Gregory Thornton worked in many different cities over the course of his more than 30-year career, but his approach to education was consistent.
When he moved to Baltimore in 2014 to become CEO of the city’s public schools, he wanted to build a sense of community and shared dedication to student outcomes, whether or not people sent their children to district schools. He wanted to move away from terms like “those kids” or “those students,” said his friend and colleague, Rudy Ruiz.
“We all need to really embrace the community’s children and make sure that they have the support they need to be successful,” Ruiz said.
Thornton had a controversial two years leading Baltimore City Public Schools, but his accomplishments included the rollout of the district’s free meals initiative. He died on Nov. 29. He was 69.
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Thornton was born on Jan. 12, 1955. He grew up in Philadelphia and stayed in the city after high school, earning a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Temple University. He then obtained a master’s degree from Salisbury University and a doctorate from Nova Southeastern University in Florida.
He went on to hold leadership roles at public schools in Montgomery County and Forsyth County, North Carolina. He ascended to chief academic officer for Philadelphia’s public schools, the No. 2 role in the district, and then became the superintendent of the Chester Upland School District in Pennsylvania.
In 2010, he was named superintendent of the Milwaukee school district, where he met Ruiz, a longtime teacher who’d recently become acting assistant principal. Ruiz said he was instantly struck by Thornton’s energy.
“There was just so much excitement, so much hope and possibility there,” he said.
Ruiz later became the district’s first director of college and career readiness. Nearly two years into the role, he met privately with Thornton, who asked Ruiz where he saw himself in five years, Ruiz recounted in a social media post.
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“I don’t know, because I don’t know what doors God will open,” Ruiz replied.
“Yeah, but when he opens the door, you gotta walk through,” Thornton told him.
A few months later, Thornton announced he’d been named CEO of Baltimore schools and asked Ruiz to join his leadership team.
Thornton gave “his team, including myself, a lot of autonomy to be creative and very collaborative,” Ruiz said. “We were able to really move the needle.”
Baltimore was an exciting move for Thornton, who said at the time that it felt like a return home. The Baltimore school district, in a post mourning Thornton’s death, shared a quote from the former CEO upon his hire: “Baltimore is a place that makes so much sense to me,” Thornton said in 2014. “I’m energized by the busyness of the city, the busyness of the school district. I’m energized by the challenges the district faces.”
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He signed a four-year contract, but after a year and a half, there were widespread questions about his leadership. The school board, in an unusual move, cut short his contract. The district faced financial and operational troubles and became involved in a legal dispute with more than a dozen charter schools, The Baltimore Sun reported in 2016.
Lawmakers and community activists mounted calls for his resignation, saying he lacked vision, while his supporters said the district should build on Thornton’s strengths and resist turnover in the district’s top job. Thornton and the school board agreed to part ways in May 2016, and he was replaced by current CEO, Sonja Santelises.
At the time, Thornton said he was proud of his accomplishments in Baltimore, which included the free breakfast and lunch initiative; efforts to encourage dropouts to revisit their education; and the launch of Maryland’s first P-TECH school, where students can earn associate degrees for free.
“It was an honor working with and serving the students of Baltimore City Schools,” Thornton said in a 2016 statement, according to The Sun. “In less than two years, we made great progress.”
Then-Baltimore Teachers Union president Marietta English said in 2016 that Thornton’s departure was surprising, and she praised his work to maintain arts programs and expand interscholastic sports to middle schools, Baltimore magazine reported. His supporters also touted Thornton’s commitment to equity and belief that education could spur positive social change.
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Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who served as mayor of Baltimore during Thornton’s tenure with the district, said Thornton was “just a great guy who cared about Baltimore’s children.”
“Being the CEO of Baltimore City Schools is a very tough job,” Rawlings-Blake said. “I think he brought his skills and his talents and his heart to the job. Every day, he showed up to do his best for Baltimore’s kids, and I think that’s all we can ask.”
Thornton most recently worked for the National Institute for School Leaders, a division of the National Center on Education and the Economy, his family said.
Outside of his education career, Thornton was involved in community organizations, including the United Way of Central Maryland, Junior Achievement of Maryland and the Workforce Investment Board in Baltimore.
Thornton was also a loving husband to his wife of 48 years, Theresa; a father of two sons, Gregory II and Geoffrey; and a grandfather of three, Rachael, Geoffrey II and Gianna. His family said they will continue his legacy and passion for education, and they are raising funds for a scholarship in his memory.
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“Not only in education, but to our family as well, he set the standard for us learning education and business,” said Geoffrey Thornton. “He was a jack of all trades.”
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