A reader keeping watch tells me four finalists have been chosen to interview to be the next Little Rock school superintendent. They include Walter Milton, who withdrew from a recent Wisconsin school search after questions about his background. I also posted yesterday a selection of articles about controversies st his current job in Springfield, Ill. Other finalists: Connie Hathorn, Stefanie Phillips and Dexter Suggs. I’m looking for more details. Perhaps readers can help.
UPDATE: From LRSD Facebook page:
Board returned from executive session with no decision on Superintendent search.
McPherson and Jacobson firm recommended for interview:
Connie Hathorn, [superintendent in Youngstown] Ohio
Walter Milton Jr., Illinois
Stefanie Phillips, [superintendent in Clayton County] Georgia
Dexter Suggs, [chief of staff in Indianapolis schools] IndianaBoard voted to accept the recommendation and those 4 candidates will be scheduled for interviews beginning February 25th.
UPDATE: Board president Dianne Curry’s explaining away of Milton’s rich history of controversy in three separate school districts (you can’t believe everything you read, she said) further underscores belief that he’s the first choice with some board members. Board member Michael Nellums made an outreach to him during his last application in Little Rock. MIlton undoubtedly has an explanation for everything, from a home foreclosure to poor personnel choices over the years. Newspapers DO make mistakes. But when a trail of controversy marks leadership positions in multiple places you ought to be a little more wary than Dianne Curry seems to be.