The rumors that State Superintendent John White will soon be leaving the Department of Education (DOE) for a similar post in California appear to be just that—rumors.
Several unsubstantiated reports have surfaced over the past few days that White will soon announce his departure in favor of the California superintendent of education post but there are several glitches that would seem to squelch those reports.
First, the California superintendent of education is an elective, not appointive post.
Second, California law says that the superintendent of education must be a registered voter in the state.
Third, and most important, the California superintendent’s position pays only $151,000 per year, only 55 percent of White’s current $275,000 salary.
That would make any such announcement on the part of White premature at best and more than a little problematic.
The next election is not until 2014, so White would have no trouble becoming a registered voter but a move there for the purpose of running for elective office would certainly be a crapshoot given that incumbent Superintendent Tom Toriakson, a Democrat, has given no indication on whether or not he plans on stepping down at the end of his current term.
While vacancies in the superintendent’s office are filled by the governor, it’s not likely that Jerry Brown, a Democrat, would appoint a Jindal sycophant to his inner circle.
Of course, that’s not to say that White wouldn’t accept a similar appointive position elsewhere provided some other state or school district has difficulty separating fantasy from reality but it looks as though the California move at least is off the rumor table.
White, served briefly as superintendent of the department’s Recovery School District (RSD) before being appointed state superintendent last January. His nomination had been blocked by members of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education but after several new members backed by Gov. Piyush Jindal were elected in October of 2011 and took office in January, the new board quickly approved White’s appointment.
Louisiana Voice 
It really does not matter, the domino effect will not stop.The thing is who is in the seat at LDE, how he got there,how the Governor got his job and why we keep electing people serving self so vindictively. Until we pay attention and elect the best person to serve Louisiana as a whole,we are in TROUBLE.
Wherever he goes I for one will make sure his reputation precedes him. I suspect he is short lived here.
He is simply one of the locusts with which Louisiana has been plagued.
http://theadvocate.com/home/4199470-125/lsu-seeks-advice-in-overhaul
10.22.2012 LSU seeks advice in overhaul – Former health secretary visits system leaders, state officials
“Gov. Bobby Jindal’s former health secretary — now a hospital management company executive — participated in meetings about potential private sector business opportunities as the administration set about an overhaul of LSU’s public hospital system.”
“Alan Levine, now a top executive at Health Management Associates, of Florida, met with top LSU and state health agency officials in mid-July with his company’s chief financial officer at his side.”
“Levine also traveled to Shreveport to talk about possible approaches for privatizing the LSU Health center there, which is home of one of LSU’s two medical schools.”
“Since then, Levine has met with LSU system President William Jenkins — conversations that both he and Jenkins confirm — as his company assesses business opportunities in the state.”
Gov. Bobby Jindal = Alan Levine
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60 MINUTES – 12.2.2012 – Alan Levine, HMA
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50136261n
http://www.cbsnews.com/2102-18560_162-57556670.html
The following script is from “The Cost of Admission” which aired on Dec. 2, 2012. Steve Kroft is the correspondent.
“We wanted to talk with Gary Newsome, Health Management Associate’s CEO, but instead we were given HMA executive vice president Alan Levine, who joined the company just two years ago. Levine says the allegations are coming from disgruntled employees. ”
“The hospital chain is currently under investigation by the Justice Department, which has subpoenaed records pertaining to the management of its emergency rooms and its computer software program Pro-MED, which HMA has stopped using. The hospital chain says it is cooperating fully with the investigation and has nothing to hide.”