CUSD Update

Supt. Woodrow Carter’s supporters and critics alike predicted his job would be on the line after the Nov. 4 election when the last Fleming-era trustee (Duane Stiff) was removed from office. At the well-attended Dec. 18 board meeting, Carter made a 10-minute speech about his anticipated dismissal.

Few people in the room were neutral about the superintendent. An attendee forwarded a copy of Carter’s speech to this blog, along with an “analysis” of the content. Here are excerpts from the speech and commentary, which demonstrate the deep split among Carter and his critics:

Carter: “To those who have shown up this afternoon to support me, I apologize for my shortcomings, for my inability to harmonize this group of trustees into a cohesive unit that will support student achievement. The administrators present today will remember my caveat at our professional development retreat in August this year … “adult-centered issues will continue.” Little did I know how prophetic those words would become. In an era of statewide, nationwide and even worldwide economic crises, you trustees have chosen to create yet another crisis, in a personnel matter that is totally unnecessary.”

Analysis: “This whole paragraph would be insubordinate if it were not true. Mr. Carter has many shortcomings. It is not his role to harmonize the trustees into a cohesive unit. It is not the trustees who have created another crisis but, in fact, Mr. Carter and his supporters who have done so. As the most senior executive in CUSD, he should be ashamed.”

To read the entire text of Carter’s speech and the commentary, click here.

Following the 4 1/2-hour meeting to determine whether or not Carter would be fired, school board President Ellen Addonizio announced that no action had been taken during the closed-session portion of the meeting.