Interim Schools CEO Trying to Clean House Before Emanuel Takes Office

By Chuck Sudo in News on Mar 8, 2011 6:45PM

Chicago Public Schools CEO Terry Mazany's status may be temporary, depending on what Mayor-elect Emanuel has in store, but that doesn't mean he's merely treating the position as a place setting until Emanuel takes office. Mazany, who the Tribune notes will reach 100 days in office this week, has been working to leave the school system in better shape than when he inherited it after Mayor Daley appointed him to replace Ron Huberman.

Mazany has been rebuilding relationships between CPS' central office and employees and reversing many of the policies implemented under Huberman, who was one of Daley's most trusted troubleshooters. Per the Tribune:

"The system was in free fall," Mazany said of the district after Huberman's departure in November. "There was plunging morale. Vacancies in key leadership positions. A balkanized organization structure where each unit was doing their own thing. And there was a loss in a unifying vision for education."

Mazany said he hasn't spoken with Emanuel (who announced his educational transition team today), but he sees the steps he's taken in his short time as CEO as necessary to get Emanuel's educational reform plan, whatever that entails, off to a good start.

"I'm absolutely convinced this is the right work, the right thing to do," Mazany said. "I would be negligent, and accused of being a caretaker, if I didn't take these steps.