After a whirlwind weekend that saw SFUSD Superintendent Matt Wayne resign Thursday and Dr. Maria Su installed as his interim replacement Friday, Su was introduced Monday and spoke publicly for the first time since her appointment.

Whether it was intended this way or not, the resignation of SF schools superintendent Matt Wayne late last Thursday afternoon sure had the looks of a coup d'état. It was a  month ago when Breed-appointed (and duly reelected) SF school board president Lainie Motamedi was given a Chronicle platform to publicly trash Wayne, which led to a London Breed-appointed “schools stabilization team” being put in place to look over his shoulder.

Wayne did himself no favors by delaying the release SF school closure list, after which Mayor Breed declared she had “lost confidence” in Wayne and called for a halt to the school closure process.  

That sharp rebuke from Breed led Wayne to resign, or perhaps to be effectively pushed out of the job. One of Breed’s appointed “stabilization team” members was given the job Friday, as director of the city’s Department of Children, Youth and Their Families, Dr. Maria Su, was named interim superintendent of the SF Unified School District (SFUSD).

KPIX was first to report on Su’s first public remarks at an introductory conference on Monday. "I need to rebuild relationships with our families, with our teachers, with our educators, with our staff,” Su said, alongside Breed and an entourage of other elected and school officials. “We need to bring back trust and optimism to our schools."  

The Chronicle posted their own report a few hours later, though it’s curiously heavy on quotes from people like Breed and school board president Matt Alexander. Su is not given a full quote in that article until the final paragraph.

“The messages I've received from every corner of this city and beyond have shared this theme of renewed sense of hope for our schools,” Su said in that quote. “I understand the profound responsibilities of this role, and I am ready.”

Yet there is some significant news in that Chronicle article full quotes from people who are not named Maria Su. Notably, California Superintendent Tony Thurmond was at the conference, and he spoke strongly against a possible state takeover that the district has been facing because of a cash shortfall.  

“We're moving in another direction here,” Thurmond said Monday. “And let me be clear. There will not be a state takeover in San Francisco. Let me be clear about that.”

Su will technically remain in her role at the Department of Children, Youth and Their Families. She’s basically “on loan” to the district until another superintendent is hired, in an arrangement that could last through 2026. And her hiring is unusual, as she does not have a teaching credential, or a state credential, and has never worked in California public schools.

Being the director of the SF Department of Children, Youth and Their Families is a noble vocation and all, but very different than taking over a school district in complete crisis while lacking the requisite credentials. Though she’s a Breed pick, and had seemingly broad support at a press conference with many city and district officials on hand. Right now, that may be important for keeping the job of SFUSD superintendent, particularly with the inevitably controversial budget cuts coming up.

But being a London Breed pick for this job may become more of a liability than an asset, depending on the results of the November 5 mayoral election.

Related: SF School District Superintendent to Resign After Mayor's Rebuke, School Closure Announcement [SFist]

Image: @Ahsha_Safai via Twitter