Better the Devil You Know?

As recently as 2009, a survey of JCTA members pointed toward trouble for recently non-renewed Jefferson County Schools Superintendent Sheldon Berman.

57.1% either disagreed or strongly disagreed that they were satisfied with Berman's administration of the schools. 60% disagreed or strongly disagree that Berman exhibited effective leadership that fully supports teachers. 76.2% agreed or strongly agreed that they felt safe in their school. 59.9% disagreed or strongly disagreed that Berman involved classroom teachers in a collaborative decision making process.

So it has been somewhat surprising to find the JCTA leadership apparently lining up behind the superintendent.

It also seems it won't matter.

This from C-J:

Sheldon Berman supporters say

they will seek new JCPS school board

vote to keep him

With the teachers union and NAACP lining up behind him, supporters of ousted Jefferson County Superintendent Sheldon Berman say they will push for a new school board vote next month to keep him.

Board of education member Linda Duncan said Tuesday she will formally ask the school board at its Feb. 14 meeting to reconsider its decision to replace Berman, whose contract expires on June 30.

Duncan, a Berman supporter who was on the losing end of the 5-2 vote last November that ended his tenure, said she wanted to give Berman's supporters
time to make their case to retain him — which would require at least two board members to change their mind.

“I wanted a little bit more time for input from the community, before we close this and say, ‘That's it,'” she said.

Members of the Jefferson County Teachers Association and the Louisville branch of the NAACP both said they plan to use that time to lobby board members to retain Berman, who they say has been a staunch advocate for integrated schools and has instituted education reforms.

But board members who voted against Berman, including Debbie Wesslund, Diane Porter, Joe Hardesty and Carol Ann Haddad, said Tuesday they remain committed to finding a new superintendent....

Jefferson County teachers union votes to ask that Sheldon Berman be retained

Board Members Express Doubt in a Revote

Wesslund Replaced as Chair

This from the Courier-Journal:

Jefferson County's influential teachers union has thrown its support behind ousted Superintendent Sheldon Berman, voting Thursday to ask the school board to extend Berman's contract, instead of letting it expire June 30.

The board of directors for the Jefferson County Teachers Association voted 18-9 Thursday afternoon to formally ask the school board to retain Berman, whose contract was not renewed last November.

Thursday's vote came after Linda Duncan, a school board member who represents District 5, and state Rep. Darryl Owens, D-Louisville, met with the teachers union and asked it to endorse Berman, JCTA President Brent McKim said...

“We've already discussed this — it's over,” said school board member Carol Haddad, who represents District 6. “We need to move forward — the community needs to know that we are moving forward.”

Joe Hardesty and Diane Porter, two other board members who voted against a contract extension for Berman, also said they did not favor revisiting their votes.

“A lot of thought went into my decision, so I would not be inclined to change my vote,” said Hardesty, who represents District 4...

[Steve] Imhoff, who represents District 2 and who was voted school board chairman by a 6-1 vote Monday night, said he has not talked to any board members about bringing the issue back up for consideration.