Carroll is best for schools superintendent

When it comes to replacing Marin County public schools superintendent Mary Jane Burke, voters have a choice in two veteran educators running for the post. Both offer decades of experience, in classrooms and as administrators.

John Carroll, superintendent of the Lagunitas and BolinasStinson Beach school districts, and Michele Crncich Hodge, a Mill Valley School District trustee, are up for the challenge of succeeding Burke, who in her 27 years of holding the job, has transformed the post from what in many counties is a low-key position.

Carroll offers the strongest resume and local experience, a track record that has won him endorsements of most of Marin's public school superintendents and trustees.

Even more important, Carroll has the backing of Burke and current and former leaders of the county office.

Carroll's 30 years of experience includes teaching high school English and working as a special education teacher. His career has included leadership posts at local schools, large and small — from being principal at the Tamiscal High School independent-study program and the districts that he currently leads to being assistant superintendent of the Tamalpais Union High School District and assistant principal at Mill Valley Middle School and what is now Archie Williams High School.

The breadth of that experience should prove valuable in leading the county office, which has the job of oversight for Marin's public schools, ranging from larger unified districts to tiny schools in

West Marin. Burke has taken a strong leadership role in promoting and improving Marin's public schools. Her focus has been educating children.

For instance, she's made no apologies for getting involved in long-needed reform in the Sausalito Marin City School District. Years where the district had made little progress toward ending segregation had created a scenario that was limiting academic opportunities and achievement for Marin City youth.

It eventually took a state Attorney General's investigation and ruling that the district's schools reflected separate and unequal educational opportunities for local children, a violation of the equal protection clause in the California Constitution. Burke also stepped up the county's role in providing financial oversight of the budgets of Marin's 17 school districts.

In addition, during the pandemic, under her leadership, the county office played a pivotal role in providing schools, teachers and parents with guidance in dealing with the crisis that closed school campuses and forced reliance on online distance learning.

Crncich Hodge's professional resume includes work as a teacher in the Miller Creek School District and serving as principal of a Petaluma elementary school. From 201819, she worked in the administration of the San Rafael City Schools District.

Her candidacy has won her endorsements from 11 Marin teachers union chapters, the California Teachers Association union and the North Bay Leadership Council union organization. While those endorsements are impressive, she did not get the endorsement of her fellow Mill Valley School Board members. They have endorsed Carroll.

That's troubling. She says she has parted with her fellow board members over reforms she's trying to bring to the district.

Still, Crncich Hodge says she wants to bring a focus on “greater collaboration” to the county office.

Collaboration has long been a strength of Burke's leadership style. She has built an impressive template for the job.

We see Carroll carrying on the kind of leadership Burke has forged for the county Office of Education. That leadership comes from a respect and understanding of the strong roots of local control that support Marin's public schools, a clear and forceful focus on improving academic and educational opportunities for local children and providing strong leadership when necessary, such as in fighting for school funding in Sacramento or stepping up when reform and change is needed.

It comes from seeing problems and working with stakeholders to find solutions.

On the June 7 ballot, the IJ recommends John Carroll for the job of Marin County superintendent of schools.