Well, there goes another page into the LAUSD scrapbook of economic fiascos and waste and abuse. This story continues with the saga of the LAUSD's search for salvation and relates to my comments from yesterday's posting here. "$517,500-plus buyout OKd for L.A. schools chief David Brewer," LA TIMES, 12-10-08 http://www.latimes.com/news/education/la-me-laschools-brewer10-2008dec10,0,3316108,full.story
Another not-to-shrewd maneuver to cut the losses will make David Brewer an "Ex-superintendent" come January 31, 2009. And at the bargain price of only $517,500.00. That exit strategy was almost as notable as rivaling their sign-up of the Admiral as being a deal at $300,000.00 a year for a 4-year contract- and he doesn't even throw a decent fastball or have many RBIs for that price.
Brewer, however, did show that he could pitch some elusive curveballs during the job and even on the way out, not bad for being 62. Brewer is going out with a good boost as far as his slugging percentage goes, hitting the District hard on their final pitches and getting his own homerun, to continue with the baseball metaphors, shown very expensively in the L.A. TIMES story today:
Because the board terminated Brewer "without cause," he's entitled to
receive a buyout specified under his contract. The terms under the contract
are 18 months' salary, totaling $450,000, and his expense account over that
period, which adds $67,500. He'll also get cash for unused vacation pay, an
amount not yet calculated. Finally, he'll be eligible for health benefits
during the period covered by the buyout.
Since Brewer was given a job without any real standards to be met, what did the Board think they were going to do if "he didn't do his job satisfactorily?" Really poor vision for LAUSD - again. This is the organization that has the responsibility to work with students and standards for their performance but can't manage when it comes to their own operations.
If they had created a contract in the beginning with some measurable or objective items as even the lowliest of employees see in their own job descriptions, they might have been able to find sufficient "cause" to save the taxpayers a few dollars. But, not surprisingly, the LAUSD administration heads don't show that they care. They don't have any experience, successful experience, that is, in getting the District moving ahead. What they have in plentiful amounts is just a lot of experience in the waste of money and the abuse of the public trust.
The LA TIMES story includes comments from Kevin Reed, the District's head attorney when Brewer was hired. Reed tries to explain the difficulties involved with this mess, but the lack of foresight and planning as well as considerations of the realities of the problem they started out with should have called for more time at the hiring stage if they knew it was a difficulty. And if it was too big a risk, why take it? And why take that risk of getting an astronomically high-salaried person on-board with no experience in the task? But the LAUSD attorneys are holding the bag for that contract drafting part of the story, and now are covering their own asses. Read on in that LA TIMES story for other views.
If the problem was so difficult, what justified the Board in taking the financial risk that THIS outcome might happen? Simple. They don't HAVE to be accountable, their pay isn't affected, and life goes on for them. In terms of behavior that we often use in educating people, young and old, "There are no consequences for their actions."
How badly does LAUSD handle the operations of the District to generate an education for the "K through 12" population? I'll compare it to lending out your car to a relative for a while to get to work. You know, a simple favor. Then you get the car back and notice a few things about it like needing a wash. O.K. no big deal. Then you find a lot of dents and other body damage, noticing too, that the gas gauge is on "empty"and the engine doesn't sound right.
The example continues. On top of this, the cops come to check out a hit and run involving your car and, later, your mail brings you a lot of accumulated unpaid parking ticket notices to light up your life. So when you're at the police station you start to think about doing things differently. The LAUSD has been there and does the same over and over. What can you really expect when they have no controls? Are they just "hard core" or what?
Monica Garcia, the President of the Board, tried to salvage the situation, publicity-wise, for another day with her comments, taken below from the LA TIMES story:
In a brief appearance before reporters, Garcia took no questions and read from a
statement that echoed the concerns of Cortines. She vowed to develop a
"leadership plan," adding, "We understand that we need stability."
Well, all that is certainly reassuring, Monica. A word to the wise- Stay in school and you, too, will be able to make very insightful comments like these when the need arises. But shouldn't they have known about all of this BEFORE NOW? Oh, well. Here's another word to the wise- Better late than never.
David Brewer's comments on the state of things are just as transparent, simply being useless blather:
In a brief statement regarding the buyout, Brewer said: "No matter what
happens next, I will remain a champion for the children, teachers and staff of LAUSD."* * *
Brewer said he recognized that the controversy over his removal had the potential to exacerbate racial tensions in the city. His departure, he added, should not be viewed through a racial prism, although he accused his opponents of pursuing political agendas to the detriment of children.
I really don't see that Brewer is sitting on any powder keg of racial tension based on what happens here to him. Brewer was pretty much an unknown to the average person in the city. If anything, it's the revelation of the details of his pay and benefits, along with the terms of his "buyout" that would inflame public opinion in this area. But he's just a player in the game that the Board runs on a daily basis, and unlike the conditions in Las Vegas, the odds are not with the house.
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