Ten years ago, the Monroe City School Board set up a search committee that bent the rules to make a homeboy its next superintendent. That resulted in a great experience for white students, a failing experience for Black students, and the local “homeboy” Brent Vidrine leaving in disgrace under investigation for financial misconduct involving more than $300,000.
Tuesday night, the board voted to repeat the same flawed process it used ten years ago. This process, rife with local politics will be weighted against the best qualified in favor or a local homeboy or homegirl.
The creation of a search committee comprising one representative from each board district, plus Mrs. Sandra Lolley of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, is a step in the right direction. However, it falls short of ensuring an unbiased and broad-reaching search that avoids the pitfalls of the last search committee.
The rejection of Board Member Betty Ward Cooper’s proposal to engage a professional search firm is particularly concerning. Such firms are equipped to ensure legal compliance and unbiased vetting, crucial elements missing from the Board’s chosen path.
Instead, the Board has embraced a proposal favoring local applicants, with Board Member Jennifer Haneline explicitly advocating for a candidate “who knows the players” and is familiar with the district’s culture. This localized preference, while valuable in understanding the community, should not override the need for a candidate’s qualifications and broader educational vision.
Ten years ago the search committee was biased toward naming Vidrine who was well-loved by the white community but didn’t quite meet all of the prerequisites, leading to plenty of hanky panky by the search committee. Ten years ago, one of the top applicants was Brenda Shelling, whose rubric scores for experience, certification, and educational knowledge would have made her a finalist.
To prevent Shelling from being a finalist, several search committee members lowered the high scores they had given her insuring that she did not make the short list of applicants. The hanky panky was only revealed when FOI requests by the Free Press revealed the tampered rubrics.
It was a damning indictment of the process’s integrity.
A professional search firm offers an antidote to the integrity issue, including devising a trick rubric that would exclude applicants from outside of the city from scoring high enough to be considered.
A search firm can broaden the search, ensuring the best candidates are considered, whether they are from within the community or beyond. Our children and schools deserve a superintendent selected for their merits, expertise, and vision, not their political connections or familiarity with “the players.”
The Board’s previous search, now tainted by allegations of financial misconduct against the chosen candidate, should serve as a cautionary tale. If the same flawed process is employed, there’s a worrying likelihood of history repeating itself.
The Monroe City School Board must reconsider its approach, prioritizing a transparent, unbiased, and comprehensive search to find the best superintendent — one who can lead our schools forward without the shadow of politics looming over their tenure.
