Another Broadie Fails: Brizard in Chicago

On the night of the VP debate, right at the end, this story breaks:

The CEO of Chicago Public Schools, Jean Claude Brizard,  is out, according to the mayor’s office.

Spokesperson Sarah Hamilton says that Brizard will be replaced by Chief Education Officer Barbara Byrd-Bennett.

 She called the decision to leave, “mutual.”

 Brizard had been in the position for approximately 17 months.

This is huge.

The Chicago teachers strike was a gigantic blow to reformy types everywhere. The CTU and their dynamo of a leader, Karen Lewis, went to war for Chicago's students - not for the teachers, but their students. Understand that all of Chicago's elite lined up to oppose the union's gutsy stance, going so far as to buy off the Illinois legislature under a plan hatched by the smarmy Jonah Edelman.

The reformies failed miserably.

Brizard was brought in to quell the rising tide of discontent among the plebes. A product of Eli Broad's little Los Angeles training camp, Brizard was a failure in Rochester before he headed off to the Windy City; what chance did he have in Chicago? None, it turns out:

Talk of Brizard’s departure has swirled for weeks. On Sept. 19, the mayor told reporters: “J.C. has my confidence.”

On Thursday, Emanuel said the decision for a change was made during “two to three separate conversations” in recent days.

“The questions about J.C. became a distraction from what we had to do. We had a mutual agreement [that the distraction was] not helpful. …I didn’t have to come to that conclusion myself. We both agreed together. It kept on becoming about the static and noise about J.C. He said, ‘Look, getting the schools right is more important than me,’ ” the mayor told the Chicago Sun-Times.

“We have a break point here with a new contract that has to be implemented. This is a unique opportunity. Executing on it down to the classroom is key. I don’t want anything distracting from it. It’s time for a clean break. What he said to me is, Barbara is the right person to pick up the baton and take it to the next level.”

Holy crap, that is the lamest garbage I think I've ever heard. Rahmbo is really going to try to pin this on Brizard? Really?

Brizard was completely absent during the strike. Yeah, we're all just astonished that Eli's six weekends of training over ten months didn't adequately prepare him for handling it, but the fact is he was in over his head from the minute he stepped off the plane at O'Hare.

This was always Emanuel's fight. But an arrogant jerk like Rahm can never admit he lost; he is going to throw Brizard under the bus in a desperate attempt to save his sorry ass.

Nice try, schmuck - but it's not going to work. You threw in against the teachers, and the public was not impressed. If you think sacrificing Brizard is going to save you, you are sadly, tragically mistaken. Start working on Plan B right now.

As to the rest of the Democratic Party: pay attention. Times are changing. That corporate education reform money might be tasty, but it comes with a price. Are you willing to pay it?

And woe unto you if you think Eli's little minions are going to give you cover...

Don't let the door hit you on the ass, JC...