By Devin Dubon
Applause erupted at the emergency school board meeting convened by Alberto Carvalho as he announced that he will remain as Superintendent of Miami Dade Public Schools.
He’s staying. @MiamiSup said against what is best for his career, he’s staying where his heart is: Miami. @nbc6 Heaped praise on NY Mayor Bill DiBlasio in the process. They share the same vision, he said. @MDVForeign pic.twitter.com/sW6vaMsFbo
— Ari Odzer (@ariodzernbc6) March 1, 2018
This announcement came the day after it was revealed that Carvalho was offered the job of Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education—an offer that, if he accepted, would have put him in charge of the largest school district in the country.
Carvalho has been a rising star in the education world ever since he took over the job of superintendent in 2008, and immediately set to work on improving the fourth largest school system in the country—and to great success.
Carvalho has managed to improve graduation rates by 20 percent, and under his supervision the school district has received numerous accolades and awards.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio offered Carvalho the job after the current Chancellor, Carmen Fariña, announced her retirement in December 2017.
Carvalho called for an emergency school board meeting to announce his decision, and the room was packed with students and parents. At the meeting many of these students spoke, begging Carvalho to stay. At one point, chants of “Please don’t go” broke out in the chamber.
Then, in a shocking turn of events, Carvalho finally spoke, and announced that he would not be leaving Miami. It seemed that Carvalho changed his mind during the meeting, as he acknowledged that he previously accepted the position.
“I just don’t know how to break a promise to a child, how to break a promise to a community. And that has weighed on me in the past 24 hours,” Carvalho said.
It was clear that de Blasio’s office was not expecting this, and Carvalho even had to call for a break in the middle of his announcement, implying that he needed to inform de Blasio about his decision.
The NYC Mayor’s press secretary, Eric Phillips, scrambled to figure out what was happening after Carvalho announced his decision during the livestreamed meeting.
Give us a minute, folks. We’re also sorting through the weirdness.
— Eric Phillips (@EricFPhillips) March 1, 2018
“Give us a minute, folks. We’re also sorting through the weirdness,” he tweeted. Soon afterwards he reversed all of the praise that the Mayor’s office heaped upon Carvalho in a series of tweets.
He was a Yes for a week+, until he was a No 15 minutes ago. Bullet dodged.
— Eric Phillips (@EricFPhillips) March 1, 2018
Who would ever hire this guy again? Who would ever vote for him?
— Eric Phillips (@EricFPhillips) March 1, 2018
This is not the first time that Carvalho turns down an offer that would have advanced his career but necessitated him leaving Miami. In 2017, it was rumored that he would run for Congress, but he declined because he was too committed to the school district.
New York may still be reeling from this stunning embarrassment, but Miami is rejoicing at being able to keep the highly successful, and much loved superintendent. Although many have tried to take the nationally lauded educator to higher grounds, it seems Carvalho is content with staying right where he is, and continuing to support, and improve the people that he was elected to serve in 2008.
Thank you @BilldeBlasio @NYCSchools and the people of New York City for all you have offered me. I am eternally grateful and appreciative of you and this opportunity. This is one of the hardest decisions I have ever made.
— Alberto M. Carvalho (@LAUSDSup) March 1, 2018
