Terry Grier and San Diego Unified: What might have been
In January 2008, the San Diego Unified School District proudly hired Terry Grier, a nationally admired reformer with a long track record of success, as superintendent. “Dr. Grier is exceptionally, exceptionally qualified,” board President Katherine Nakamura said.
A year and a half later, Grier was gone, taking a job as superintendent of Houston schools. Bruising fights over policy, budgeting and his authority led Grier to believe that the new majority that had taken control of San Diego’s school board after the November 2008 elections cared more about helping adult employees, especially teachers, than students.
Grier’s replacement at San Diego Unified, retired Adm. William Kowba, was miscast as superintendent — something board members who wanted a pliant administrator considered a plus. Kowba retired earlier this year to be replaced by Central Elementary School Principal Cindy Marten, another unconventional choice who shows promise but whom to date has been extremely cautious about saying anything that might cross the teachers union.
Earlier this month came another reminder of what San Diego Unified lost when Grier left. A new Reason Foundation study hailed Houston