In a sharp break with the recent past, Chicago mayoral candidate Miguel Del Valle has promised to select an educator to run the Chicago Public Schools.
The two most recent CPS bosses have been Arne Duncan and Ron Huberman. Duncan was not an educator. Ron Huberman was Daley’s gofer, with employment experience that ranged from cop to chief of staff to head of the Chicago bus and el system.
In a statement today, Del Valle said,
“The Chicago Public Schools system faces numerous challenges that will require strong leadership to implement the necessary changes to improve our schools. This calls for a nationwide search to find such a talented, committed, and visionary leader.
“As mayor, I will appoint an educator as superintendent with strong executive and managerial skills to head the Chicago Public Schools.
Chicago teachers union head, Karen Lewis, last week called for an educator to head the schools and called for ending the practice of calling the CPS boss a CEO, with all the corporate baggage that comes with such a title. She suggested returning to the title of Superintendent.
Fred Klonsky 
I just came back from my cousin’s 40th birthday party. His father played Ivy League basketball. And was a teacher. Then an AP. Then a principal. Now he does part-time mentoring. But he doesn’t live in Chicago.
This search business is hard.
If Del Valle wins, he’s promising a national search. Get you cousin’s father (isn’t that your uncle?) to put his name in the hat. Who knows?