The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Academic Distress Commission picks CEO
David M. Hardy, school official from St. Louis, named new leader
The Lorain Academic Distress Commission on July 24 chose David M. Hardy Jr. from St. Louis, who serves as deputy superintendent of academics of St. Louis Public Schools with 24,000 students, to run the Lorain City School District with the power of a superintendent and most of the powers of a school board.
Lorain Academic Distress Commission Chair Tony Richardson called for a vote for a chief executive officer before public comment at a meeting July 24 at Lorain High School.
The 4-1 vote came before comment by Lorain teacher Steve Cawthon, a new member of Lorain Academic Distress Commission.
The commission also voted before comment by commission member John Monteleone.
Richardson said later Hardy’s salary is $190,000, which is more than Lorain Schools Superintendent Dr. Jeff Graham and less than former Lorain Schools Superintendent Cheryl Atkinson, who made more than $200,000.
Hardy said he looks forward to working with Graham and the senior leadership team to prepare for this school year.
“All of the folks out here, I thank you for coming tonight. It takes a village to raise a child,” Hardy said. “I can tell right away that there is a village that cares about the 6,750 kids that go to our schools. Every step of the way every single day I will be looking for you to help guide us to where we can take this village to a whole other level.
“For me, I have eight aunts,” Hardy said. “My mom is one of eight sisters, nine sisters if you count my god sister, who were there every single day to make sure I did the right thing. Back then it was easy because you just opened up the door and an aunt was down the road, your other aunt was across the street and you had a neighbor making sure you were doing the right thing, pulling your pants up when you’re told to, right?
“But times have changed,” Hardy said. “It is harder to raise our kids. It is harder to make sure they are successful. But every comment I heard from the 24 folks who spoke tonight spoke to the fact that you have deep pride and care for each one of your kids in the district. I thank you all for your comments and I can’t wait to meet all of you individually, collectively over the next few weeks as we embark on this endeavor together, and understand that I will listen first. I will make sure that is the priority. I do not come with an agenda. I actually have no contact with the state at this point. I have been hired by these wonderful commissioners to do a job and that is the same job I hear you asking me to do. So I am excited to meet with you all. I am excited to be a part of this village. Thank you.”
Cawthon was appointed by Lorain School Board July 20 to represent the district on the academic distress commission. This was his first meeting as a sitting commissioner.
Cawthon voted against Hardy as CEO for two reasons: He did not participate in the interviews; and he objected to the process.
“It was my dissatisfaction with the lack of transparency in the process,” Cawthon said. “I was appointed by the school board, but they did not tell me the way to vote.”
He spoke with Hardy after the meeting, he said, and told him the vote was not personal.
“My goal is to make Lorain City Schools a better place,” Cawthon said. “I will do everything in my power to support him (Hardy). If he is successful as a CEO, that means we will be successful as a district and community. It needs to be collaborative. Hopefully people will come out and be a part of it.”
Academic Distress Commission member John Monteleone said some people might think he is naive or Pollyanna, but rather than believing people are inherently evil, he was raised to think the opposite.
“I would first like to thank Dr. Graham for his leadership over these past two years,” Monteleone said. “He inherited a struggling district in the midst of new legislation, staff changes, assessments, standards, and assessment tools. However, no matter the circumstances he was handed he always made decisions in my viewpoint and using his own words, ‘in the best interest of kids.’ In my heart, I honestly believe we are in a better place as a district due to his leadership, as I have observed him as a superintendent, I believe I am a better educator, and as I have encountered him as a man, I believe I am a better person. I value (Graham) as a leader and as a person.”
Monteleone said he understands people are upset, confused and dissatisfied with the process.
“Although we may have chosen different paths to get to this moment, the one commonality for us all is re-establishing the greatness of our district for our students and community,” Monteleone said. “No one is more hurt than I, that over the past weeks our educational system has taken a backseat to politics, policy and legislation. It is disheartening as an educator, because one fact that I know for certain is that legislation and policy have never educated one child. People educate children.
“With that being said, our professional learning community needs to stand behind our CEO and continue the good work of so many. He is not going to be able to do this work alone. He will require the unconditional support and guidance of those around him as we navigate these unchartered waters. We all must set forth to be the answer, not the hindrance.
The children are watching the adults, he said, “and it is our moral obligation for us to become the ambassadors of reconciliation, we must clothe ourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience and wisdom. We must lead, but while leading, send the message that this is not about us the adults, but about our children.”
Lorain Police Chief Cel Rivera said he never got involved with the schools.
“What really irritated me at that meeting the other night was process void of any input from the community,” Rivera said. “Five people I know of never had their questions answered. I don’t think that’s the best way to pick a superintendent. This city has been beat down for a long time.”
As an education outsider, Rivera has seen constant changes and about every two years a new superintendent. He heard the same answers and the same jargon from all of them, he said.
“I can tell you the school system has put out some phenomenal graduates,” Rivera said, adding funding for schools in the state was found by the Ohio Supreme Court to be unconstitutional, and the state has done nothing about it. In Lorain, children go hungry, or go home to abuse or to a crack house, he said.
“I think you’re so articulated, so polished,” Rivera said, “in two or three years you’re going to be gone, too. There has been constant change. It wears on you.”
Rivera said he witnessed a reawakening in the city to pride in athletics and helping children.