New L.A. schools Supt. John Deasy is seemingly a man of contradictions
L.A. Unified Superintendent John Deasy has ties to the Gates Foundation, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Eli Broad, but his career displays an independent streak.
 School Board President Monica Garcia hugs John Deasy, who was named to succeed Ramon Cortines as superintendent of L.A. Unified. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times / January 11, 2011) |
In John Deasy, the Los Angeles Board of Education selected a new superintendent who is seemingly a man of contradictions.
He was raised in a strong union household yet challenges work rules fiercely defended by unions. He supports making it easier to dismiss teachers but also insists that a school system cannot fire its way to success.
He's going to be accused of being a tool of the Gates Foundation, billionaire philanthropist Eli Broadand L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa — he has associations with them all — but his career also encompasses a quirky independent streak.
The city's new schools leader, announced Tuesday, is well known in education circles: He's written and spoken widely, led three school districts in more than 12 years as a superintendent and worked
He was raised in a strong union household yet challenges work rules fiercely defended by unions. He supports making it easier to dismiss teachers but also insists that a school system cannot fire its way to success.
He's going to be accused of being a tool of the Gates Foundation, billionaire philanthropist Eli Broadand L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa — he has associations with them all — but his career also encompasses a quirky independent streak.
The city's new schools leader, announced Tuesday, is well known in education circles: He's written and spoken widely, led three school districts in more than 12 years as a superintendent and worked
