Cautionary Tale Epilogue: San Diego's New Superintendent and a Lesson Learned

Readers of Bill Clinton’s lengthy memoir MY LIFE contains quite a few pat on the back comments about a former college roommate, fellow Rhodes scholar, and genial good friend who grew up to be a federal prosecutor. And a public school superintendent. Yes, the man who built a successful presidential legacy on feeling others’ pain was nearly out of office before suffering the wounds caused by his pal Alan Bersin, whose seven year reign decimated the morale of San Diegans attending, volunteering or working in the city’s public schools. If President Clinton ever decides to write a sequel, he can add a chapter on his friend’s meteoric fall and Schwarzenneger-anointed rise to the state of California’s most lackluster public sector job next to the guy who measures the rainfall in Needles.

Fear not, Bill. The trustees in San Diego, living up to their campaign promises, applied the necessary ointments, oils and, yes, a mustard plaster to cure the calamitous cankers covering the collective carcass of the education community for which they were entrusted to care and serve. On July 23, 2005, the San Diego board of trustees coaxed Carl Cohn, longtime superintendent of Long Beach Unified turned USC professor, to take the post. What’s so special about Carl Cohn, you ask? Check out these salient comments from the “Sign on San Diego” article we came across . The contrast between Cohn and Bersin is pretty clear:

“Educators and civic leaders were abuzz with excitement about the prospect of having such a highly regarded educator who is admired by teacher unions, academics and big-name philanthropists.”

“"The most important thing about Carl as a superintendent is he knew the right people to ask for help; he can attract the best and brightest," Stanton said. "As a boss, people always admired him. He had an open-door policy. You can go in and tell him anything, you never have to worry about your ideas getting shot down. He would always listen and mull it over."

“A former U.S. Attorney and border czar, Bersin was perceived as abrasive and dictatorial; Cohn has a reputation for collaboration.”

“"He has a personal style that is firm and commanding and yet not abrasive – very balanced in his approach – and he is one of these guys when he starts talking about an issue he speaks with such compelling command that people listen, and they trust him and they absolutely appreciate his sincerity," said Scott Plotkin, the executive director of the California School Board Association, who has known Cohn for 20 years.”

“"Carl Cohn is the answer to our prayers," said Robin Whitlow, executive director of the San Diego Education Association, the union that represents nearly 9,000 teachers in the district.”

Can the seven year reign of Alan “Augusto Pinochet” Bersin finally be at an end? And who will toss their hat into the ring to lead East Side out of the doldrums and into prosperity? Keep praying, East Side. There just might be a board member reading this who learned a thing or two from the final chapter of San Diego’s cautionary tale.