While this space is no fan of the mayor, you have to hand it to Mayor Bloomberg on school governance. He was ready to put the Borough Presidents in line immediately when the law giving him control of the schools expired after June 30. Therefore, mayoral control continues unabated.
As for the BP's, once they were empowered to appoint a majority of the Board of Education, they caved in to the mayor so fast that one has to wonder if they received anything in return for their acquiescence. Queens BP Helen Marshall, went so far as to appoint Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott as the Queens representative. Only Bronx BP Reuben Diaz showed any hint of independence in his actions.
The biggest surprise is Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer who had appointed Patrick Sullivan to the now defunct Panel for Educational Policy where the mayor had a majority of the appointments. Patrick was a sane voice of reason who earned accolades for his integrity. Why was Patrick not appointed to the revived Board of Education?
We can only speculate as to what is going on behind the scenes. We can predict that no matter what happens in terms of school governance in Albany or New York City, there will not be much improvement in conditions in the schools.
We need to organize more now than ever.
A comment from the NYC parents blog:
ReplyDeleteNicola DeMarco said...
Consider this:
Legally Questionable Meeting on July 1, 2009 at 52 Chambers Street, New York
1. Who called the first “Board of Education” meeting on July 1, 2009?
2. Under what legal authority was it called?
3. Since the Board of Education was originally created by the 1969 New York State law on school decentralization, and no similar state law was enacted on July 1, 2009, under what legal authority was a “Board of Education” created on July 1, 2009?
4. Where are the minutes of the meeting? How can the public obtain a copy of them?
5. Was the meeting open to the public? Where was the meeting announced, if at all?
6. Did the announcement (if any) contain specific details as to the time, address, room number and date of the meeting? Did that announcement contain a phone number, address and/or email for the public to contact for details?
7. Are all the members chosen to serve on the “Board of Education” residents of New York City?
8. A Deputy Mayor serving as President of the Board of Education is a conflict of interest, violates the separation of powers since the Board of Education is no longer part of the executive/mayoral branch. Never before has a Deputy Mayor served on the Board of Education. Can Dennis Walcott, Ed Skyler and Patricia Harris serve?
9. If the Mayor is angry that the State Senate is not meeting to vote, why isn't he angry that this bogus "Board of Education" is not meeting or doing any work until September 10, after school opens and only met on July 1, 2009 for less than an hour? With over 1.1 million children depending on them, that is gross negligence.
11. Although the vast majority of children in our schools are Black and Latino, only 2 of the seven members of the bogus “Board of Education” are Black or Latino. How does this represent the needs of the students?
12. How is this entity authorized to pay even for the lights to be turned on at 52 Chambers Street considering this "Board of Education" have no statutory authorization from either the New York State Legislature or the New York City Council. Are they all volunteers? Even the borough appointees? Regardless of salaries and benefits, someone has to pay the rent, utilities and water bill with our tax dollars and the legislature must authorize any and all expenditures of tax dollars by the government.
13. When Joel Klein was anointed Chancellor by the “Board of Education,” was the position posted for all people interested to apply? Was any interview conducted or credentials submitted by Joel Klein? Was any type of waiver made to qualify Joel Klein since he is not an educator but a lawyer instead?
14. What are the bylaws of this “Board of Education?” If they exist, how can the public see them and obtain a copy?
15. What is this teaching our children about democracy?
July 2, 2009 3:24 PM
DEMOCRACY IS DEAD IN NEW YORK CITY
ReplyDeleteR.I.P. PUBLIC EDUCATION IN NEW YORK CITY THANKS TO BLOOMBERG AND HIS BAND OF PAID OFF WHORES WE REFER TO AS DEPUTY MAYORS AND BOROUGH PRESIDENTS.
Here's the new boss- same as the old boss....
ReplyDeleteSad, what's next- the demise of public education and complete mind control of the masses by billionaires and their bought off flunkies?
Time for a revolution, folks!
DEMOCRACY IS BOUGHT IN NY CITY. I wonder how much money received the new members of the Board of Education. I bet Bloomberg gave them a good amount.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I think is good is that this "sunset" on mayoral control shook Mr. Bloomberg up and it was a blow to his pride to think that he was no longer in control.
ReplyDeleteI really think that in the end we will regain control and create a system where there is local control with mayoral oversight, not the other way around.
I hope you are right.
ReplyDeleteWhen will the public realize the coverup that Bloomberg and his paid hatchet men are doing on the NYC Schools. Changed grades, ocurrences not submitted, watering down of test scores, false graduation rates. the only ones who will suffer are the students graduating with no skills and the false promise of going to college
ReplyDelete