John Stanford; Ex-General Became Seattle Schools Chief

SEATTLE —  John Stanford, a former Army major general with no background in education who brought a no-nonsense approach to the job of Seattle’s school superintendent, died of leukemia Saturday. He was 60.

Stanford, who had been battling the disease for seven months, died at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, said Sue Edmonds, a spokeswoman for the facility in Seattle.

“We have lost an incredible leader and a dear, dear friend,” acting Supt. Joseph Olchefske said. “Our staff, this city, and the children we serve will miss him dearly.”

The retired two-star general was brought in as Seattle’s first black school superintendent in June 1995, drawing national attention because he was one of the few non-educators chosen to lead such a large school district.

His initial suggestions for the 47,600-student school system included requiring all pupils to wear uniforms and denying driver’s licenses to anyone associated with a gang.

Stanford stressed education as a family responsibility. Asked by a parent what he planned to do to improve test scores, he responded with a question: “What are you going to do?”

Stanford revamped the district’s student-assignment plan to emphasize neighborhood schools and instituted a new school-funding formula based on enrollment and student demographics.

Stanford spent 30 years in the military, becoming acting deputy commander-in-chief and executive assistant to former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger.

He retired from the Army in 1991 to take the job of county executive for Fulton County, Ga., where Atlanta is located.

In Seattle, he received national attention for his efforts to improve schools and addressed the 1996 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

Stanford was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia in early April and had undergone several rounds of treatment. He had started a tradition of back-to-school pep rallies, and left his hospital bed in September to appear at this year’s rally, addressing staff and students from a downtown balcony.

“This is really, really a terrific day,” Stanford told the cheering crowd.

Stanford is survived by his wife, Patricia, and sons Steven and Scott.