[speedgibson] Speed Gibson: Licensing Community Education

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Posted by Speed Gibson:
Licensing Community Education
http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1217044138.shtml


   I note in the biography of the newly hired Director of Community
   Education for the Robbinsdale Area Schools that he has the required
   Director of Community Education License. I guess I'm not all that
   surprised that such a position requires some sort of licensing, like a
   principal. But I am somewhat surprised that such an exact license
   exists or is specifically required.
   I guess I see this as a largely managerial position, not requiring
   extensive educational training. Managers are largely born, not made.
   I've met dozens of managers who I think could step in and do a great
   job in this position, perhaps as a career change later in life.
   By great, I mean creative, again, something you really can't teach.
   Maybe it would help not coming up the ranks, learning how to do the
   job the same way every other licensed person does it.
   As a parallel, consider the mess in our State Attorney General's
   office under Mike Hatch and now, Lori Swanson. Neither are managers.
   Neither is Amy Klobuchar, who had a similar record running the
   Hennepin County Attorney's Office. Law school can teach you the law
   and how to practice it, but not how to manage other lawyers.
   In fact, anyone can file for State Attorney General; no legal training
   is required at all. Again, many non-lawyers I know could do a good job
   running such a department - or a Department of Community Education.
   To sharply limit the pool of candidates via licensing for a position
   like Director of Community Education seems unwarranted to me.