Education
Free Market Friday: Children better off without Neu
May 6, 2016
Jonathan Small
When the Board of Education that governs Oklahoma City Public Schools recently voted to sever ties with Superintendent Rob Neu, there was much media speculation about why. After all, the board had welcomed Neu less than two years earlier and voted to pay him $240,000, plus a hefty $65,000 in benefits.
It’s an understatement to say that Neu’s tenure has been filled with turmoil. For example, Neu hastily led the district in revamping its student disciplinary system. Neu gleefully reported that student suspensions were down. Unfortunately, a survey of district teachers showed that classroom chaos was up.
One teacher was quoted as having “multiple bruises, bite marks and a knot on my head.”
Sadly, a check of how Neu was hired in the first place might have warned the board members of what was coming.