To Say It Differently, She Has It All
At separate times, I have heard her break down complicated theories when she had no time to prepare, and another time when she was given advance notice. In the speeded-up technologically based age of communication, ringing clarity may be the No.1 casualty. One of the most impressive — and unusual — assets in Ms. Fiello’s considerable portfolio is ringing clarity. In the last 4 months, I have listened to Ms. Fiello delineate concepts that her predecessor could not have identified if she had been given all summer and a chorus of tutors. Dr. Laura McGaughey was a nice lady. I just think she could have been more effective, and probably happier, working for Macy’s than for the School District, where the lives of so many students are at stake. In the past several years, we have spoken often in these pages about Ms. McGaughey’s wizard-like ability to sweeten her salary faster and slicker than you and I could say no, thank you. That appears to have been her dominant legacy. As the single employee of the School Board, Ms. McGaughey was a socko symbol. As far as I could see, Employer and Employee spent their time making goo-goo eyes at each other while the School District went to Kansas City in a handbasket.
Where Did Her Usefulness Lie?
I presume Ms. McGaughey knew something about education and administration. But, like my boyhood idol, Houdini, she did a splendid job of keeping it hidden. If she had been doing anything meaningful in her job, other than baking cookies, that is what we would have been talking about instead of her salary and ever-expanding benefits. As I said, she is a nice lady. But her most sincere boosters could not think of anything substantive to say about her except to speculate that she doesn’t drive too fast. That is pathetic in a School District that requires governance and leadership. At times, the School Board has made the search task seem more complicated than it really is. They act as if the District were searching for the single person on the whole planet who is truly qualified with sui generis abilities suitable for sitting on the Culver City educational throne. This from a School Board that is distracted by every car that goes by while the fate of the School District is being dangled from a window. Don’t tell me about awards won by Culver City High School during Ms. McGaughey’s watch. Ms. McGaughey had nothing to do with the awards. But if the School Board was not sharp enough to see the weaknesses in Ms. Gaughey and either let her go or cover for her, I have no expectation they will recover their senses and choose Ms. Fiello.
