Pastorek unapologetic after rough session

He was accused of arrogance and heavy-handedness by lawmakers during a session in which his major initiatives were defeated and bills he opposed were passed, but Louisiana Superintendent of Education Paul Pastorek says the problem isn’t his manner, it’s the substance of what he wants to accomplish. “I don’t think that my style is really a problem,” Pastorek says. “I think that change is a problem. We have hundreds of thousands of kids who are not being served well by public schools in Louisiana. That means that change needs to come quickly. So I’m going to be passionate, and I’m going to be focused on making that change come as quickly as possible.” This year, Pastorek backed bills aimed at reining in the power of local school boards by limiting compensation of board members, imposing term limits on school boards and shielding local superintendents from interference by school board members in day-to-day personnel decisions. Meanwhile, he was critical of a measure to create a new public school curriculum and high school diploma designed for poor-performing students who aim for blue-collar careers after graduation; and he fought efforts to allow Aiken Optional School in Rapides Parish avoid a state takeover for at least another year after four years of failing to meet requirements under the state school accountability system. The school board measures failed; the career diploma and Aiken school bills passed. And lawmakers who opposed him made no secret of their unhappiness with Pastorek.