Tulsa Superintendent Interviews For Detroit Job

Two finalists for chief executive of Detroit's public schools who interviewed again Saturday should know this week whether either will get the job. <br><br>The school board resisted pressure by some

Sunday, January 16th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Two finalists for chief executive of Detroit's public schools who interviewed again Saturday should know this week whether either will get the job.

The school board resisted pressure by some of those attending to take an immediate vote. After an eight-hour meeting, the district's reform board unanimously agreed to vote Tuesday whether the job should go to Tulsa schools Superintendent John W. Thompson or former Atlanta schools Superintendent J. Jerome Harris -- or neither and take a different route. At least three of the board members said they already could cast their votes, with Chairman Freman Hendrix saying "I could probably make a decision tonight and sleep real good." But they opted to reflect on the marathon interviews at MartinLuther King Jr. High School before voting.

The 172,000-studentdistrict is seeking to upgrade instruction, buildings and management.

Patron Marie Thornton had implored for an immediate vote on the "two excellent candidates." "We as parents seek true reform, and they can bring reform," she said. "Stand behind these two candidates, but don't open this process any longer."

While there is urgency to find a new CEO -- interim CEO David Adamany is under contract until May -- district spokesman Stan Childress said having semifinalists "in great demand" elsewhere doesn't ensure either would get the $250,000-a-year job.

When the board named the finalists from 11 candidates interviewed last month, it said it still would consider new candidates.

"If for any reason (the finalists) opt not to come or if we don't settle on the two, we'll keep the options open," Childress said.

At least five of the seven board members must agree on the choice. A Detroit school reform law passed last year requires Gov. John Engler's appointee to the board, Mark Murray, be Saturday, Harris said his chat with Adamany convinced him the interim CEO was on the right track in efforts to shore up the district's lagging test scores, chronically low attendance and graduation rates.

"Ninety-five percent of what (Adamany) would do I'd be happy to live with," Harris said.

Among other things, he insisted he would encourage greater participation from parents and would work with the district's unions, what he called "part of the American fiber." In September, unionized Detroit teachers flexed, staging a nine-day strike that delayed the school year's start before winning concessions, including a 2 percent raise for all teachers each year over the three-year contract's life.

"I think we can help the children without violating the union contract. We have reasons to work together," he said.

He closed by suggesting his principles include getting students to think out of the box -- and even brought one with him, a small mechanical toy from which a high-pitched voice was heard urging, "Can you let me out of here?" The board and listeners laughed and clapped. In heading a Tulsa district roughly half the size of Detroit's, Thompson defended essentially stable test scores in his school system since his watch there began in 1994.

On Saturday, he made clear he wasn't a fan of using test scores as a litmus test, suggesting "there are so many flaws and fallacies in all this test data if you don't look at the big picture." But he voiced confidence Detroit's lagging scores could improve if reasonable standards were set.

"In Detroit, you keep talking about up, up, up. Where's up? What number do you want to achieve?" he asked, stumping for infrastructure improvements he believes could improve the student environment and bolster performance. "I can tell you you will see success immediately when you put the infrastructure in place and start moving up," he said. "We need to do what we're capable of doing and not bite off too much."

In a Detroit district where truancy is chronic, Thompson said he would implement no-tolerance policies he called effective in Tulsa. He also said he would consider privatizing some district functions to save costs. Earlier Saturday at the school, many of the roughly 150 public gatherers for an hour-long reception for the candidates spoke favorably of the two candidates.

"Both have what these schools need -- physical and intellectual courage" and "the toughness that's going to be necessary" to produce meaningful reform, said John Telford, a community activist and a retired area schools administrator.