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To view the July 19, 2013 letter from Bennett Kayser to LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy regarding the district's succession plan, click here.
Los Angeles Unified board member Bennett Kayser, part of a majority that has been increasingly critical of Superintendent John Deasy, sent a letter Friday to the schools chief demanding a plan spelling out who is in charge when he's gone.
The one-page letter from Kayser said he wants Deasy to submit a succession plan for himself and his senior staff that details "immediate, short- and long-term succession plans delineating timelines, positions and personnel."
He also wants the plan to address potential impacts on contracts and action plans and to identify any "risks" that might affect the district.
He wants the board to review a draft succession plan by the start of school or soon thereafter. The next board meeting is Aug. 20, a week after classes resume
Kayser said the letter was merely procedural, and not an indication that he wants Deasy replaced. He issued a statement characterizing his request as "a minor governance and risk management matter."
"I simply want to know who the person is that is designated to step into the superintendent's shoes when he is out of town, as he was this week, and who he has trained and expects to step in were to unexpected to happen."
Although the letter was addressed to Deasy, the superintendent said he didn't receive a copy and learned about Kayser's request from his staff, a dozen of whom were cc'd as recipients."I'm looking forward to meeting with the board to discuss this,"
he said. "I'm unsure who is directing this, and I need to understand and to determine the priority of this plan