Raymond took on teachers union
Published: Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013 - 12:00 am
Before starting as the new superintendent of the Sacramento City Unified School District, Jonathan Raymond was told how he could escape unscathed from the no-win job he was taking on.
“Rudy Crew (a former Sacramento superintendent who later ran New York’s public schools) told me: ‘Stay three years, keep your head down, and whatever you do, don’t close any schools,’” Raymond said with a wistful smile the other day.
Of course, Raymond did close schools. He not only didn’t keep his head down, he took on the local teachers union repeatedly. He actually cared about the poorest kids in a poor district and showed it by making those schools a priority backed by his office.
In a state where the teachers unions control politicians, Raymond was ripe for being fired with an agenda that actually put kids first.
So Raymond is leaving after four years of success against long odds, but with few accolades and allies.
He was the ultimate solitary figure, doing good work that was praised by outsiders and ripped by