Manny Signs With New York

Snagged you with the title? Manny Rivera, not Ramirez, is heading to New York instead of Boston and boy, oh boy, Menino must be pissed. Manuel Rivera, after a lengthy and confusing public yet secretive search, was tapped and touted as a great leader to be the next superintended of Boston schools recently. Rivera is currently the superintendent of schools in Rochester, NY. But he's backing out of the top job in the Boston schools in favor of a position keeping him in New York. The newly installed New York governor, Elliot Spitzer, recruited Rivera to take the lead for his commission on public higher education. Rivera recinded his acceptance of the Boston job with a FedEx letter that had Menino coming back from DC to read. Though the letter, however, was addressed to the chairwoman of the school committee, Elizabeth Reilinger, rather than Menino. The Globe quotes the letter:

I've recently been offered an opportunity to work in a different educational context where there is significantly greater need,…Please be assured this is not a dollars-and-cents decision.

We'd never assume it's for the money, it's always about the children. Now, the superintendent of schools in Boston remains temporarily filled by Michael Contompasis. The search for a permanent replacement for the departed Thomas Payzant will likely commence soon, Menino will put his tail between his legs, embarrassed. The process hasn't gone well for the search, the search committee had to work hard to get Rivera to even agree to be a candidate. Now he's out and they'll start over.