A New Attitude?
As a cynical community critic who watches the School Board closely remarked recently, “Now that Laura is gone, the Board’s play dates are over.” During the last years of the tenure of now-retired Supt. Dr. Laura McGaughey, it was said that School Board meetings resembled a chastised big brother reluctantly bringing his kid sister to the playground as she dragged her dusty ragdoll along the sidewalk. He didn’t want to be responsible for taking care of her while he played ball with his pals. And she didn’t want to be there, either.
A Roster of One
School Board members often boasted that Dr. McGaughey worked for them. Even though she was their lone employee, the unmistakable implication was that she was pliable and would do as she was told. The final score on the latter point appears to bear out the Board’s claim. Except for private skirmishes with one Board member, there was no evidence of friction between the Board and the Superintendent, indicating each party understood its role.
On the Plus Side
Meanwhile, the 5 Board members have spent so much public time defending themselves against charges of pettiness and selective skulduggery that, collectively, they are hard-pressed to identify accomplishments during their 6 years together.
A change in room temperature, however, may be coming with Dr. Rivera Cote in the Super chair.
Especially in the early going, the dynamics will be watched more closely than they have for years. They won’t be predictable anymore.
No Resemblance
Through 27 years (mostly as an administrator) in Long Beach public schools, several more in the very different Alhambra district, and the last 3 under the LAUSD banner in Gardena, no one ever has dreamed of comparing Dr. Rivera Cote with a ragdoll.
A natural tension exists between school boards and superintendents because the two sides are uneven. Teams of amateur but elected leaders are pitted against career professionals.
Seeking Traction
The permanently underlying question is, Who knows better, the Super or the Board?
The answer varies, depending on 2 factors:
• The dominant personalities of the School Board members and the Superintendent. Since there is one key new player now in Culver City, an intriguing question is, how they will perceive each other as their professional relationship evolves and, hopefully, matures.
Organizing Agendas
During the tenure of the retired Superintendent, no one in Culver City entertained a single doubt about who held the upper hand. Some meetings, it was said, looked as if they had been organized by a fellow who rode in on the noon balloon from Saskatoon. Studied preparation and reflective aforethought were scarcely in evidence, it was claimed.
Besides packing a rigorous vigor for this assignment, Dr. Rivera Cote is more frank, more curious, more assertive than her predecessor. She also brings a defined philosophy, a ringingly clear vision and a bulging briefcase of personally tested remedies.
Checking Out the Makeup
After almost 30 years in school administration, Dr. Rivera Cote has built herself into an effective leader/communicator. The personality mosaic she brings into community meetings is comprised of three parts that she has deftly weaved — her accumulated confidence, her authoritative diplomatic skills, and the tenacity she learned to practice by necessity as a single parent through most of her career.
Where Is the Roadmap?
She was frank in assessing her findings in Culver City. “This is a good, solid District,” the new Super said yesterday, “one that wants to do better but isn’t sure how.” What is the evidence? “You probably have heard this,” she said. “When I am told the goal is to make Culver City a ‘lighthouse district,’ I say, ‘What does that mean?’ I can’t get a concrete answer. I understand what a lighthouse district should be. Tell me how to get it back where it was.
“But I haven’t yet discovered what those components are.
“I am trying to isolate the issues that need to be dealt with first. Then I’ll work on building it back up to where it wants to be.”
