State commissioner recommends candidate for Buffalo school superintendent
Board to interview former Memphis chief
After the Buffalo School Board spent more than a year on failed efforts to recruit a superintendent, state Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia has stepped in to find a new chief of city schools.
The fact that Elia, less than a month on the job, is recommending a candidate for Buffalo school superintendent reinforces that she will take an active role in trying to fix the Buffalo district.
Kriner Cash, former superintendent of the Memphis schools, will be in Buffalo on Tuesday to interview with the School Board for the position.
Elia’s involvement comes as the board continues to fracture and city school performance languishes.
Carl Paladino sent an email Thursday to colleagues on the School Board, calling for James Sampson’s resignation as president and continuing his lobbying to appoint Principal Kevin Eberle to a Cabinet-level position. Paladino also sent the email to both Elia and Cash. Elia did not responded to a Buffalo News request for comment. Cash declined to comment until he has spoken with the board.
“Despite the shortcoming of knowing zilch about the BPS, its people, problems and institutional history,” Paladino wrote. “I’m willing to hear Cash out only because he comes highly recommended and only if he is agreeable to the appointment of Eberle as operating Deputy and an immediate restructuring of the executive staff as guided by the Board majority.
“The idea of bringing in a black only to pacify the black minority on the Board is abhorrent to me. If he’s the best person for the job considering the unique problems facing the BPS then I’m good with it.”
Paladino’s email prompted members of the board minority bloc to call on Elia to remove him from office and hold the district harmless while they “work to correct damage” that occurred as a result of his actions.
It does not, however, appear that Paladino’s desire to link Eberle to Cash’s appointment – or State commissioner recommends candidate for Buffalo school superintendent - City & Region - The Buffalo News:
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