Congratulations, Broad-freed Emerald City
Last week Seattle threw out their Broad-trained schools superintendent.
Goodloe Johnson’s tenure was rocky. I highlighted her trying to hire Teach for America (in a big bucks sweetheart deal, she succeeded) when Seattle faced NO teacher shortage. But apparently she lied to the board. She reorganized schools, firing teachers willy nilly (sound familiar New York? DC? NOLA? any other big city plagued by reform?) She instituted teacher evaluation with a test that should not be used in that way, according to its own manufacturers. And she generally pissed off the people of Seattle, parents, teachers, students.
When it was finally time to fire her, there was no debate, except whether to fire her with cause (deny her pension or severance) or without cause. They opted for the latter since that would deny her any right to appeal.
Congratulations Seattle. A small victory? Perhaps. But these days we should celebrate our wins!
JD2718 
I hope that anyone considering these types of reforms for their school district will take a strong, hard look at Seattle. There are very important lessons to be learned.
One down and a couple of more Broad-trained school superintendents to go.
Case in point, Buffalo’s Supt. Brizzard. Buffalo are you listening. If Seattle did it, you can, too.
Unfortunately, as much as this is good news for us, we have to do much, much more than remove a couple of superintendents.
True, very true.
For us in Seattle we now are going back to revisit what our supe did and try to make the situation equitable for all. We all also reviewing her expensive “strategic plan” which was basically a plan to bring charter schools to Seattle just called another name.
The supe was a waste of time, money and energy for all of us an we are glad to see her go.
Hallelujah!