In an election night shocker that could spell the end of embattled Superintendent Rudy Crew's tenure in Miami, incumbent School Board member Evelyn Greer lost her seat to a retired principal whose recent offer to stay on the job for a $1 salary was rebuffed by the district.

The surprise victory by Larry Feldman could shift the balance of power on the Miami-Dade School Board.

Greer had been one of Crew's strongest supporters on the bitterly divided nine-member board. Feldman has said in the past he would bring new leadership to the nation's fourth-largest school district.

But Tuesday night, Feldman was more measured and said he would first enjoy his ''David and Goliath'' win.

''I am on cloud nine,'' he said, while celebrating with hundreds of supporters at an Offerdahl's Café Grill in Pinecrest. ``It's a mandate that the community wants change.''

About Crew's future, he would only say: ``There are aspects of his work that have been fine; there are aspects that are not acceptable.''

Greer, 58, was part of the 5-4 bloc voting in Crew's favor, the same bloc that saved his job earlier this month. Feldman, 55, could now swing the majority against Crew, especially if opponents can engineer another effort to fire him.

But nothing is likely to happen until Feldman takes office this winter -- if Crew even stays that long.

In a school district where incumbents usually win, Greer's loss to a virtual newcomer with little name recognition and even less political experience was surprising.

Greer was gracious in defeat.

''I'm very proud of the achievements of the last four years in my district,'' she said from her home Tuesday night. 'I stood on principle, and as the Buddha said, `Don't mistake victory for defeat.' ''

Greer had been ill for the last three weeks and had not campaigned.

In the other races, incumbent Renier Díaz de la Portilla, who has pushed for Crew's firing, fended off a challenge from former journalist Angel Zayón.

Incumbents Wilbert ''Tee'' Holloway and Martin Karp also held on to their seats, easily defeating Erhabor Ighodaro and Shawn Beightol, respectively.

The night capped off a contentious -- and highly publicized -- election season for the board.

Ana Rivas Logan was the only member automatically reelected when nobody challenged her.

THE UNEXPECTED

Widely seen as the underdog in the race, Feldman won with a grass-roots campaign -- and the backing of the United Teachers of Dade.

A career educator, Feldman was a political unknown until he offered to defer his retirement from Devon Aire K-8 Center in Southwest Miami-Dade.

At the time, Feldman was in his final year of a state program that lets educators declare their retirement up to five years before leaving the job, so that benefits can accumulate.

Feldman's offer drew the attention of the media, and parents rallied behind him. But Crew and the board declined, saying that keeping Feldman would create budget troubles.

Feldman capitalized on that publicity. He called himself the ''Dollar Principal'' on T-shirts and on his website.

Among his campaign promises, Feldman pledged to pay teachers and other employees the raises that were promised but were later withheld to save money. That move won him the support of teachers throughout the district. It also likely helped defeat Greer, who angered teachers by supporting the withholding of the raises.

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