“I believe my obligation, my responsibility, is to serve out my term,” he said.

Kakishiba’s original announcement, that he would resign from the board at the end of October, came in response to a conflict-of-interest opinion by Oakland’s general counsel, Jackie Minor. Kakishiba is also executive director of the East Bay Asian Youth Center, which does lots of work in Oakland schools.

But Kakishiba said most of his board colleagues — who rejected the legal department’s recommendation in a 5-1 vote last week – and others in his district have since urged him to change his mind.

Board member Jody London said Kakishiba’s ability to “cut to the chase” when analyzing complex financial data will be critical for the district, which emerged from a six-year state takeover during the worst state budget crisis in years (or maybe ever).

Replacing him, she said, would have diverted time and attention from a more serious challenge facing OUSD: a projected deficit of at least $27 million for the 2010-11 school year.

The back story: Minor and an outside firm concluded that Kakishiba’s roles as board member and as executive director of a local nonprofit didn’t look good for the district — even though Kakishiba abstains from votes involving the organization’s contracts.

The attorneys said they found no ethical breach or evidence of wrongdoing, but that Kakishiba’s two roles created an opportunity for a conflict of interest to occur. They said public perceptions were especially important for the board now, as the board re-assumes its governing role.  

The recommendation: Minor did not ask Kakishiba to resign, per se, but she recommended that the district stop doing business with EBAYC if Kakishiba stayed on the board. (A 2007 inquiry by a previous general counsel resulted in a different conclusion: that there was no problem as long as Kakishiba disclosed his relationship with EBAYC and didn’t vote on contracts.)

Last week, the school board sent a strong signal to Kakishiba by rejecting Minor’s recommendation, with only Board President Noel Gallo voting to accept it. (Kakishiba was not at the meeting.)

Kakishiba said he understood, philosophically, the lawyers’ explanation earlier this month that “the law doesn’t care” how noble or honest an individual public servant may be. In practice, he said, “I think it matters a whole hell of a lot.”

King City Public Schools is getting a $13 million emergency loan from the state, according to The Californian.

Kind of makes you wonder how many others will fall into state receivership in the next two years, as California’s education funding continues to slide — and after the federal stimulus money dries up.

A coalition of Oaklanders called Great Oakland Public Schools, or GO Public Schools, is vying to help chart the school system’s path. The group, which formed last fall, is distributing a 5-page document titled “A Declaration of Community Beliefs and Visions for Oakland’s Public Schools.” Those who endorse it were invited to attend a meeting with Superintendent Tony Smith.

Some of the ideas in the declaration sound a lot like previous or existing initiatives: That principals should have greater say over staffing (i.e. hiring and firing), budgets and curriculum. That families should have the option to send their children to various district or charter schools. That Oakland should offer rewards and incentives for teachers in high-poverty areas, and raise base pay for teachers.

Some seem to regard the group with suspicion. Former OUSD Superintendent Bob Blackburn wrote an email to Hae-Sin (Kim) Thomas — a former OUSD principal and high-level administrator who later helped found GO Public Schools amid the threat of small school closures last year — in response to the declaration. It was posted on the Oakland public school parents’ Yahoo! group (to Thomas’s dismay).

Blackburn wrote:

I’m sure you realize that many people – parents, staff, leaders – throughout Oakland regard GO and Jonathan as cats-paws, as poorly-disguised advocates for more charters, and charters over everything else. As in: the wolf of charter support in the sheep’s clothing of interest in the system as a whole. Despite the PR slickness, people are dismayed at this gamesmanship, and the unadmitted real agenda. …

Thomas and Jonathan Klein, another ex-OUSD employee who is now at the Rogers Family Foundation (the “Jonathan” referenced in Blackburn’s email), each responded at length. To Blackburn’s point about charters, Thomas wrote:

…GO Public Schools was not created to endorse charters or to create charters. That said, we have no problem with quality charter schools and fundamentally believe that parents should have options. The small schools movement was born from families frustrated with their one overcrowded, low-performing option. They demanded choices.

I personally have gone back and forth on charters in Oakland and have spent a lot of time conflicted about them. …

Should OUSD embrace (or continue) the ideas and goals expressed in the declaration? Which ones? What would you change or add?

But Oakland’s state trustee, Vince Matthews – who will have veto power over the fiscal decisions of the newly re-empowered board — isn’t too far behind. Matthews’ former role as state administrator might have been scaled back this week, after the transition to local control, but his pay hasn’t changed: It’s still $240,000 a year, plus benefits.

Hilary McLean, the press secretary for State Superintendent Jack O’Connell (Matthews’ boss), said Matthews’ contract includes a 60-day provision that prevents any immediate salary changes. She said Matthews will initially work full-time in OUSD; as his time commitment lessens, she said, it’s possible that his compensation will be “adjusted.”

“It’s still, certainly, a huge responsibility,” McLean said.

Of course, if Matthews finds another job outside OUSD, a different pay rate could be negotiated with the next hire.

The Last Act: On Monday, before relinquishing his powers as state administrator, Matthews disbursed the controversial $450,000 to charter schools, per O’Connell’s orders. The school board dropped the lawsuit they had filed against O’Connell in an attempt to keep the money.

I wasn’t at yesterday’s local control ceremony, but I read that a number of teachers – protesting the bargaining impasse — were shouting over the speakers, booing and hissing. (Is hissing particularly popular in the Bay Area/California? My first exposure to this form of protest was in Hayward, over four years ago.)

I often hear that teachers want to be seen — and treated — as professionals, and most would agree that they should be. Do you think such rude public behavior undermines that goal, in the eyes of the administration and the public? Or is it an effective disincentive to get on the union’s bad side?

More broadly, what kind of a message does it send about teachers – and about Oakland’s public schools, during this important (and difficult) moment?

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Just as State Superintendent Jack O’Connell decided he would return local control to the Oakland school board — and days before Superintendent Tony Smith begins his job (Wednesday) — O’Connell’s appointee announced an impasse in bargaining with the district’s largest union, said Betty Olson-Jones, president of the Oakland Education Association.

Olson-Jones said some school board members were unaware that this had happened. More on this later. I’m headed back to California now.

The transfer will be made official on Monday, two days before Tony Smith assumes the superintendent’s post. You can find the news release here. (I would have told you earlier, but I’m on vacation until Tuesday; I was out to dinner with my family in Chicago when I got the news.)

Many have been waiting for this moment. How do you feel about it? What do you hope the board does (or doesn’t do) with its new authority?

Maybe his Oakland appointee, Vince Matthews, knows something we don’t; he’s looking for another job. 

In fact, Matthews was recently one of six finalists for a school district in Reno, Nevada — the Washoe County School District. But he later withdrew his name (as did a few of the other finalists). He told me this afternoon that he was still job hunting.

“I’m looking at all of the options that are available,” Matthews said. “At this point, I haven’t accepted anything else.”

Once local governance is returned — “I imagine at some point in the near future,” Matthews said —  Oakland’s state adminstrator would become a trustee. Matthews said he’s not so sure he wants to take on that role.

Maybe he isn’t so keen on his current job, either. It sure pays well to be a state administrator, but Matthews often looks pretty miserable up there at board meetings. Six years into a state takeover, and the third state administrator in, it’s got to be awkward.

On Monday, the Oakland school board will issue a resolution to support Assemblymember Sandre Swanson’s latest attempt to end the state takeover. AB 791 would require State Superintendent Jack O’Connell to restore the last two areas of local governance — academic policy and finances — to the OUSD board by January 4 July 1, 2010. 

In December, state auditors gave OUSD high enough ratings for O’Connell to cut the district loose, but he has yet to make a move. It’s been almost six years since the takeover.

You can find the complete document, which touts Oakland’s assets  — diversity, weather, professional sports, even the zoo – here. Candidates have until April 21 to turn in their applications for this $275,000-plus-benefits job (which, strangely enough, might seem like a deal after paying two executives $250,000 apiece.)

The characteristics sound pretty generic, actually. Do you agree that the profile (below) describes the sort of leader/superhuman Oakland needs? What would you add?

Oakland Unified School District Seeks a Superintendent Who Possesses the Following Characteristics

Personal
• Will inspire trust, has high levels of self-confidence and optimism, and models high standards of integrity and personal performance.

Instructional
• Is strongly committed to a “student first” philosophy in all decisions.
• Has demonstrated the ability to enhance student performance and to use research, especially in identifying and closing or narrowing the gaps in student achievement.

Political
• Possesses the leadership skills required to respond to the challenges presented by an ethnically and culturally diverse community.
• Demonstrates effective communication skills to include speaking, listening and writing within a diverse community.
• Has successful experience in the selection and implementation of educational priorities consistent with the interests and needs of students, staff, board and community.
• Is able to build consensus and commitment among individuals and groups with emphasis on parental involvement.

Managerial
• Will listen to input, but can make a decision when necessary.
• Has knowledge of and successful experience in sound fiscal practices, contract negotiations, and management of district resources, including appropriate participation of others in planning and decision-making.
• Is able to lead a large organization dedicated to goals of continuous improvement.

image from John Morton’s photostream at flickr.com/creativecommons