Friday, March 23, 2012

No Mo for CMS

Maurice "Mo" Green, superintendent of Guilford County Schools, isn't in the running to succeed the Charlotte-Mecklenburg superintendent he helped hire.

Green in 2008
Ever since Peter Gorman resigned last summer, there's been talk that Green might be the next leader of CMS.  Green was the CMS attorney when the board hired Gorman in 2006.  Gorman was so impressed with Green's work on the hiring negotiations that he soon named Green his deputy.  In 2008, the state's third-largest district lured Green away from the second-largest,  and Green used many of the same approaches to education that won national acclaim for Gorman and CMS.

Early on,  Green wouldn't return my calls asking whether he might apply.  But Guilford Chief of Staff Nora Carr,  another CMS alum, told me this week that he was approached about applying but declined.

"I think he's very happy here,  but he was flattered by the interest,"  she said.

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

Anne,

Why are comments not allowed on the gang story? First they were, then it was cut off, then they were on again, now this morning they are off again.

Ann Doss Helms said...

7:27, I'm not in the office yet so haven't talked to online folks. But I know last night the concern was a whole lot of comments to the effect of "Good, let them kill each other." People tend to forget -- or not care -- that there's an actual dead teenager with friends and family mourning him. Wiley, I don't see a free speech violation here; neither the O nor anyone else is hunting down and penalizing people for their opinions. It's the O's free-speech right not to use its web site to host a forum for people to demean a dead student.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps Mo appreciates heading up a school system of a more manageable size than CMS. Perhaps there is less controversy over schools in Guilford County (don't know about this). Perhaps there aren't media and activists there intent on constantly generating controversy so that Mo and his staff can concentrate on education.

Pamela Grundy said...

I personally don't think the Observer should allow comments on any stories that involve a person's death for precisely the reasons that Ann states. Sadly, there are people who comment in these forums who seem to lack basic decency and there's no need to give them the opportunity to make ugly, anonymous comments about these kinds of tragedies.

Shelly said...

Anne
I appreciate you acknowledging many of the comments and all your following up on others questions and opinions.

Anonymous said...

The story line is " he was contacted and said no" by who Ericka? Clearly the search has taken a turn for who can we hire of color that looks like they can do the job. People we need the best possible WILLING candidate. Dont you dare bring race into this as it will implode in your lap madam chair. If we find a person who is blind or has 3 arms that qualified and has a history of turning around a system as big as ours hire them on the spot. I could care less about Ann Clarks personal preference of relationships outside of school business if she is our best and can get it done I am for it. It wont be PC and it will cause shock waves , BUT it may be a game changer.

Anonymous said...

An "urban" school system NEEDS an "urban" superintendent.

We all know where this is eventually going.

Expect more "flights" from CMS if that's what happens, though.

Anonymous said...

Who did the talking ? Did BOE approach Mo about our open position? ProAct ? Gormanator ? Ericka ? KOJO ? Seriously I doubt he applied so its not a factor.

Ann Doss Helms said...

Carr was not specific about who approached Green, but I can tell you two things: 1. The talk about his being a contender for the CMS job began before Ellis-Stewart was elected, and 2. National search firms are always touching bases with superintendents. It would actually be pretty surprising if no one had put out feelers to Green; it doesn't necessarily signal that anyone was trying to make a stealth job offer.

Anonymous said...

The "gang" story is just another example of why throwing money at the bottom-feeders is so misguided.

It would be interesting to open the murderer's school records to the public.

Maybe there should be a new policy for convicted murderers so we can see if any "reasonable person" (i.e., a non-educrat) could have seen this coming based on his "priors" in CMS.

The murderer in this case most likely would be considered a "success" story by CMS standards.

Up until that murder, that is.

After all, he managed to graduate from a magnet "Academy" and get into college, so he obviously "turned his life around"

Then, whoops...

What happened?

We'll never know, but I doubt that his "problems" began in college.

And we'll never know why because we're too cowardly to look.

BolynMcClung said...

IT IS DISAPPOINTING THAT A GOOD CANDIDATE DIDN'T WANT TO GIVE US A CHANCE ...

Mo being a part of the process would have forced CMS to look at itself and find out what it would have to do to make the bargain.

That kind of self-evaluation would have made CMS a better district; no matter which candidate came out on top.

I hope there are those kinds of applications among the survivors to the second round. That would mean that a "change agent" could believe that change is possible in Mecklenburg.

Bolyn McClung
Pineville

Anonymous said...

Bolyn- Mo would be a great "change agent" for LIFT , but we just bought that with the WONDEROUS Ms. Watts did we not? Ms. Kendrick leading as our "Moderator" to keep Eric,Tim and Rhonda in place yah know at meetings for Ericka. That way they dont gang up on her and hold her accountable yah know. Mo is so past CMS he has a green pasture with a double dip pension ahead of him the last thing he wants is this CMS Mess. Matter of fact we should have in the bylaws that once you leave CMS (Mo,Watts,Gorman,Murri) you cannot come back so make it and break it.

Anonymous said...

Do we really want another Gorman puppet? I am glad that there is "No MO for CMS".
Would it not be "good" for Charlotte and CMS to FINALLY choose a female for the Top School job (not as an interim but as the real deal. Ann Clark would be the best choice. Or maybe CMS is NOT the "World Class" system that it claims to be. Glass ceiling for female administrators? White female administrators? Shal I go one step further?

Anonymous said...

And leave?

Truth Seeker said...

Ann Clark was once a wonderful administrator. Sadly it is unknown what role she has played in the mess of CMS during the past year or two. Pay for performance? Forced resignations? Mass exodus of principals? Low staff morale? Which administrator will step up and take responsibility for all the trauma? Can Ms. Clark lead out of this mess or would it better to go with an outsider?

Anonymous said...

Oh... Mo... I'm going to cry... NOT!!

Anonymous said...

A non story indeed.

Anonymous said...

Ann could be the "change agent" but the fact she wont play along with the Charlotte Chamber may hurt her. Her persoanal life choices (if you know what I mean) will probably come into play as well. Thats what I like about her and think she would be great. She has seen th mistakes and wont go back rather forward.

Anonymous said...

We need profiles on all the non-candidates who don't want to head CMS...

Anonymous said...

"Personal life choices" not really - no choice - just who you are. Who would choose to have their career derailed over something like that if it was a "choice?" What matters is can she do the job? She can but for some reason doesn't seem be leading. Why? What the heck is going on in CMS? Parents have been distressed for awhile. Staff are in a tail spin. Morale has to be improved before good things happen. Confidence has to be restored. CMS could be great.

Anonymous said...

What role did Ann Clark play? Remember when judge manning had CMS under the microscope? Ask Tommy Tomlinson what Ann Clark told judge Manning why CMS was so bad. "Teachers just aren't doing what were telling them!" Then she traveled around to several schools saying that she didn't say that. At one school a teacher directly quoted what she said from a court transcript.

Anonymous said...

I love words like 'Change Agent" "Piece" "Ttransition" and other educational buzz words that people throw out because they don't know how to solve a problem.

Parso4Teaching said...

Anon 7:34...Wow! Nice comment BUT in what Context? You threw out a "one liner" and we are supposed to agree with you based on THAT. I am open to changing my opinion but need REAL information. If Clark is against teachers because of one statement... I can give you several ACTIONS that counter that one. But if you can give more info that could change my mind PLEASE do so. What context?

Truth Seeker said...

Still having issues with all the forced resignations and dismissals...the buck stops with Ann and Hugh, right? Who else has the authority to give the green light for those?

Anonymous said...

In wake of the recent shooting in FL why dont CMS ban hoodies for all students? Do it nationwide. Wheres Obama?

What is the purpose for millions of adults setting poor dangerous examples protesting the death of Trayvon Martin to go around wearing hoodies on their heads? Do they want more deaths? Drug dealers and thugs wear them to conceal their IDs anyway.

You can actually wear the hoodie shirt and not wear the hoodie on your head too.

Play it safe. Ban hoodies. Start with CMS.

Anonymous said...

No Data
No Peace

Anonymous said...

Okay no offense , but say it comes out that Ann is a Lesbian. Nothing wrong with her life choice. Does the Chamber like that or hold her down because of it? Does CMS have the guts to put her in that leadership role? (no) How does it look in the press? Oh our national reputation would be ruined. I dont care about our reputation it cannot get lower than this. We need the best person today to take us out of the garbage can we are in today.

Anonymous said...

CMS has NEVER put a woman in "charge" of the top post (except as interim). It would be "good press" IF they did and even better press with our Socialist lean regardless of Ann's orientation. MOST of all SHE is the best one for the job unless someone can give evidence as to not.

Anonymous said...

The Gormanator and Mo were like the dynamic duo. You know, the suave bolla white guy and the chill-axed black dude. I thought they both handled the penguin controversy well. Since we're in a new era of "I Am Woman" on the school board, a lesbian superintendent just might be the right fit. Pair her with a French speaking Chicano-American of Cherokee descent and we're good to go.

Coupe said...

Do we really want another Gorman puppet? I am glad that there is "No MO for CMS". Would it not be "good" for Charlotte and CMS to FINALLY choose a female for the Top School job (not as an interim but as the real deal. Ann Clark would be the best choice. Or maybe CMS is NOT the "World Class" system that it claims to be. Glass ceiling for female administrators? White female administrators? Shal I go one step further?