New Pittsburgh Public Schools superintendent. (York, Wilkinsburg: universities, wealthy, relocation to)

[SuburbanPioneer]

Originally Posted by bradjl2009

If this is the best a national search could have came up with, what a joke.

Well, the quality of the school district naturally limits the pool of potential top talent candidates who would be willing to risk their career. Hence, they have to choose from what's left as demonstrated by the results of the search.

[erieguy]

Originally Posted by bradjl2009

And the race card is being pulled out over this whole plagiarism thing.......

Pittsburgh school board to meet to discuss superintendent | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Can't believe it took this long, actually.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by SuburbanPioneer

Well, the quality of the school district naturally limits the pool of potential top talent candidates who would be willing to risk their career. Hence, they have to choose from what's left as demonstrated by the results of the search.

I'm not sure that's really the case. Big urban school districts offer big challenges, but also a lot more political power and resources on hand than you would get in a small suburban district. All things considered, I would think it's more likely that you'd get someone interested in moving across the country to manage PPS versus say North Hills SD.

[bradjl2009]

Originally Posted by eschaton

It looks like the BOE is starting to backtrack. I wouldn't be surprised if his job is rescinded. Although at this point they might have to pay him damages since he already resigned from his existing job.

I'm not sure why they didn't seem to have a problem with his inflated numbers yet seem to have a problem with this (I consider both to be bad but don't really see how this new piece is actually worse than the fake results from his job). Maybe city residents are calling their local board member to show their displeasure with this hire now as well.

Originally Posted by eschaton

I'm not sure that's really the case. Big urban school districts offer big challenges, but also a lot more political power and resources on hand than you would get in a small suburban district. All things considered, I would think it's more likely that you'd get someone interested in moving across the country to manage PPS versus say North Hills SD.

Agreed. You're not going to get the notoriety you want just staying a small suburban districts for you're entire career IMO.

[bradjl2009]

Originally Posted by MountainDewGuy

“I am extremely angry and yet not surprised” at the scrutiny Mr. Hamlet has received, said the Rev. De Neice Welch, pastor at the Bidwell Street United Presbyterian Church and chair of the spiritual leaders caucus at the Pittsburgh Interfaith Impact Network. “The racial overtones are quite evident. This is how this city and its officials have always behaved.”

Rev. Welch pointed to the tenure of former superintendent John Thompson, whose stormy relationship with the board led local foundations to suspend their financial support of district programs. Mr. Thompson left after the board chose not to renew his contract in 2004. His successor, Mark Roosevelt, was a white former state representative who had never been a teacher or a school administrator.

“This time, our voices will not be silenced by some backroom shuffling and completely biased newspaper accounts,” Rev. Welch said.


Rev Welch sounds like an idiot.

Along with people on the other side of the extreme, these people are why we can't all get along and have nice things as well.....

[SuburbanPioneer]

Originally Posted by eschaton

I'm not sure that's really the case. Big urban school districts offer big challenges, but also a lot more political power and resources on hand than you would get in a small suburban district. All things considered, I would think it's more likely that you'd get someone interested in moving across the country to manage PPS versus say North Hills SD.

It is true that they offer big challenges, and yes they present interesting opportunities, but they also come with significant risks. A 200k salary with significant career risks and relocation to Pittsburgh would require finding a very committed top talent to fill the position.

There is a lot less risk and stress being a superintendent in NA making almost the same 190K, and then moving on to a high level admin position at a university.

[Merge]

I'm sure the district's legal team has been meeting for days to try to find the best way out of this mess. The Board has to realize this is a brewing "sh^t storm" about to rage out of control. At this point, I would be trying to pinpoint the person responsible for hiring the consulting company that performed the "search" in the first place. After that, I'd "follow the money" (so to speak).

[MountainDewGuy]

Originally Posted by bradjl2009

Along with people on the other side of the extreme, these people are why we can't all get along and have nice things as well.....

Stupid is stupid and should be called out, no matter what side of the political spectrum people fall into.

[gladhands]

Rev. Welch pointed to the tenure of former superintendent John Thompson, whose stormy relationship with the board led local foundations to suspend their financial support of district programs. Mr. Thompson left after the board chose not to renew his contract in 2004. His successor, Mark Roosevelt, was a white former state representative who had never been a teacher or a school administrator.

So the school board has a history of appointing grossly unqualified superintendents? From a race-based perspective, I certainly wouldn't choose this hill to die on, but I can see the frustration. It's quite similar to the reaction of New York's Chinese American community when Peter Liang was convicted of killing an unarmed black man. Incompetence is incompetence. We can fight against privilege without asking for equal opportunity to suck at our jobs.

[MountainDewGuy]

Originally Posted by SuburbanPioneer

Well, the quality of the school district naturally limits the pool of potential top talent candidates who would be willing to risk their career. Hence, they have to choose from what's left as demonstrated by the results of the search.

They probably could have literally hired any other candidate and that person would have been better. They wanted this guy because he is huge and played in the NFL, and we are in a football town.