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Home > Blogs > Get on the Bus > Archives > 2006 > October > 15
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Sir, yes sir! Mr. Superintendent sir!
(David Brewer)
Wow. Out in Los Angeles, they’ve named a retired Navy admiral as superintendent. L.A., the nation’s second largest school district, now becomes by far the largest to experiment with a military leader running its schools.
David Brewer has little education experience and was virtually unknown as a candidate for a top superintendency, but beat out a parade of well-known educators. School board members told the L.A. Times they were impressed by his leadership skills.
In a way, L.A. is behind the curve. There were a couple high profile ex-military superintendents in the 1990s — a mini-trend that then seemed to mostly run its course. By my count, there were 10 military superintendents over the past decade or so. How’d they do? Well, it was 50-50. About half worked out well and the other half mostly bombed (no pun intended).
With a few Internet searches, here’s what I was able to dig up on the generals and colonels who have led school systems:
Examples of military leaders who worked out as superintendent:
John Stanford. A former Army major general, he was superintendent in Seattle from 1995 to 1999 Stafford was well-regarded prior to his death in 1999 for bringing in outsiders and trying to shake up the district, especially focusing on improving its finances.
John Fryer. A former Air Force major general, he was superintendent in Jacksonville, Fla., from 1998 to 2005. After a successful run, he left to become president of the National Institute for School Leadership.
Thomas Siegel. A former Navy commander, he was superintendent in Boulder Valley, Colo., from 1997 to 1999 and has led Bethel Public Schools in Washington since 2004. There wasn’t much out there on his Boulder Valley tenure, but the local paper in Bethel is supportive of him and praised his success.
Raymond Arment. A former Army colonel, he has been superintendent in Eatonville, Wash., since 1998. I also couldn’t find much about Arment, but the few mentions of him were generally positive and his longevity seemed to indicate he was having a successful run.
J.J. Coolican. A formner Marine colonel, he was superintendent in the Peninsula school district in Washington from 1999 to 2005. He started as a school counselor after 30 years in the military. Eventually promoted to deputy superintendent and then to the top job. Tried to resign in 2004, but the board persuaded him to stay with a pay raise.
Examples of military leaders who didn’t work out as superintendent:
A.G Davis. A former Marine colonel, he was superintendent in New Orleans from 1999 to 2002. The district was largely in turmoil during his tenure, both academically and financially, and he resigned in the midst of a political fight after complaints that his father got large amounts of overtime from the district.
William Harner. A former Army lieutenant colonel, he was superintendent in Greenville, S.C., from 2000 to 2004. He resigned under pressure a year before his contract expired. While he was credited with raising test scores, he also sparred with the school board. A review by the county solicitor found no criminal wrongdoing after unnamed board members said his use of money from timber sales to start a lacrosse team, and other dealings, might have broken laws.
Joseph Redden. A former Air Force general, he was superintendent in Cobb County, Ga., from 2000 to 2005. He was forced out after the school board revolted over his plan to use sales tax money to buy every teacher and student in grades 6 to 12 an Apple laptop.
John O’Sullivan. A former Air Force colonel, he was superintendent in Savannah, Ga., from 2001 to 2004 and in Osesso, Minn., from 2004 to 2005. O’Sullivan was bought out early by the school board both times. In Savannah, he was bought out 20 months early. Went on to Osesso, Minn., in 2005 where he was again bought out, this time a year early. In both cases, board members complained about his brusque style.
Julius Becton. A former Army lieutenant general, he was superintendent in Washington, D.C., from 1996 to 1998, After repeated budget battles, he resigned after 17 months saying he was exhausted and calling this the toughest job he ever had.
(Image credit: L.A. Times)
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