Can SDUSD's Supt Be Persuaded to Stay?

San Diego Unified School District Superintendent Terry Grier was named the new superintendent of the Houston Independent School District according to a published report.

Can he be persuaded to stay in San Diego?  That's the question being discussed in San Diego after the announcement that the superintendent of the San Diego Unified School District is the frontrunner for a job in Houston.

People in the business and political community are making an effort to keep Superintendent Terry Grier by circulating a letter, asking the board and the superintendent to both take a step back.

"That's very humbling people are doing that," Grier said by phone from Houston. He traveled to Texas to be present when the Houston school board voted Thursday to name him as its next superintendent. Trustees must wait 21 days after naming the sole finalist to make the hiring official under state law.

"I think there is a wonderful opportunity here," Grier told the Houston board. β€œThe community is very lucky to have a board that is reform-minded, that cares about the children and cares about the community,” Grier said in Houston. β€œI look forward to working with the board and working with the community.”

Grier did say he is being treated well in Houston and reiterated there is a 21 day waiting period before a contract can be signed. "Nothing is a technicality," he said. "Nothing is done until it's done. "

Board President Shelia Jackson said "no comment" when asked if she would support the effort to keep Grier.

The President of  the teacher's union, Camille Zombro,  was quite clear that the union wants him to move on.

"Terry Grier has been a consistently divisive force since he's been in San Diego Unified, she said  Wednesday.

Monday the board and the superintendent will meet in closed session to talk and discuss options.

Contact Us