Fresno Unified Superintendent Michael Hanson is explaining in more detail why he has decided to end his tenure next year. A defiant Hanson says he is not caving to public pressure for his ouster.
Hanson has been superintendent for 12 years and during that time has helped solidify the district’s budget and improved educational results.
However, his tenure has also been controversial. The district still ranks among the worst in the state in many measures, the teacher’s union has repeatedly called for his dismissal, and the district is under federal investigation over the use of no-bid construction contracts.
“I am not running from a damn thing,”
Speaking to the media today, Hanson says none of that played a role in his decision to announce that he is leaving office at the end of next August when his contract expires.
“I just have reached a conclusion that somebody else can probably do it as well or if not better than I can at this time. And that is the bitter part, is that I know that there are kids in our community still suffering. And they need more. And more work needs to be done,”
Hanson says public pressure is just part of the job of being superintendent and accused much of the scrutiny of being manufactured by a noisy few.
He says he does not have another job in the works but doubts he will return to being a district superintendent.
The Fresno Teachers Association released a statement saying, in part, “We hope that the Superintendent’s resignation translates into a better focus on our student’s academic outcomes and on better working conditions for our educators.”
