> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smdp.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Deasy come, Deasy go - URL: https://www.smdp.com/deasy-come-deasy-go/ - Published: 2006-04-25T15:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-23T17:39:31.000Z - Author: Carolyn Sackariason - Tags: Education, Malibu, #archive-import *Search for new superintendent off to rocky start; some want more public input* SMMUSD HDQTRS. — Before they go behind closed doors to search for a new schools superintendent, education officials here want to include the public before they exclude them. The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District posted a notice on its Web site Monday announcing that it would be hosting two simultaneous forums today that serve as community meetings so citizens can give their opinions on what qualities, skills and experience they’d like to see in the next superintendent. Spearheading the process is the consulting firm of Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, Ltd., a search firm that specializes in assisting school boards with identifying and selecting superintendents. The firm was hired by the school district for $35,000 to recruit a replacement for John Deasy, the district’s former superintendent whose last day is on Wednesday. Former assistant superintendent, Mike Matthews, is serving as interim superintendent and has expressed an interest in the top job. Representatives from the recruiting firm are meeting this week with various groups that have a stake in the school district so they can give their input. Those groups include parent teacher associations, classified employees, faculty members, the business community and the NAACP, said school board member Julia Brownley. Meanwhile, the school board has decided to keep the selection process private in order to find top quality candidates. Recruiters and school officials reason that because many candidates may not be looking for a job and their consideration could threaten their employment, an open, public process might hinder the search. “Your best candidates are not likely to be searching for a job,” Bill Attea of Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates told the Board. “In our experience, it’s the first question they ask: Is the search closed? They will not want to jeopardize their current jobs and relationships in their communities in order to participate in a process where they may end up not getting the job. Almost all our searches in the last few years have been closed, for this reason.” Brownley said if the search was narrowed down to three candidates who were willing to be open about their interest in working for the SMMUSD, then the school board would open the selection process to the public. “It’s certainly our intent to be as upfront and transparent as we can be,” she said. “The search firms have been clear that finding the best candidate will require closed sessions because we don’t want to expose the potential candidates.” But not all believe that the school district is being transparent. Jim Jaffe, a retired teacher who worked in the district for 32 years, and whose wife is currently a first-grade teacher at Franklin Elementary, said the press release announcing the community forum to be held today was posted at the last minute, and therefore, didn’t give enough people ample warning so they could plan ahead. “I think they have been manipulating what information people get and what they don’t,” Jaffe said. “(Tuesday) is the forum and nobody knows about it, except focus groups.” School board member Kathy Wisnicki said she approved the press release on April 7, the day before spring break began. She said it was sent out to local media, various committees, city staff and the community at large. The forum was discussed at the school board meeting on April 6, she added. The Santa Monica Daily Press never received information that a forum would be held regarding the superintendent search. Jaffe, who looks at the SMMUSD Web site daily, maintains the release was never posted until Monday. “It was put up today,” he said Monday. “Nobody got that press release.” Jaffe has been critical of how the board and school administrators have kept many items out of public debate, particularly topics concerning employee contracts and salaries. “It just bothers me that the board gets away with this,” he said, adding he would like the public to be part of the selection process and he hopes Matthews is chosen for the job. “I just hope they don’t pick someone with the same ilk,” Jaffe said of Deasy, who he described as a leader who set a policy of secrecy within the district. “I think their management skills are a real problem,” he said of school officials. Jaffe likens Deasy to a carpetbagger who came from the East Coast and was billed as someone who would save Santa Monica. “He came here to beef up his resume for five years,” Jaffe said. “Santa Monica was doing just fine before Deasy.” The community forum meetings will take place on April 25 at 6:30 p.m. at the district office board room, located at 1651 16th St. in Santa Monica, and at the Malibu High School Library, located at 30215 Morningview Dr. in Malibu. According to Brownley, the board hopes to have a superintendent hired by June. *Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 25, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/042506.pdf?ref=smdp.com)