Michael Hinojosa - Dallas, TX - "I am ready, willing and able to lead Clark County." Clark County School District - CCSD
What could be clearer than that? The Dallas Superintendent is thrilled about another opportunity.
Superintendent Hinojosa intends to leave Dallas for Las Vegas if his new suitor will just say, "Yes."
The full Board was never officially informed that the Superintendent had applied for another position.
That is more than bad faith. That is deliberately withholding very important information from Trustees about the future of the district.
What do you owe your employer of the last five years with a current contract for two more years? Of course, certain Board members probably have known about this for some time. Others were not informed until this week.
The Superintendent informed me the day before the public announcement in Las Vegas. He indicated he was contacted by a search firm. I asked if he had applied, he said, "Yes."
Since these matters take months, this Las Vegas application process has been underway for some time.
After reviewing a video discussion of the 3 finalists, I suspect the choice has already been made. That is how many school boards operate. There is the public face and there is the private reality of a certain board clique making decisions in private.
One candidate from Florida heads the 62nd largest school district in the nation. He is nearing retirement. The other two finalists are much younger.
Another finalist is Colorado State Commissioner of Education but has never headed a large urban school district.
The only finalist who has actually headed a large urban school district for the last five years is Superintendent Hinojosa.
The Dallas Board of Trustees has a responsibility to the taxpayers, students and teachers of Dallas ISD to preserve and protect the District.
It is now clear there is an immediate need for a succession plan for Dallas ISD. The Board should develop such a plan immediately - rather than being held hostage to the decision of another school district.
At the meeting of the National School Boards Association in Chicago, April 10-12, 2010, I attended a session on succession planning for school districts. I am now glad I did.
The odds may be the Dallas Superintendent has already been chosen in Las Vegas.
If he is not chosen, it remains clear he intends to leave.
The Board's responsibility to prepare for the future of Dallas ISD is clear.
