This is huge.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.
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:
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?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.”
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...
One Broadie Out/Another Broadie In: Barbara Byrd-Bennett, the CEO of CPS has worked as an executive coach for the Broad Superintendents Academy.
ReplyDeleteSwell...
ReplyDeleteDon't get too excited. He's being replaced by another Broadie.
ReplyDeleteFrom Chicago's Substance News:
Substance Analysis: Brizard out, another outsider, Barbara Byrd Bennett, is in... The final wasted Brizard costs will be in the tens of millions of dollars. 'Broadie' Byrd-Bennett to slavishly push Emanuel's corporate agenda with closings, charters, and privatization
http://www.substancenews.net/articles.php?page=3693§ion=Article
Above comments disappointing.
ReplyDeleteNevertheless, it's another "F" for failure for Broad which, BTW, is now in big rethinking mode due to the excessive bad publicity the Foundation is getting. Keep the heat on high.
It's the Eli Broad Foundation that is the perfect example of financial "excess and greed". His money is not without strings and demands. Usually foundations give money for ideas and movements such as vouchers etc with expectations of progress. Not Broad. That money comes with demands. Just take a look at what has happened in our own backyard - Cerf and the "Broadies". People don't realize that education is now being run by a real shadow government - primarily by the Broad Foundation. It's a cult - you're either in or out. No middle ground. And it transends political parties, state and federal government.
For all NJ taxpayers: you are helping to fund the Broad (a multi-million $ foundation) residency programs at the DOE. Yes, state employees in policy making positions who have no background or experience in education. It's a two-year program which the "employee" gets a Broad certificate. Taxpayers pay for health benefits, etc. plus most of the salary while Broad contributes a partial salary stipend. Broadies learning on taxpayer dollars! What a deal - no wonder Eli is a millionaire with all that excess and greed.