San Diego School Superintendent Terry Grier has been on the job for two months -- and now there are signs of tension between him and the local teachers union. KPBS Reporter Ana Tintocalis has the story.
Grier was a superintendent in North Carolina for eight years. His approach angered some parents and teachers because he pushed for programs that were not broadly supported.
San Diego teachers union leaders say they're beginning to understand those concerns. So far labor leaders have disagreed with many of Grier's ideas, such as merit pay for teachers.
Grier -- speaking on KPBS Radio's These Days program -- says he believes local teachers should get paid a bonus if they work at struggling schools or if their students do well on state tests.
Grier: I believe strongly that we're going to have to move in that direction in public education. That type of approach is not always warmly received by leaders of a teachers union. And I hope that we can work on being able to disagree without being disagreeable.
But union leaders say merit pay pits teachers against one another. President Camille Zombro is already comparing Grier to former superintendent Alan Bersin because they have similar top-down styles of management.
Zombro: It will be interesting to see as the months continue to evolve, whether or not this school board is up to the task of holding this superintendent in-check, or are they going to go back to the way things were, where we were at war and politics ruled.
In addition to merit pay, the teachers union also doesn't like Grier's plan to randomly assign kindergarteners to certain teachers. He also wants groups of toddlers to stay together throughout their first three years of school.
Union leaders and parents say that strategy robs students and parents of choice.
Ana Tintocalis, KPBS News.
