There is no regret at all about voting for Letitia James for Public Advocate. She is keeping her promises on public education even before she takes office. James joined with a group of other politicians and parents' groups, including Leonie Haimson's Class Size Matters, to sue the Department of Education to stop all of the colocations approved in October by Mayor Bloomberg's puppet Panel for Educational Policy.
One significant group was noticeable by its absence from this suit: the United Federation of Teachers. (We have no idea if they were even asked to sign on.)
Advocates for Justice attorney Arthur Schwartz is handling the case filed in Manhattan court.
The press release is here.
You can read the entire lawsuit at the bottom of the press release or here.
If Mayor Elect Bill de Blasio does not go in a progressive direction on public schools, the opposition is ready. The name Letitia James being featured prominently on this suit cannot be underestimated in its importance.
In other news, the amazing Patrick Sullivan, Manhattan Borough President appointee to the Panel for Educational Policy (Board of Ed), resigned as Borough President Scott Stringer moves to the Comptroller's office. Patrick was often times the only person on the PEP speaking up for parents, students and teachers. Hopefully, Mayor Elect de Blasio will tap him to be a mayoral appointee if Patrick wants it or maybe Patrick will run for office. He has my support.
2 comments:
This analysis on Diane Ravitch’s blog http://dianeravitch.net/2013/12/20/tweed-insider-where-the-bloomberg-administration-went-wrong-on-education/
conclusively demonstrates that the policy of closing schools and replacing the closed schools with new schools has not successfully addressed the needs of struggling students and schools and that a portfolio strategy based on market-choice and charter schools has not improved student outcomes
No UFT? I'm shocked. No, not really.
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