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November 15, 2010

Protestors call on top state official to reject Black as chancellor

by Maura Walz, at 12:02 pm
Justin Wedes, a former city teacher who started an online petition asking State Education Commissioner David Steiner not to grant Cathie Black the waiver she needs to become chancellor, speaking on the steps of Tweed Courthouse Sunday.

Justin Wedes, a former city teacher who started an online petition asking State Education Commissioner David Steiner not to grant Cathie Black the waiver she needs to become chancellor, spoke on the steps of Tweed Courthouse Sunday. On the left was Michael Meyers, director of the New York Civil Rights Coalition. To the right was civil rights attorney Normal Siegel.

Parents and civil rights advocates gathered on the steps of the Department of Education headquarters yesterday to protest Mayor Bloomberg’s appointment of publishing executive Cathie Black as the next schools chancellor.

Their objections to Black’s appointment were two-fold: firstly, that Black lacks the educational experience necessary to lead the nation’s largest public school system; and secondly, that the mayor that the mayor chose a friend and kept the selection process hidden from the public and much of his staff.

“This unlimited claim that Cathie Black is the best is unsupported and untested in any school setting, in any classroom, by any experience on her part as a teacher or a supervisor of teachers,” said Michael Meyers, the executive director of the New York Civil Rights Coalition. “Cronyism is not a synonym for the best.”

Civil rights attorney Norman Siegel said the secrecy around Black’s selection has put the public at arm’s length from their schools and government. Bloomberg’s announcement last week shocked even senior education department officials and City Hall has refused to say who, if anyone, was consulted in the decision

Siegel and the protestors called on State Education Commissioner David Steiner to deny the waiver Black needs to take the job because of her lack of education credentials. As of this morning, more than 7,400 people have signed an online petition urging Steiner to deny the waiver.

“We know and we have numerous examples: this is not a done deal,” Siegel said.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Education said that she expects the city to file its application for Black’s waiver with the state this week, but did not know exactly which day.

Patrick Sullivan, the Manhattan borough president’s appointee to the citywide school board, has said that he believes the law requires the board to file the request for a waiver, rather than the mayor’s office. Sullivan said that he plans to raise the issue at tomorrow night’s meeting of the board, known as the Panel for Educational Policy.

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  • miss teacher

    It’s a good thing Justin Wedes is a former city teacher, or he’d have a big ol’ bulls-eye on his back, courtesy of Bloomberg. I truly hope Commissioner Steiner considers his petition.

  • AJ

    You can view this press conference on the steps of Tweed here:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXLLWiAfJ8c

  • ginger brownie

    I am frustrated that I can only anonymously protest Black’s appointment.  While parents are seen as uniquely positioned education advocates whose jobs are not on the line, my kids’ school is waiting for some important decisions from the DOE, i.e. Bloomberg. So I have to keep my trap shut. Feeling disenfranchised & beholden. Grrrr. 

  • Ellen

    Why would anyone believe that the PEP would have an independent voice on this issue? The majority of the members are mayoral appointees, serving at Mayor Mike’s pleasure and at his direction. The five appointees from the Boro Presidents have never formed a coalition to speak out on issues with one voice. The SI rep would be hard pressed to disagree with Mayor Mike as she witnessed the replacement for a SI woman who had the nerve to disagree with the Mayor.
    Stirring the boiling pot of community resentment requires other steps, not the namby pamby mewling of the PEP members.

    I believe a civil action could be brought to the courts. Yes it ties people up and yes it creates a stand-off until the courts decide, but it’s better than going around and around and around in circles yelling were upset and unhappy.

    And as far as the UFT is concerned, as long as it isn’t Nadelstern, it coud be Howdy Doody

  • http://www.onlinemiddleschools.net Tim Diaz

    Who in their right mind would want this position anyway?  As parents rethink how they “should” play more of a role with their children’s education, the politicians are still jockeying for positions, money and power, same old….. same old … You want a real leader?  Get someone to do this without pay!  Then let the rest of the country take note.  

  • A Teacher

    The irony is that Bloomberg changed the rules so he could run for a third term because he felt that only he had the experience to lead the ciy. When it comes to education though, he doesn’t seem to value experience at all.

  • Stephanie Stroud

    I could not agree more with Wedes. I mean let’s face it, does it make sense for someone who has never been in a classroom to step in and take control over one of the largest school systems in the country? The NYC DOE gets stepped on enough with everything else it deals with. Why don’t we get someone like Randi Weingarten who actually fights for the teachers and helps them? That would make so much more sense, but absolutely not. I’m curious to know Bloomberg’s motives for this because as intelligent as he is, he is trying to privatize public schooling. The thing that gets me the most is that all of the people in charge of the public school system have sent their own children to private school. Well if you don’t believe in the public school system, why are you working for it? It really burns me up to think the people in charge of the fate of my career have no background in it and are not there for the right reasons. Come into a classroom for a week and see what we go through especially in the south Bronx. We’re lucky we have materials and that the students are coming to school daily let alone teaching them and retaining the information. There needs to be a medium to all of this and I think it should start by making the chancellor someone who has experience in the education field, not one of Bloomberg’s buddies…

  • Ms. Smith

    Who would sign this petition? We know how vindictive this administation is. Teachers have their jobs to fear, no doubt a signature could mean your supervisor is in your classroon everyday. Perspective Middle and high school parents are awaiting their decisions and would not jeopardize their first choices with a signature on that petition. Is this what our democracy and mayorial control had come to, total paranoia?

  • http://www.dearcommissionersteiner.info/ NYCPubSchooler

    Hi, y’all, Justin Wedes here. Don’t be afraid to speak up and sign the petition. Urging the State Commissioner and the mayor to abide by state law is your democratic right. And if we all fear retribution we’ll never say the things that NEED TO BE SAID! 

  • educator with corporate experience

    We should debate this issue but an education background in no way shape or form prepares you to manage a corporation the size of home depot aka nyc schools…

    We specifically need people from outside of education to bring education into the new century. the ways schools operate is so out of date …so bizarre…  we need five more chancellors not from education… in  a row… and maybe we will start to move in a direction that makes sense.   go Black…!!!  

  • Pogue

    Yeah, could we hurry up and get Black in there already. Time’s a ticking and there’s millions to be made for the above’s hedge fund friends.

  • http://www.petitiononline.com/DenyWaiv/ Justin

    Is Home Depot looking for a chancellor by chance? My years of experience in the classroom should qualify me well for the job!

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