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Crew Back On Hot Seat During Budget Hearing

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Jul 30, 2008 6:05 pm US/Eastern

Crew Back On Hot Seat During Budget Hearing

MIAMI (CBS4) ― Miami Dade School Superintendent Rudy Crew is expected back in the hot seat on Wednesday as the county's School Board holds a noon committee hearing and then a public hearing at 6 p.m. to discuss budget.

Tuesday, during a private workshop, CBS4's news partners at the Miami Herald report Crew fired back at his most vocal critic, board member Renier Diaz de la Portilla, who has called for the school chief's ouster.

After the workshop Crew said he understands Diaz de la Portilla is up for re-election in August and said his attacks were merely for political fodder.
Diaz de la Portilla fired back that the problems he's pointed out with Crew are very real and maintains that the superintendent should be fired. A formal vote on Crew's ouster will be held next Monday.

Three board members have voiced support for firing Crew, 3 members have expressed their support for the embattled school's chief and 3 reportedly remain undecided.

Another of Crew's critics, School Board member Dr. Marta Perez said he should be fired because he provided board members with faulty numbers concerning the budget.

"There's all kinds of discrepancies in these numbers with what was reported to the Board in the past," said Perez.

Crew fired back that the problem wasn't with the numbers, but with the board themselves.

"I don't think they understand how to read the budget in many cases," he said.

Crew has drawn support from people in business and education circles.

''The school system has made very significant progress during his time here, and I would simply hate to damage the considerable momentum we have,'' said David Lawrence Jr., chairman of the Children's Trust told the Herald.

"He's had his opportunity," Diaz de la Portilla said about Crew, "The results have not met the expectations and I believe this time has come for this district to move forward without Doctor Crew."

If Crew is terminated, his contract becomes guaranteed. That would put the district on the hook to pay Crew $700,000.

Crew did win the National Superintendent of the Year by the American Association of School Administrators, and is a district is a finalist for the Broad Prize in Urban Education.

In the middle of the battle, Crew is defending himself, saying the situation should be about the children, rather than politics. "I'm looking for an environment where you can actually have a conversation about children in this context," he says, "This is really a budget about kids."

Crew says he's confident he'll keep his job, but admits he's already looking for new opportunities, just in case.

(© MMIX CBS Television Stations. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald contributed material for this report)

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