Openly Gay Chicago Public Schools Chief Ron Huberman to Resign

Openly gay Chicago Public Schools Superintendent Ron Huberman has announced his resignation effective November 29, reports the Chicago Tribune.

Despite an ambitious agenda, Huberman will leave the $230,000-a-year job before many of his signature initiatives — including a $40 million anti-violence project — are fully realized. Mayoral spokeswoman Jodi Kawada said Daley will announce a replacement for Huberman before the superintendent's last day. Kawada said the mayor did not press Huberman to move up his resignation date. "Ron expressed to the mayor his desire not to work for another administration, and they discussed an appropriate time for Ron to step down."

In his brief tenure in charge of the nation's third-largest school district, Huberman has faced sweeping problems, from a massive budget crunch to highly publicized street violence that continues to claim the lives of Chicago students. A former police officer with a master of business administration degree from the University of Chicago, Huberman approached these problems analytically, harnessing reams of data to evaluate teacher performance and to attempt to predict which students are most likely to be victims of violence.

Huberman did not return a call seeking comment. But in an e-mail Wednesday to district employees, he said he informed the mayor last week of his resignation. He also thanked teachers and administrators for their work, and said no job had been "more fulfilling" in his 16 years of public service.

Despite closing a billion dollar deficit, Huberman's data-driven management style was criticized by teachers and educators. LGBT youth activists and some openly gay and lesbian high school students also criticized the openly gay schools chief for failing to address anti-gay bullying and harassment.

Huberman was appointed in early 2009 after Arne Duncan was named Secretary of Education by President Obama. Huberman publicly came out in a Sun-Times profile around that time.

"A CPS news release said Wednesday that Huberman, 38, 'wants to spend more time with his family before beginning a new career endeavor'," adds the Sun-Times. "Huberman and his partner, Darren DeJong, are raising a son, Aiden DeJong Huberman, born in July 2009."

Comments

[joseph]

Good riddance! Perhaps Daley will actually pick an educator this time.

[Chitown Kev]

It would be nice to have Huberman back at the CTA, though. He had the trains clean AND running on time (well, they didn't run on time all of the time but they weren't breaking down in Loop tunnels either)

[Procrastination_Xtravaganza]

From most reports on his tenure this guy sucked @ss (and not in a good way). Now he also pulls a Palin and quits? Ugh, good riddance. While he may have been more analytical than indifferent, actions speak louder than words. Only now do we hear about an expensive anti-bullying project that's been "in the works," and after all that time wasted the people he picked to implement the plans may not even be around after the new person is appointed! Foolishness. How many people have to endure BS while you crunch data?

Its unfortunate that we cant find people who can multitask. While I think that big budget initiatives and long drawn out studies are important to changing longstanding trends, in times where waves of students are marching in the streets to your office to demand administrative action for relief from bullying how can you sit silent and keep crunching your numbers? Then quit before you implement the plans you've been dragging out all this time?

Someone please pull a Tonya Harding on this jerk.

The road to hell is paved...

[Honut Sinti]

Well, it is apparent that he did not accurately "calculate" the avialable credit on his gay card. Ms. Chicago City handed it back and said it was DECLINED.

[terrell]

Its not his fault children don't want to learn and parents don't make them.

Keep on blaming people in power for not fixing everyone problems in one year, we are surely headed in the wrong direction

[Former COGIC]

Yawn @ Terrell

You're the same one who was crying and hollering about anti-gay Rev Meeks 'right' to run for mayor. Now you're defending the (white) gay schools chief who even gay students and activists said was NOT doing enough to stop bullying and violence.

And let's not even talk about how many students were killed by gang violence in Chicago.

Your closet must be very roomy, hon. How were services at Rev Meeks church this morning? Did he condemn gays? Did you wave your tambourine, chile?

[Isis]

There is plenty of BLAME to go around and no one is exempt. Huberman could have been more decisive and less analytical. He should have been listening more and acted faster. However, parents are also to blame. Parental involvement is very important for a child's education. They ALL need to do better.... ALL!!

[terrell]

how he is going to stop bullyin and violence against gays? its 8am, stat of school, he is downtown, how is he going to stop someone from bullying anyone? Weaklings need to stand up for themselves at school. my momma told me when I was young if a mofo fuck with me to whoop his ass, and they left me alone. bullying is nothing new and no one can do ANYTHING about it from a damn office

[Isis]

@ Terrell

Come on now! Lets NOT get ignorant. Huberman can put money into conflict resolution programs and more money into security. There are definitely things he can do from a "damn" office. Have you seen the video of the honor roll student being stumped to death in the streets of Chicago? Have you heard about the many other instances of extreme youth violence in that district? I maintain that its NOT all Huberman's fault, but he certainly has the means to maybe do a little more.

Mothers need to tell their kids they love them NO MATTER WHAT... and MEAN IT! That helps more than telling kids to "Whoop a mofo". The ones doing the bullying wouldn't be looking for validation if they had what they needed at home. I'm not saying that kids shouldn't defend themselves, but we all know bullying is not just physical, its mental and emotional too. When you have kids killings themselves over this, its goes to a new level.

How dare you call a child a weakling! Children do NOT have the maturity and life experience that adults do (some adults don't either). When you factor in being gay or having uninterested parents, you can be very vulnerable to the bullying. These kids start to believe that they somehow deserve to be treated that way and that the only way out is to end it ALL! This is a SERIOUS problem and it deserves attention, NOT RIDICULE! I am genuinely offended by you calling them weaklings!

[CherryNsindiary]

As am I. We've all been the victims of unwanted advances once in our youth.

[CherryNsindiary]

Hire my @ss for the job then.