The Los Angeles Board of Education unanimously selected retired Navy Vice Adm. David L. Brewer III to be the next superintendent Thursday amid a battle for control of the school system between the board and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.I heard Admiral Brewer speak a little bit during a radio news broadcast, and he comes off as a very enthusiastic guy, and almost sounds like a Pentecostal preacher (Adm. Brewer is an African-American). Consequently, I predict that he will wildly popular in LA's substantial African-American community, and if the mayor thinks he'll be able to come in and remove this guy for a candidate of his choice, he will be risking a big blow-up with a major part of his city.
Brewer, 60, who left the Navy in March, is a non-educator who, school board members say, impressed them with his intelligence, accomplishments and leadership skills. He recently headed the Military Sealift Command, where he oversaw the supply chain for equipment, fuel and ammunition for U.S. forces worldwide. He was in charge of more than 8,000 military and civilian personnel and about 120 ships.
"I'm honored and humbled to be selected as the next superintendent of L.A. Unified and look forward to working with all the stakeholders in the city for the children of Los Angeles," said Brewer, who spoke briefly when reached by phone. The school board intends to introduce him at a morning news conference.
Despite broad management experience, Brewer has never run a school district, let alone one which is the scene of a rhetorical and legal war between Villaraigosa and the school board.
The mayor, who is in Asia on a trade mission, said he hoped that the new superintendent would be an advocate for change in the district but that he was disappointed with the board's selection process.
From a purely tactical standpoint, it was a brilliant move on the part of the School Board. The mayor has got to be fuming.
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