It s the story of one man s struggle to bring change to a system that bucks it at every turn. Hornbeck battled an entrenched bureaucracy, a stubborn union, hostile politicians, budget deficits and a deep-rooted belief that poor and minority children cannot achieve. Unable to produce the changes he sought, Hornbeck made headlines recently when he resigned his position.
Cities routinely chew up and spit out school superintendents.
Typically, an urban superintendent lasts less than three years. Los Angeles currently has an acting interim superintendent, and New York recently hired its third superintendent in six years. As Philadelphia s superintendent of schools, Hornbeck faced huge obstacles. His own inflexible streak of moralism and a tendency to alienate even his most ardent supporters made matters worse. In Hornbeck s sixth year as superintendent, students were achieving at higher levels than in the past, but whether these improvements will last remains to be seen.