Crain's Chicago Observer <http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/mag/department.pl?post_date=2001-04- 14&department_id=10&arc=n> Steven R. Strahler reports that there's rising chatter at the Chicago Public Schools that Chief Education Officer Cozette Buckney is packing her bags. Chicago Observer April 16, 2001 By Steven R. Strahler Never a dull moment at CPS: Knives come out for top deputy Is she or isn't she? There's rising chatter at the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) that Chief Education Officer Cozette Buckney is packing her bags. "I'd be lying to you if I told you there wasn't an attempt to force her out," says CEO Paul Vallas, asserting, however, that she'll be at CPS for as long as he is � which may not be all that long. Word elsewhere is less supportive of Ms. Buckney. "We haven't made any decisions about personnel changes yet," says Board President Gery Chico. "So, that's probably the reason for the conflict (of opinion) � speculation, rumor." Deputy Chief of Staff Arne Duncan, said to be assembling a list of successor candidates, declined comment, except to ask if we had anyone in mind. Mr. Vallas says he's discussed pending organizational changes with Mr. Chico but not other trustees and thus won't elaborate. "If anybody says that Cozette isn't up to the job, then I'm not up to the job. And nobody has told me that," he insists. With a recent raise and pending contract negotiations, the six-year CEO adds, "I'm not sticking around because there's no place to go. I'm sticking around because there's more to be done." A secretary to Ms. Buckney says, "Everything's fine. She's not going anywhere." -- This is the ISTA-talk mailing list. To unsubscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For more information: <http://www.ista-il.org/about/mail_list.html> To search the archives: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/>
