La. State Superintendent John White Resigns
On January 08, 2020, Louisiana state superintendent John White submitted his letter of resignation to the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE).
In it, White states, “I write to advise you… I will be vacating the position March 11, 2020, and to recommend that the board identify a new state superintendent.”
White’s resignation letter comes five days before the second inauguration of Louisiana governor, John Bel Edwards, who has wanted White gone since 2015.
The complication was that in Louisiana, the governor submits her/his preference for state superintendent to BESE, and the board usually votes on the governor’s preference. However, the governor does not control the ability to terminate the state school superintendent. BESE does. And since 2015, BESE has lacked a majority wishing to oust White. BESE also lacked the supermajority (8 out of 11 votes) to issue White a new contract. So, BESE did not have the votes to renew White’s contract (though 7 out of 11 BESE members apparently wanted to), and the governor could not force a termination, which left Louisiana taxpayers continuing to foot White’s $275K salary for another four years as White became a month-to-month employee.
Apparently, there has been some behind-the-scenes negotiating to send White on his way, likely contingent upon Edwards being elected to a second term, and part of that negotiation may have included White’s agreeing to formally resign prior to the seating of the next BESE board (which happens on January 13, 2020).
One reason I believe White’s exit is the result of negotiation is that the newly-elected BESE might have enough White-sympathetic votes to grant him a second contract against the governor’s will. However, White’s announcing his exit only CONTINUE READING: La. State Superintendent John White Resigns | deutsch29
