George J. McKenna III facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George J. McKenna III
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McKenna in 2021
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| Member of the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education for the 1st district |
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| In office August 28, 2014 – December 9, 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Marguerite LaMotte |
| Succeeded by | Sherlett Hendy Newbill |
| Vice President of the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education | |
| In office July 1, 2015 – July 6, 2017 |
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| President | Steve Zimmer |
| Preceded by | Steve Zimmer |
| Succeeded by | Nick Melvoin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | September 6, 1940 New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | Xavier University of Louisiana (Ed.D, BMath) Loyola Law School (M.A.) |
George J. McKenna III (born September 6, 1940) is an American educator and former public official. He served on the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board of Education for District 1 from 2014 to 2024. Before joining the board, McKenna was the principal of George Washington Preparatory High School. He became famous for making big changes at the school, especially by dealing with gang violence. His story was even made into a movie in 1986, called The George McKenna Story, where Denzel Washington played him.
After his time as a principal, he worked in other school districts. He was a superintendent in Inglewood Unified School District and held roles in the Compton Unified School District and Pasadena Unified School District. In 2014, he was elected to the LAUSD Board. He retired from this role in 2024.
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Early Life and Education
George J. McKenna III was born on September 6, 1940, in New Orleans, Louisiana. He went to Xavier University of Louisiana. There, he earned a degree in mathematics when he was 20 years old. Later, he also earned a doctorate degree in education from the same university.
He continued his studies at Loyola Law School. He received a special teaching fellowship and earned a master's degree in mathematics.
Early Career and Inspiring Film
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In 1964, McKenna started teaching at David Starr Jordan High School in Watts, Los Angeles. The Watts riots happened a year later. These events made him want to help improve the school system even more.
In 1979, McKenna became the principal of Washington High School. This school had many problems. Students had low grades, missed a lot of school, and faced gang violence. As principal, he worked hard to change things. He helped the school improve so much that almost 80 percent of its graduates went on to college.
McKenna's work as principal received national attention. His story was shown in the 1986 TV movie The George McKenna Story. Famous actor Denzel Washington played George McKenna in the film. McKenna himself appeared in the movie's final scene. He narrated how the school changed because of the community's efforts. The movie was praised for Washington's acting and for showing the positive changes at the school.
In 1988, McKenna became the superintendent of the Inglewood Unified School District. He was very popular because of the movie. While there, he sometimes disagreed with the school board. He later moved on to other roles in education. In 1994, the Compton Unified School District hired him as a deputy superintendent. He held this job until 2001. From 2001 to 2008, he was an assistant superintendent for the Pasadena Unified School District.
Serving on the LAUSD Board of Education
On December 5, 2013, a longtime member of the Los Angeles Unified School District board, Marguerite Poindexter LaMotte, passed away. Many people wanted McKenna to take her place. The board decided to hold a special election to fill the seat.
In the first election, McKenna and an education advisor named Alex Johnson were the top two candidates. They moved on to a final runoff election. McKenna won this election, even with low voter turnout. He was sworn into office by civil rights leader Jesse Jackson. He won re-election without anyone running against him the next year. Important people like U.S. Representative Maxine Waters attended his inauguration.
In November 2014, McKenna and other board members suggested a plan. They wanted to require ethnic studies classes in high schools. The board approved this idea. On July 1, 2015, McKenna was chosen as the Vice President of the Board of Education. He was replaced by Nick Melvoin in 2017. In September 2019, McKenna helped start a program for K-12 students in LAUSD. This program helped them get free passes for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) public transport. He was re-elected to the Board again in 2020 without opposition. In February 2024, McKenna announced he would not run for re-election. He supported Sherlett Hendy Newbill to take his place, and she was elected.
Personal Life and Awards
McKenna lives in the Crenshaw area of Los Angeles. He has received several important awards for his work. In 1989, he got the Chairman’s Award from the Congressional Black Caucus. In 1997, he was added to the Hall of Fame for the National Alliance of Black School Educators. Loyola Law School honored him with a Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. Public Service Award in March 2017.
