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Today's San Francisco Chronicle editorial page wishes David Brewer luck but finds his selection to run L.A. Unified — and everything about the new governance here — rather curious.
While Brewer is a highly talented individual, it's not clear if he has the knowledge base to do the job.What's also in doubt is whether he will be in full control at the district's helm. That's because he'll be taking charge -- sort of -- of a school district that is in the middle of a vicious fight between the mayor and the school board over control of the district.
Under a controversial new law that will go into effect Jan. 1, he will have to contend with a peculiar power-sharing arrangement between the school board, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and mayors of 22 [sic] other communities within the district's jurisdiction.
Under the arrangement, the mayors can't hire the superintendent. They can only veto the board's appointment. Villaraigosa was reportedly furious that the board acted without involving him in the selection process.
The paper urges that Villaraigosa give Brewer his full support, since "uncertainty at the helm of L.A. Unified could have a negative impact on a district that demands strong leadership -- with negative consequences for the future of California."