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In unusual move, Klein and Mulgrew jump into East Side race

Schools Chancellor Joel Klein hasn’t weighed in on a state political race in several years, but he’s doing so now.

According to the New York State Board of Elections website, Klein gave $1,000 last month to Upper East Side Assemblyman Jonathan Bing. The chancellor’s wife, Nicole Seligman, a Sony executive vice president, also gave Bing $1,000.

The chancellor and his wife live in Bing’s district, where he’s being challenged by Gregg Lundahl, a government teacher at Washington Irving High School. And it can only have helped Bing’s relationship with Klein that he introduced a bill last spring to eliminate seniority-based layoffs for teachers. At the time, teacher layoffs seemed inevitable to the Department of Education and Klein was pushing for an end to the policy that lays off the newest teachers first.

Board of Regents Chair Merryl Tisch also gave Bing’s campaign $1,000, as did Democrats for Education Reform, a group that lobbies for more charter schools and against seniority policies. John Petry, who sits on the board of the Success Charter Network, gave $1,500 to Bing’s campaign in May.

If Bing’s contribution list is full of charter school supporters and people who oppose seniority, Lundahl’s contribution list reads like a who’s-who of the United Federation of Teachers.

In June, the union’s political action committee gave him $3,800; union lawyer Carol Gerstl gave $95.50; secretary Michael Mendel gave $100; treasurer Mel Aaronson gave $100; assistant secretary Robert Astrowsky gave $95.50; vice president for high schools Leo Casey gave $238.75. In July, union president Michael Mulgrew gave Lundahl $477.50. Mulgrew appears not to have donated to a state-wide race in several years.

Recently, Tisch has also given $1,000 to attorney general candidate Eric Schneiderman’s campaign.

  • Mustafa

    Thanks for pointing this out Gotham, the choice is obvious. The people (working class) are giving to Lundahl, and the rich gentry machine is giving to Bing.

    Vote Lundahl!

  • Concerned

    It is very clear that those who care about the schools and the kids will contribute to Lundahl while those who are killing them will chose to keep the status quo. It is time for change. Vote Lundahl and help him match the establishment.

  • Green Hornet

    Everyone should wake up and see what is going on by now. These bigshots get jobs in the DOE administration for the sole purpose of making a personal fortune. It has never been about education with Klein & Co. These bigshots do as much damage has they can do to the finest public education system in the world — punch their tickets and then gets jobs for the charter orgainizations. Remember – profit or non-profit — the excutives walk away with millions. While they are doing this they get their friends from their fancy private clubs to write editorials against the unions. The Educrats, The Press and their lackeys like Bing the perfect trifecta.

  • I noticed that…

    If you want cronyism, education deforms, corruption, and people who strongly believe in the repression of the communities at large and the destruction of public education, then Bing’s your politician.

    If you’re looking for a person with integrity to his community, years of dedication to the children of new york, a fighter for social justice, and a person who truly understands the working class, then your vote should go to Gregg Lundahl. I know him and he will lead with truth and will represent the people in our city the way we are supposed to be represented.

    I plan to vote for Gregg and I plan to spread the word out to all in my community.

  • Smith

    I can imagine how excited Klein is. He gets to vote against a teacher.

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