On the second anniversary of David Brewer's four-year contract as superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, the Los Angeles Times today published an editorial calling for his ouster.
The retired U.S. Navy vice admiral "started off with good intentions and big plans," according to the editorial. "Since those early months, however, he has done little to inspire loyalty and much to stoke misgiving."
The editorial said that "Eventually, Brewer's accumulated missteps -- and his dismaying lack of prowess -- led to an arrangement in which he ceded much of his authority while preserving the illusion of his leadership, a revision of his job description that avoided roiling the city's ever-tenuous racial politics."
This was a reference to the hiring in April of former Superintendent Ramon C. Cortines, a Latino, as senior deputy to Brewer, an African-American.
"This is classic Los Angeles politics: Administrative and racial comity is achieved by paying two superintendent-level salaries for one complete superintendent-level package," according to the editorial.
It also typifies all that is wrong with L.A. Unified. The district protects administrators who fail rather than students whose futures depend on a solid education."
According to The Times, the LAUSD is headed toward financially troubled times, which will threaten classrooms and students and test management and educational skills.
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"This is a treacherous moment for a school district that has long operated on the edge of failure, and it demands unimpeachable leadership. In such a moment, the district cannot afford a superintendent who holds the title but isn't up to the job," the editorial said.
"In the interests of the students he is charged with educating, Brewer and the (school)board should acknowledge that he isn't a good fit for the job of superintendent. They should chart a graceful course for his departure and embark on it sooner rather than later."
