Los Angeles' incoming schools chief vowed Thursday to make removing "bad teachers" a major focus of his plan to improve schools -- and made clear he was willing to sacrifice his early popularity over the issue.
"I'm going to be unpopular," said David L. Brewer, who is expected to take over as schools superintendent by the middle of next month.
"It's called the right teacher in the right classroom in the right school.... Some people do not belong in the classroom, OK? They don't belong there. We're gonna get them out. The question is how is the system going to react to the way we get them out."
Brewer, 60, made the comments as part of a wide-ranging discussion with Times reporters and editors about his early impressions of the Los Angeles Unified School District and his plans to reform the nation's second-largest school system.
During the hourlong conversation, Brewer repeated his belief that dropouts remain one of the district's greatest problems.
He reiterated his intent to forge ties with city agencies that serve poor, at-risk children and said he would focus on a quick, dramatic overhaul of the district's long-overlooked middle schools. Brewer also indicated that he plans to streamline the mammoth district by slashing the size of its bureaucracy.
But in promising to take on poorly performing teachers, the retired Navy admiral steered headlong into perhaps the most volatile waters he will navigate as superintendent.
School principals and other administrators often bemoan the time and effort it takes to remove ineffective teachers, citing the extensive job protection granted in the union contract and under state law as a key barrier to reforming a school.
It is a frequently made charge that angers union leaders, who say teachers deserve and need the protection to defend against incompetent or vindictive principals.
When read a transcript of Brewer's comments, A.J. Duffy, president of United Teachers Los Angeles, said the incoming superintendent has much to learn about the school district.
"He's also going to have to understand that a major cause of problems at schools are principals and assistant principals who are not team builders or team leaders," Duffy said.
"I hope he schools himself in the issue of administrators who are top-down, 'Do what I say' people rather than ... team-building, collaborative people who regard and respect classroom teachers," Duffy said.
