Readers: New ed commissioner should be an education pro

On Monday we asked our readers: What characteristics should the next education chief have?

That’s because Colorado Education Commissioner Robert Hammond is retiring July 1 and the State Board of Education will soon choose his successor.

Chalkbeat readers who shared their thoughts suggested the next chief should be a consensus-builder, given the board’s current streak of controversial actions.

Michael Donahue left this comment on our website:

Given the recent description of current and former [State Board of Education] members , the policymakers in the State Legislature and current and past employees, as well as your description above, and the requirements of the job, I am guess maybe someone like their predecessor. Someone who is observant, cooperates, participates, relational, uses their voice, listens, values perspectives, including the divergent from her/his own and finds education located in all of the senses.

But reader Tillie McDermott tweeted she doesn’t have much faith in the state board:

Peace Bransberger suggested in an email that the next commissioner be a person of color, or at the least, not from Denver.

The new commissioner should have an equal balance of strong professional qualifications and experience. And, equally important, represent one or more minority perspectives (Black or Latina/o, lower SES, rural) — and be connected to those communities for direct feedback and implementation assistance from the front lines.

As always, we invite you to be part of the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.