📝 Superintendent search scandal

🏫 Superintendent Search Gets Spicy

• The Madison Metropolitan School District has narrowed down its search for a new leader to three candidates, but one in particular has caused community members to question the district’s screening process. Former colleagues of Mohammed Choudhury have recently come forward to criticize the finalist’s leadership style, communication skills, and treatment of subordinates.
• Most recently, Choudhury served as state superintendent of schools in Maryland from 2021 to 2023. He was expected to serve another term in the role but resigned after failing to get support from the state board.
• MMSD School Board members defended their selection processes, saying candidates go through an extensive background check and that they evaluate the candidates based on their entire work history. [Isthmus, Washington Post, Cap Times]

🚨 How Safe is Madison?

• In the annual "State of Public Safety" address, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes called Madison “one of the safest cities in America.”
• The numbers: The city saw 10 homicides in 2023, this is up from six in 2022. Traffic fatalities also rose last year. The total number of gun crimes dropped 19% from 2022 to 2023, and the number of people shot in Madison dropped by 35%. Burglaries dropped by 11% in the past year and auto theft dropped by 18%.
• Dig deeper: Next week on the podcast, City Cast Madison talks with Barnes about some of the department’s new initiatives, like its hate crime task force. Be sure to subscribe and listen wherever you get your podcasts. [City of Madison, Channel 3000, WORT, City Cast Madison]

📚 Books for Black Bookish Wonders

• In celebration of Black History Month, Room of One’s Own is once again giving away free books to Black people all month. This is the third year the local bookstore has run the giveaway and in the past it sent books to more than 400 people.
• Get involved: Currently, the store says it has received more than 800 requests for books and raised roughly $2,000 in donations. White and non-Black people of color can donate to the cause. [Instagram, Room of One’s Own]

Congrats on making it to the end of the week! Here’s your reward — meet Chloe.

This sweet girl loves food, snuggling with her humans, and more food. Chloe is also a fan of the finer things in life, like evenings spent taking in the views and brews at the Biergarten at Olbrich Park (as pictured), hitting up the local dog parks, and rolling in fresh mulch. A true regal queen.

Disputing Diversity at UW and a Madison Valentine’s Day Guide

The City Cast team is here to round up the news of the week. Bianca Martin and Hayley Sperling recap a story about a state bill looking to ban race and ethnicity, among other protected statuses, as a consideration for financial aid. Plus, we have quite a wide range of suggestions for how to spend your Valentine’s Day… many of them coming from you! Thank you, boo!