Huberman Selection Raises Jackson's Ire

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Jan 27, 2009 10:25PM

As Daley's appointment of Run Huberman to replace Arne Duncan as CEO of the Chicago Public School systems became official, Duncan offered praise for the selection, saying, “Ron is smart. He is committed….He has no ego. He just wants to make things better. He's done that absolutely everywhere he's worked." This in spite of that fact that Duncan had endorsed Chief Education Officer Barbara Eason-Watkins for the slot.

While Duncan altered course, one person who wasn't thrilled with the slight was...who else...Rev. Jesse Jackson. Jackson was outraged that the selection of Huberman over Eason-Watkins (who is black) was done without a wider search. Said Jackson, “You have a body of educators with degrees who thought the end of the tunnel would be the chance to ride to the top. Here, a non-educator unilaterally eclipses their dreams. It is unfair." He added: “As the largest and most challenged school system in the nation, Chicago deserves a [CEO] with the most serious and effective credentials the nation has to offer as an educator, as a motivator, as a leader. The choice should be the result of a transparent and credible search for a leader who may come from within or without the system.” [CBN, S-T]