Redden upbeat about superintendent job

Terry Webster

Wednesday, Dec. 1, 1999 | 11:41 a.m.

Preparations for perhaps one of the most important flights in the life of Joseph Redden, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant general, were under way Tuesday.

That's impressive for a Vietnam veteran with a total of 4,900 flight hours to his credit, even though this mission will have no military connection.

Redden was packing for his return flight to Las Vegas.

This time, he'll be a passenger. But he's hoping to end up in driver's seat of the Clark County School District, the nation's eighth largest.

"I'm excited about the prospect," Redden said Tuesday.

Apparently, so is the Clark County School Board, which named Redden as one of the three finalists in its nationwide search for a replacement for Superintendent Brian Cram, who retires in July 2000. Interviews and other activities for the finalists continue Thursday through Saturday.

For the 56-year old Redden, his pursuit of the position centers around a desire to continue in public service.

"I've spent my entire adult life in what I consider to be public service," he said. "This represents a chance to serve the future leaders of the community and nation. And that's a good way to continue."

It's not the first time Redden has considered a job in public schools. He was approached about becoming the superintendent for Montgomery County public schools in Alabama, but his July retirement from the Air Force didn't coordinate with it.

Lt. Colonel Jack Ivy, a faculty member at the Air Force's Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama, said Redden would be "an excellent choice for the Las Vegas community."

"He was very respected in the community and worked very well with city officials," Ivy said. "He's very personable and very knowledgeable. A retired three-star general is a very high ranking. The most stars you can get is four."

School Board president Ruth Johnson said she was impressed with Redden's knowledge of the Clark County School District.

And Redden says increasing his knowledge would be one of his first tasks if he becomes the new superintendent. Others include setting up a game plan for renovations of older schools and setting goals for the district and himself.

"Clearly, you have to meet with all of the people you will be working with and get to know the system," said Redden, adding that community members would be a prime target for gathering information about the district. Another key issue he would face is a disparity between test scores for minority and white students.

"I think it's a very valid concern," Redden said. "Education is the one thing that allows any young man or woman to go out and have opportunities. It has been my experience that if you give a young person a good education, they can achieve anything."

Redden believes a good education has to begin in the early school years.

"We need to sit down and review what type of baseline we are establishing, even though there is standardized testing," Redden said. "Too often, young men and women do not have the math and verbal skills they need. But we have to remember we're all individuals and we progress at different rates. What you really want to do is make sure students progress so they can go on to the next level of education."

Education advocate Patricia Cunningham said her main concern is that the new superintendent have a focus on an equal education for all children.

"I'm concerned with instruction," said Cunningham, chairperson for the Alliance for Social Justice.

Cunningham has reservations about Redden being named superintendent because of his non-traditional background. A Nevada law passed about a year ago specifically allows for "non-traditional" school superintendents.

The law provides that any school board can hire a superintendent with a master's degree, as long as there is oversight by a licensed administrator.

"It almost makes a mockery of everything that has been done so far," Cunningham said. "If a person is picked as the new superintendent, we want the outcomes to be the results of that person, not someone he picks to help do the job."

Redden said he's aware of that concern.

"I sense an undercurrent or a concern about there being an empty desk," he said.

He has already given some thought to the prospect of finding an assistant.

"My inclination would be that the best choice would come from within the district," Redden said. "But I would never close my mind to anything."

Board member Susan Brager said there is not a problem with hiring an assistant, along with a new superintendent.

"I see nothing wrong with it, especially when you look at the size of the district," she said.

Before retiring from 35 years of active military service, Redden served from 1996 to 1999 as commander of Air University , overseeing all Air Force professional military and continuing education programs.

From 1994 to 1996, he was commander of the Joint Warfighting Center. There, he led a team that developed and conducted exercises and "war games" for U.S. forces and allies.

As director of plans for the Pacific Air Forces from 1992 to 1994, Redden was responsible for operational plans for a 110,000-person command. He also served as commandant of cadets for the U.S. Air Force Academy from 1989 to 1992, overseeing a 4,400-person cadet wing.