the district.

“This was not an action against George,” Romer said. “I would have preferred for him to stay. I value the work he has done.”

McKenna’s resignation comes just weeks after the district’s chief operating officer, Allen Solomon, quit because his authority was scaled back. Solomon left the district just two months after he arrived. The school board this week approved a $195,000 severance package for him.

McKenna’s salary was not immediately available. District officials said, however, that he would be paid for the second year of a two-year contract. McKenna is a former superintendent of the Inglewood Unified School District and deputy superintendent of Compton Unified.