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Number of times Eva used one of George Carlin’s seven dirty words: two.

Number of times Eva called Patrick Sullivan a liar: one.

Number of times Eva accused unionized teachers of harming kids: at least four.

Number of times Joel Klein corrected her, complained about her tactics, attempted to tone down her rhetoric, or stuck up for his employees: zero.

This is America, and Eva can say whatever she wants, I guess. I’m extremely disappointed (although I guess not surprised) by Klein’s responses. His comment about the 1500 schools is downright unforgivable juxtaposed with the item in Gonzalez’s piece about the selective high school principal who has not met or talked to Klein in five years. 

There’s something remarkable about a guy ostensibly in charge of a school system he seems to agree is harming children. His utter indifference to it is inexcusable and criminal. The fact that he’s ready and willing to close schools for Moskowitz shows where his priorities are–certainly not with the kids who attend public schools. They maintain schools are irredeemable and then give them As. These characters are immoral, hypocritical, repugnant and disgraceful.

They belong in prison, where they can freely mix with their peers.

Even after reading Elizabeth’s summary above, I say you still have to read the emails. There’s alot more there that’s scandalous that she didnt touch. You could write a book.

What’s wrong with the New Yorker (the magazine, I mean, not an individual) that they’re doing puff pieces about Arne Duncan instead of writing about this great stuff? Jeez, you Gothamites get to have all the fun.

It’s not much fun at all seeing public schools undermined and destroyed by cynical demagogues with regard neither for truth, neighborhoods, or the people who live and work in them. It would actually be a lot more fun to believe the propaganda, baseless though it is, and hope for the best.

The length of emails is amazing when you consider that they were mostly hammered out on a Blackberry. Hopefully she hired an excellent occupational therapist to treat her imminent fine motor problems.

Otherwise I think Eva acquits herself quite well. She is clearly dedicated to serving her kids the best education possible. I love when she gushes about teaching physics in first grade. Whatever you may think of her politics and tactics she is a committed educator first.

Jack,

I dare say Einstein would disagree with your characterization of what makes for a good physics proponent.

And I say this as both a fan of Einstein, and a parent whose school lost its lower grades science cluster room to overcrowding last year.

Funny thing about physics: it teaches that when you cram more elements into a fixed space, the pressure goes up.

This too Ms. Moskowitz knows well. Note her request that Klein intercede on her behalf with John White, who reports to him. Ms. Moskowitz is clearly trying to pull an end run around DOE policy and the designated implementers thereof.

While hardly neutral, she is something akin to the neutron bomb of public education: to heck with the current occupants — leave me the buildings.

i understand that they’ve identified a “veteran educator” (well, 2 year tfa-er) to be the new principal of hsa 1. eva follow gov paterson’s promotion policies. personal asst to principal in 2yrs?

If I got paid more than the Vice President of the USA, I’d send emails at all hours too… to the honcho who’s buttering my toast. Sheesh.

All schools should have Klein’s ears not just the Harlem School Academy chains. Roger, my daughter’s principal does advocate for the school. I suspect if she were to write emails in the wee hours to Klein, he might think she had some issues.

Roger,

How was the former Principal of PS 87 “dead weight”? Are not any red flags waving when you see a successful Principal leave after less than 6 months. As for the first comment, I cannot disagree

John Hancock: I think you are right that red flags can be raised whenever, but we need to get out from under the idea that people cannot be fired. Believe it or not employees outside the NYC school system are actually let go for reasons short of abusing children. Some discerning employers even go as far as a fire someone who is not at allow good at their job. As long as we are trapped by the pall of orthodoxy which says that school leaders cannot lead their schools then we will have below average schools.

Michael M: You likely have such a quick response rate because you have plenty of time in your rubber room. So enjoy your day of wasting time and money on me. You are clearly a product or disciple of a system which rewards mediocrity and tolerates outright failure. Eva can actually have the judgment to hire someone, realize they are a poor fit, and then let them go. (You may need to read that sentence again due to the crushing logic within) And guess what you local supermarket does this and so does the company that delivers your paper but somehow the public schools cannot do the same??

Michael M: I want accountability to reach the mayor and beyond, but we differ because I want it all the way down. If the Chancellor should not blame the teachers for the failure to educate a million students, then the teacher should not blame the chancellor for his failure to educate 20 kids. Especially when the charter school downstairs does it with 40 students in a room and fighting protests all the while. You don’t like the pols, vote them out. But the sad fact is that it is easier to elect a new mayor than it is fire a teacher who does nothing to help his students learn. Therefore charters are our only option until that changes.

You are a lousy blogger, but given your interest in the topic I can honestly believe that you are a great parent, who would never let your kids get less education than they deserve. But we all need that opportunity for our kids. Parents want their kids in schools that put them first and fight hard to keep them there. Eva, for any abrasiveness, does this well and fights for those kids. She can be abrasive on my behalf anytime.

Can I finally say that this is great fun. This site is too often an echo chamber for like-minded people who never have to respond to views different than their own. Let’s have a real debate, not just spout out clever nicknames.

Roger,

I just have to ask. What makes a good blogger? I am teaching my next months lesson on the subject and I would like to use you as a resource.

Someone needs to do a FOIL requests of Moskowitz’s e-mails to John White and Garth Harries next!

It is quite unfortunate that those in education who have dedicated their lives to helping kids and their families have become the enemy to this administration.

HSA1 Parent,

The people of harlem are trying to get their kids a better education, but cannot possibly compete with behind-the-scene deals between Moskowitz and the Chancellor to invade public school buildings.

Charter schools are not public schools. They are publicly funded and privately managed, accepting far lower numbers of special ed students and English language learners, and “counseling out” students who bring down their stats.

If you’re happy with the education your child is getting at HSA, fine, but don’t delude yourself into thinking that it’s not coming at the expense of other children in Harlem.

It’s one thing for charter parents to say to public school parents, “I’ve got mine, you get yours.” It’s quite another to say, “To get mine, I’ll take yours.”