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| Miami Superintendent Turns Down New York City Schools Job | Miami Superintendent Turns Down New York City Schools Job |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| MIAMI — In a dramatic spectacle broadcast live on television, Mayor Bill de Blasio’s choice to lead New York City’s school system said on Thursday that he had changed his mind and would stay on as superintendent of the Miami-Dade County system. The announcement by the official, Alberto M. Carvalho, led to cheers in a packed meeting room of his school board and fury and confusion in New York City. | MIAMI — In a dramatic spectacle broadcast live on television, Mayor Bill de Blasio’s choice to lead New York City’s school system said on Thursday that he had changed his mind and would stay on as superintendent of the Miami-Dade County system. The announcement by the official, Alberto M. Carvalho, led to cheers in a packed meeting room of his school board and fury and confusion in New York City. |
| “I am breaking an agreement,” Mr. Carvalho said. “I shall remain in Miami-Dade as your superintendent.” His renunciation came during a special board meeting that turned into a three-and-a-half-hour spectacle of supporters begging him to stay before a speech by Mr. Carvalho tantalizing the crowd with hints he might leave. He interrupted his remarks to speak privately by telephone with Mayor de Blasio before coming back and delivering the news. | “I am breaking an agreement,” Mr. Carvalho said. “I shall remain in Miami-Dade as your superintendent.” His renunciation came during a special board meeting that turned into a three-and-a-half-hour spectacle of supporters begging him to stay before a speech by Mr. Carvalho tantalizing the crowd with hints he might leave. He interrupted his remarks to speak privately by telephone with Mayor de Blasio before coming back and delivering the news. |
| It was an embarrassing turn of events for the de Blasio administration, which appeared to be caught off guard and reacted with anger. | It was an embarrassing turn of events for the de Blasio administration, which appeared to be caught off guard and reacted with anger. |
| “Who would ever hire this guy again?” Eric Phillips, the mayor’s press secretary, said on Twitter. “Who would ever vote for him?” | “Who would ever hire this guy again?” Eric Phillips, the mayor’s press secretary, said on Twitter. “Who would ever vote for him?” |
| Mr. de Blasio, not 24 hours earlier, had said that he had found in the superintendent “the best person to lead the nation’s largest school system into the future.” | Mr. de Blasio, not 24 hours earlier, had said that he had found in the superintendent “the best person to lead the nation’s largest school system into the future.” |
| At a news conference Thursday afternoon, the mayor said he was “very surprised by Mr. Carvalho’s decision,” adding that the superintendent had indeed accepted the job offer. | |
| “I spoke to him again last night and we discussed the next steps,” Mr. de Blasio said. “So you can imagine how surprised I was to get a phone call from him.” | |
| The pick seemed almost too good to be true — and, apparently, it was. As a young man, Mr. Carvalho was an immigrant to the United States from Portugal who overstayed his visa. He said he was homeless for a time and had slept in a friend’s U-Haul. He became a physics teacher, then rose up the ranks in Miami-Dade education. A charismatic presence, he speaks at least four languages: Portuguese, English, Spanish and French. He seemed well poised to hone Mr. de Blasio’s education agenda and pitch it to the public. | The pick seemed almost too good to be true — and, apparently, it was. As a young man, Mr. Carvalho was an immigrant to the United States from Portugal who overstayed his visa. He said he was homeless for a time and had slept in a friend’s U-Haul. He became a physics teacher, then rose up the ranks in Miami-Dade education. A charismatic presence, he speaks at least four languages: Portuguese, English, Spanish and French. He seemed well poised to hone Mr. de Blasio’s education agenda and pitch it to the public. |
| New York City is the largest school system in the country, with 1.1 million students and a budget of $30 billion, larger than the gross domestic product of many countries. Nonetheless, many educators and observers warned Mr. de Blasio might have a difficult time attracting top talent to the job to continue the work of Carmen Fariña, who plans to retire as chancellor soon, rather than someone with the freedom to cut a bold new vision. | New York City is the largest school system in the country, with 1.1 million students and a budget of $30 billion, larger than the gross domestic product of many countries. Nonetheless, many educators and observers warned Mr. de Blasio might have a difficult time attracting top talent to the job to continue the work of Carmen Fariña, who plans to retire as chancellor soon, rather than someone with the freedom to cut a bold new vision. |
| Thursday’s spectacle is likely to make the task that much more difficult. | Thursday’s spectacle is likely to make the task that much more difficult. |
| “How embarrassing!” said George Arzt, a veteran political consultant who was a press secretary to Mayor Edward I. Koch. “In the past there are people who have pulled out of jobs they’ve been appointed to, but I don’t remember any job as prominent as schools chancellor. But it’s certainly shocking and they have to renew their search and find someone very quickly.” | “How embarrassing!” said George Arzt, a veteran political consultant who was a press secretary to Mayor Edward I. Koch. “In the past there are people who have pulled out of jobs they’ve been appointed to, but I don’t remember any job as prominent as schools chancellor. But it’s certainly shocking and they have to renew their search and find someone very quickly.” |
| Mr. Arzt added: “The problem is that the new person will be viewed as the second choice.” | Mr. Arzt added: “The problem is that the new person will be viewed as the second choice.” |
| “Oy vey!” said Bruce Gyory, a Democratic political consultant. “There’s no way around it, this is what LaGuardia meant when he said, ‘When I make a mistake, it’s a beaut.’” | “Oy vey!” said Bruce Gyory, a Democratic political consultant. “There’s no way around it, this is what LaGuardia meant when he said, ‘When I make a mistake, it’s a beaut.’” |
| Mr. Carvalho was among the last to arrive at the emergency meeting, held at the board’s headquarters in downtown Miami. He was met with cheers and a standing ovation as he walked to his seat. | Mr. Carvalho was among the last to arrive at the emergency meeting, held at the board’s headquarters in downtown Miami. He was met with cheers and a standing ovation as he walked to his seat. |
| Board members urged Mr. Carvalho to stay. He had flirted with leaving before, and the board gave him generous pay increases to keep him. While the current New York City chancellor earns $234,569, New York officials said they would match his $352,874 Miami salary. | Board members urged Mr. Carvalho to stay. He had flirted with leaving before, and the board gave him generous pay increases to keep him. While the current New York City chancellor earns $234,569, New York officials said they would match his $352,874 Miami salary. |
| The board then opened the meeting to the public. Speaker after speaker lavished praise on Mr. Carvalho for preventing budget cuts to the arts, advocating on behalf of immigrants and stabilizing a school district that before his tenure had been notorious for political upheaval. | The board then opened the meeting to the public. Speaker after speaker lavished praise on Mr. Carvalho for preventing budget cuts to the arts, advocating on behalf of immigrants and stabilizing a school district that before his tenure had been notorious for political upheaval. |
| Supporters recited Rudyard Kilpling’s poem “If” and mentioned KC and the Sunshine Band’s “Please Don’t Go.” Praise came from Luther Campbell, better known as Uncle Luke, a youth football coach and former member of the hip-hop group 2 Live Crew, who said Mr. Carvalho’s departure “would be a tragedy.” Several people cracked jokes comparing New York and Miami winters. | Supporters recited Rudyard Kilpling’s poem “If” and mentioned KC and the Sunshine Band’s “Please Don’t Go.” Praise came from Luther Campbell, better known as Uncle Luke, a youth football coach and former member of the hip-hop group 2 Live Crew, who said Mr. Carvalho’s departure “would be a tragedy.” Several people cracked jokes comparing New York and Miami winters. |
| After bathing in more than two hours of praise, Mr. Carvalho spoke, but asked for several breaks, which turned out to be attempts to speak to Mr. de Blasio. He eventually reached him. | After bathing in more than two hours of praise, Mr. Carvalho spoke, but asked for several breaks, which turned out to be attempts to speak to Mr. de Blasio. He eventually reached him. |
| The conversation, Mr. Carvalho said, was not easy. | The conversation, Mr. Carvalho said, was not easy. |
| “This is probably the second most difficult thing I’ve ever done in my life. The very first one was to leave my country,” he said. “I am breaking an agreement between adults to honor an agreement and a pact I have with the children of Miami.” | “This is probably the second most difficult thing I’ve ever done in my life. The very first one was to leave my country,” he said. “I am breaking an agreement between adults to honor an agreement and a pact I have with the children of Miami.” |
| In Florida, the audience roared. In New York City, mouths dropped. | In Florida, the audience roared. In New York City, mouths dropped. |