Thoughts on Dr. Suellen Reed and Apolitical Education in Indiana

A few days ago we learned that Dr. Suellen Reed is stepping down from her long held (16 years) post of Superintendent of Public Instruction. (Michele McNeil sums up her time here). So, I just want to give a little reflection on her work and how it affected me.

I came to Indiana from Illinois, where my friend Randy Dunn had just taken over the Superintendency in Illinois after the Governor had sort of run off the previous Superintendent. Now Randy is President of Murray State and another person I worked with in my time dealing with Special Education in Illinois, Chris Koch, is now the Superintendent. Anyway, needless to say there is a lack of stability in that leadership position in Illinois. During my time in Illinois, it mattered which political party I belonged to (at least which political party the people I associated with belonged to) in how much access you had to the ear of state educational leaders.

Literally the first week I moved here I met Dr. Reed. I was invited by my mentor Martha McCarthy to a Indiana Network of Women Administrators meeting, which was scheduled in conjunction with an IUSAA meeting. (I tried to tell Martha I was not actually a woman, even though people think I sound like one on the phone, but she insisted I come along). Dr. Reed was present at the meeting and as the somewhat cramped room began to fill in she sat next me (no one knew me, plus I am a man, so no surprise there was a spot open). Martha introduced us and we chatted about this and that a little. Anyway, it was a nice, welcoming way to start my education career here in Indiana.

Since that time I have had the chance to have more substantive meetings with Dr. Reed (she has a marvelous office in the Indiana Statehouse I am sure she will miss) and she has always been very receptive to my work in conjunction with other scholars here at IU. I found her to be knowledgeable, committed, caring, passionate about kids, creative ... pretty much exactly what you would want in a State Superintendent of Public Instruction. She is going to be extremely difficult to replace.

I am not sure I agree with everything she has done in her time, but with Dr. Reed you knew the kids were the first priority. Not politics. Not agendas. Not egos. Kids. And when your priorities are in the right place it is amazing how little the political label after your name means. And her apolitical, kids first style translated down the entire education system. I have found Indiana's education system to be FAR less political of that of Illinois. In Indiana the focus is on the schools, not on the relationships you can glean with other people to further your political ambitions and I think Dr. Reed deserves a lot of credit for that. 

The last time I saw her was 2 weeks ago. We met by chance outside the
School of Ed in Bloomington and chatted about our gardens and the
semester concluding (perhaps not so much by chance, I think she would make an excellent clinical faculty member at her alma mater - just a suggestion). I wish I had known she was hanging it up then. I would
have thanked her for her excellent leadership in person. But, the blog will have to do until I bump into her again.

So, thanks Dr. Reed for your great work. Enjoy Retirement!