THINK.
6:00.
>>> BELOVED DETROIT TEACHER HAD
SUCH A POSITIVE IMPACT ON HER
STUDENTS.
THOSE AROUND HER KNEW SHE WAS
DESTINED FOR BIG THINGS.
>> Carmen: AND NOW ALICIA HAS
GONE FROM TEACHER TO
SUPERINTENDENT OF THE DISTRICT
AND A CHALLENGING JOB.
CARMEN WENT BACK TO TALK WITH
HER AND SHE IS TRULY INSPIRING
HER JOB.
HER.
ALICIA MERIWHETHER, A FORMER
SCIENCE TEACHER AND
ADMINISTRATOR, AND NOW
SUPERINTENDENT.
HOW SHE DISCOVERED SHE WAS BEING
CONSIDERED FOR THE JOB IS A
STORY BY ITSELF.
I WANTED TO MEET HER, SO WHAT
BETTER PLACE THAN MY ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL ON DETROIT'S NORTHWEST
SIDE, BAGLEY ELEMENTARY.
AS IT TURNED OUT, IT WAS A
CHANCE TO FAMILIARIZE MYSELF
WITH THE PLACE I HADN'T SEEN IN
YEARS AND DIDN'T REALLY KNOW
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM EITHER MY
OLD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OR FROM
THIS NEW INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT.
BOY, WAS I IN FOR A SURPRISE!
>> I AM A DETROIT RESIDENT.
I GRADUATED FROM DETROIT PUBLIC
SCHOOLS.
I'VE LIVED HERE MY WHOLE LIFE.
>> Carmen: HER LOVE OF TEACHING
AND CHILDREN COMES THROUGH THE
MOMENT SHE STARTS TALKING.
BUT JUST WHEN SHE KNEW SHE WAS
DESTINED TO BE A TEACHER IS
SOMETHING SHE RECOGNIZED IN
HERSELF AT AN EARLY AGE.
>> I WOULD GET ALL MY STUFFED
ANIMALS TOGETHER FOR CLASS AND I
WOULD TEACH A LESSON AND THEN
GIVE THEM THEIR HOMEWORK AND
THEN I WOULD COME BACK AND
SOMEHOW IT GOT DONE AND I WOULD
COLLECT IT AND GIVE THEM ALL
GRADES AND REPORT CARDS.
>> Carmen: CERTAINLY THE IDEAL
CLASSROOM DOESN'T INCLUDE A
CLASSROOM UNDER STATE CONTROL.
BUT DETROIT TEACHERS AND
ADMINISTRATORS HAVE HAD TO DEAL
WITH BOTH FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
SO WHEN THE TIME CAME TO NAME AN
INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT, HER NAME
HAD BEEN OFFERED UP BY HER PEERS
IN A DISCUSSION THAT TOOK PLACE
IN, OF ALL PLACES, ON FACEBOOK.
>> SO THEY'RE GRABBING PICTURES
OF THE INTERNET AND MAKING
POSTERS.
MERIWHETHER FOR SUPERINTENDENT.
WHAT IS THIS?
AND SEVERAL DIFFERENT TEACHER
GROUPS CONTACTED ME AND SAID,
MISS MERIWEATHER, WE WANT YOU TO
SUPERINTENDENT.
>> I BELIEVE DETROIT PUBLIC
SCHOOLS HAS SOME OF THE HARDEST
WORKING, MOST UNDERAPPRECIATED,
SELF SACRIFICING TEACHERS,
ADMINISTRATORS AND STAFF THAT
YOU WILL FIND ANYWHERE.
>> Carmen: WE REMEMBER THE DAY
SHE ACCEPTED THE POSITION WITH
SO MUCH EMOTION.
SHE SAID YES.
IT'S STILL EARLY IN HER TENURE
BUT SO FAR APPEARS TO BE A
WIN-WIN FOR BOTH, TEACHERS AND
STUDENTS.
BUT SHE ADMITS THERE ARE A
NUMBER OF HILLS TO CLIMB.
THE TOUGHEST, BROKEN TRUST, IN
EVERY FACET OF THE SCHOOL.
>> ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE
BROKEN TRUST HAVE A ONE IN SEVEN
CHANCE OF BEING SUCCESSFUL.
NOW, TO ME, I DON'T LIKE THOSE
ODDS, SO I'VE BEEN TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT, WHAT DO WE DO TO
BUILD TRUST.
BECAUSE THAT ONE IN SEVEN
DOESN'T SOUND GOOD TO ME.
[LAUGHTER]
>> Carmen: SHE FEELS HONORED TO
BE THE SUPERINTENDENT NO MATTER
HOW LONG THE JOB LASTS.
WHAT IMPRESSED HER COLLEAGUE IS
HER INTEGRITY, THAT SHE LOVES
CHILDREN AND ALWAYS PUTS THE
STUDENTS, THE TEACHERS, AND EVEN
THE SCHOOL SYSTEM FIRST.
>> Devin: INTERESTING, BECAUSE
SHE IS GETTING AN INTRODUCTION
INTO THE MITT CAL WORLD WHEN SHE
SAID SHE DOESN'T KNOW HOW LONG
HER JOB WILL LAST.
HER.
>> Carmen: EVEN AT HER MEETINGS,
THE DAY AND THERE ARE MANY OF