The Latest On LAUSD's School Superintendent Deasy: Will He Stay, Or Will He Go?
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The LA Times reported Thursday that John Deasy, LAUSD's School Superintendent, was planning on resigning his post in February.
Last night, via email, Deasy told KCAL9's Suraya Fadel that he would not confirm or deny the report. But he also said "nothing is official" and that he hadn't submitted any paperwork regarding a resignation.
On Friday, Mayor Eric Garcetti did nothing to downplay the rumor.
"It may be that there will be a transition," said Garcetti at a news conference.
CBS2's Randy Paige reported that next week might be a pivotal one in the saga. The question of whether or not Deasy will resign or not seems to only be known for sure by one person -- John Deasy.
And Deasy says he isn't talking until Tuesday.
Deasy was hired in 2011 with the full support of close ally then-Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
The school superintendent was applauded by the mayor for embracing charter schools and revamping the teacher evaluation process. Those were moves sharply criticized by the teacher's union from the outset.
Deasy also received a lot of criticism for his plan to spend $1 billion to put an iPad in the hands of every student -- while dealing with crippling budget cuts.
Paige reports that Mayor Garcetti today went out of his way to praise Deasy.
"We've seen a school district with reduced drop out rates, improved scores and that's built out finally the physical infrastructure we needed to educate our children," said Garcetti.
The mayor was less effusive about the LA Unified School Board.
"A board is there to set policy, is there to guide the direction. But at the end of the day, they're not the ones who are supposed to actually run the district. That's supposed to be the superintendent," said Garcetti.
He added, "I think the adults at the school district across the board need to remember it's the kids who are the collateral damage to any loss of leadership, any loss of momentum or any dysfunction and fighting."
Deasy and the mayor were photographed together as recently as yesterday.
Reporters asked the mayor if he expected Deasy to step down.
"He may have already made those decisions," said Garcetti, "that's a question you'll have to talk to him about and I believe that you won't hear anything from the school board or from Mr. Deasy until Tuesday when they meet on that, that's my understanding. They've communicated to me as well that nothing is set until Tuesday, but it might beyond the point of return."
