"I came to do a job, not for a job"

Former Little Rock School District Superintendent Dr. Roy Brooks spoke to our Leadership class yesterday. After reviewing a case study on the tenuous relationship between Dr. Brooks and the Little Rock School Board, the subsequent discussion revealed a vacuum of information. This prompted my classmate, Chad Williamson, to suggest inviting Dr. Brooks to address the class. To our benefit, Dr. Brooks responded favorably.
Dr. Brooks came to Little Rock at a critical time: the district was under intense scrutiny by a desegregation court order, a top heavy administration and a divided school board. He discussed key accomplishments and challenges he faced as the leader of the largest school district in Arkansas, emphasizing the importance of “patience and poise” as a leader, particularly in the face of adversity. “When you make decisions on the magnitude of $300 million, you are going to have people disagree,” Brooks said.
Despite leading LRSD out of a 24 year court desegregation order and strengthening business relationships, he openly acknowledged missteps along the way, particularly with grassroots organizations. He encouraged us to “reach out to grassroots organizations. You can enable disengaged people to be active in the decision-making process.”
Though the Q&A segment offered some precipitous moments, the opportunity for an ‘interactive lesson’ was priceless.

Julia Reed Reception

Posted by ERIC WILSON - Author and editor Julia Reed is visiting Little Rock as the featured speaker for tomorrow’s luncheon benefitting the Arkansas Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts. She stopped by the Clinton School this evening to visit with our students about their work in the Delta, an area she knows intimately. Born in Greenville, Mississippi, Reed was a contributing editor at Vogue where her profile subjects included George and Laura Bush, Condoleezza Rice, Hillary Clinton, and both Cindy and Roberta McCain. She is now a contributing editor at Newsweek, where she writes the “food and drink” column. An acclaimed author and regular guest on MSNBC and CNN, Reed is also the chairman of the board of the Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans and serves on the board of FriendsofNewOrleans.org.