Miami School Superintendent Alberto Carvalho has turned down an offer to become chancellor of New York City public schools.
The New York Times reports that Carvalho, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s choice to lead the nation's largest public school system, says he has changed his mind and will not leave his job as superintendent of the Miami-Dade County system.
De Blasio had announced on Wednesday that he had selected Carvalho, “the best person to lead the nation’s largest school system into the future.”
The Miami Herald reports that Carvalho's change of heart came at a board meeting Thursday in Miami in which board members, students and members of the public pleaded with him to stay.
Carvalho gave an impassioned speech without announcing a decision and then asked the school board for a five-minute break that lasted about 20. He briefly returned to the auditorium and then asked for another break.
“I just don’t know how to break a promise to a child, how to break a promise to a community,” Carvalho said. “That has weighed on me over the last 24 hours like nothing has weighed on me before.”
The Miami district is the nation's fourth-largest public school system, with about 345,000 students. Carvalho has served as superintendent since 2008. In Miami, he succeeded Rudy Crew, a former New York City schools chancellor.
New York City has been searching for a chancellor to succeed Carmen Fariña, who has announced her retirement in December.
