The San Diego Unified School board backed-away from giving new Superintendent Terry Grier extra powers under a revised district policy. KPBS Reporter Ana Tintocalis has more.
The updated policy would allow Grier to create, eliminate and revise school policy. Those powers are traditionally reserved for school board members.
The proposal comes at a time when Grier is reorganizing the entire administration. Critics including the local teachers union blasted school trustees for considering such a shift in authority.
Union leader Marc Cappatelli says the power-grab would be similar to what happened under former superintendent Alan Bersin.
Cappatelli: In my time in the district we have gone from power centralized in one person, to lazy faire, and now we seem to be headed back to power focused in and controlled by one person. Why would you give away that duty an obligation to one person to interpret and apply at his or her whim?
The school board decided to hold off on making any changes.
Meanwhile Grier is making progress in assembling a new administrative team. Yesterday he appointed a number of top officials including a finance director from Denver Public Schools and a principal from Guilford County Schools --- the same district Grier led in North Carolina.
Ana Tintocalis, KPBS News.
