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civil discourse

January 19, 2011

Boos drown out plea for “civility” at Cathie Black’s PEP debut

by Elizabeth Green and Maura Walz, at 9:52 pm

New chancellor Cathie Black made her debut at the Panel for Educational Policy tonight to a packed crowd that drowned out her remarks with boos and jeers — especially when Black mentioned the name of her new boss, Mayor Bloomberg.

“Let’s try to do this with some civility and decorum,” the panel’s chairman said as he introduced Black. Yet the crowd continued to shout and jeer, forcing Black to raise her voice as she delivered prepared remarks.

The remarks described what Black has learned on her tour of schools — “I’m seeing what makes an effective school leader and how a strong school culture can contribute to learning,” she said — and also named her priorities, including building a strong teacher evaluation system and empowering principals.

She also summarized the education agenda Bloomberg laid out in his State of the City address this morning. The mayor laid out a trio of changes tied to coming budget woes and projected teacher layoffs: legal changes to transform the way teachers are laid off; contractual changes to deflate the Absent Teacher Reserve pool of teachers on the payroll who don’t have formal positions; and reforms to the teacher pension plan to cut costs.

Hundreds of people packed Brooklyn Technical High School in Fort Greene tonight for the panel meeting, including 80 who signed up to speak. The largest group includes teachers and students at the John Jay high school building in Park Slope who are protesting a plan to add an additional high school to the building.

(UPDATE: That plan passed the panel, with 11 members voting in favor. The panel members appointed by the Manhattan and Bronx borough presidents both abstained.)

When she began her remarks, Black praised the school board itself, offering a rare praise to the Panel for Education Policy, which has been belittled as a rubber stamp to the mayor by some and as an opportunity for political theater by others. ”This panel,” Black said, “has played a vital role in the major policy changes that have dramatically improved student outcomes in our city.”

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  • cindy

    what was the vote on john jay?

  • http://www.gothamschools.org Maura Walz

    Hi Cindy: They haven’t voted yet, though they’re about to. We’ll update the post when the meeting ends.

  • Mustafa

    It appears as if she doesn’t know a darn thing about the NYC public school system. Is Mrs. Black even capable of speaking without a prepared statement?

  • Bronxactivist

    I am amazed black was even allowed to speak on her own. Everyone knows what their vote is. BLOOMBERG AND BLACK. Go home your not real NYers. We know your mission and intentions to destroy public education. Labor and the working class along with their kids are your enemies.

  • Bronxactivist

    Is Ms. Black answering the publics questions or are the deputies doing so?

  • John

    Too bad there is no unity in the protest. If the goal is to disrupt the meeting it wouldn’t be hard to do, but the protest failed on that count. If the protesters wish to have their voices heard or taken seriously, they also failed on that count.

  • Invictus

    If she was a teacher, she would be rated U for talking to herself and not listening to what is happening in the classroom.  We truly live in an dream, as we have the top honcho of the largest educational district in the world without a clue of how to “motivate” an adult crowd.  But then, this is NYC under the leadership of the Supreme Leader, where nothing but this wishes are represented and valid in the public arena.  

  • Bronxactivist

    No unity just means different forces in the community are pissed at the Mayor and his decision to close schools instead of helping them by galvanizing the community to uplift these schools. The point is not to disrupt the rubber stamp meetings but for members of the community to be heard. These are real peoples lives that being affected by decisions by people that out of touch with the communities they are suppoused to serve.

  • Math Teacher

    As a teacher I’m actually about some the comments I over heard by people while she gave her speech. I think as teachers sometimes we should act like our best students at these meetings instead of screaming and acting like the bad students in our classes. Because we act like this the people in charge will disregard what we say because we disregard what that say.

  • Math Teacher

    As a teacher I’m actually embarrassed about some the comments I over heard by people while she gave her speech. I think as teachers sometimes we should act like our best students at these meetings instead of screaming and acting like the bad students in our classes. Because we act like this the people in charge will disregard what we say because we disregard what that say.

  • Spoken not heard

    Math Teacher – you might be embarrassed, and I understand, but is it any surprise that something like this happens in a time where the community – teachers, students, and parents – have voices that are not being heard, let alone listened to… where outlets and forums for our voices have been dismantled and stripped of any power? Decisions are being made and actions being taken that so strongly affect so many of our lives – yet have negligible if any impact on those of the decision makers. What recourse do we really have right now, in this local and national climate? If everything we’ve done – whether it be speaking properly and politely, or speaking like those people at this meeting tonight – has gotten us to here – the point where education stands here today – well then none’s of it’s really working, is it? So what now? A sincerely worded letter to an editor? Heartfelt insightful blog entry? Doesn’t seem like that’s going to cut it. Screaming out like these people tonight – that’s no good either. So then what now do we – the disenfranchised (because let’s face it – when it comes to education that’s now what we’ve truly all become) do?

  • http://www.classsizematters.org leonie haimson

    To answer question above, Black said nothing after initial speech. Sat there and listened attentively, did not play on blackberry (like Klein) and occasionally nodded her head when someone addressed her from the audience.

    Question: How did you guys at GS upload video so quick?

  • Bronxactivist

    She just broke the law by not answering the publics questions. Do these people care about the law? In this case by any means necessary applies. Which means that if we have to scream and give each other headaches we do it. Our kids deverse us to fight for them. Why will I sit while education is destroyed and privatized? What will i tell my kids? I believe they need to hear the peoples attacks so they can see how passionate people are about their schools.

  • Jeff S

    I wonder how she felt when her limo dropped her off at her upper east side apartment after that? If this unqualified, inept publisher had one ounce of dignity, her resignation would be onthe Emperor’s desk this morning as Cathie, it isn’t going to get any better. Wait till the hearings on closing the schools. I know if it was me, and I had some sense of dignity in myself, I wouldn’t put up with this. Can’t she see just how out of touch and how totally unqualified she is?

  • Columbus

    Columbus High School tonight. I hope the place is packed! Come on over and support. 925 Astor Avenue, Bronx 10469. Thank you all!

  • Pingback: Cathie Black’s loud debut | The Empire

  • T. Cipolla

    I am OUTRAGED at this women who has no idea about our school community or our school environment. Many of my students come from broken homes, poor neighborhoods and barely eat a healthy meal. Many of our students are so damaged even before they enter the school system. I have three kids who knew how to count and their ABC”s before pre k. Do you know why? because I make the time to read and interact with them every single day. I put down the remote, put the x-box away and shut off my cell phone in-order to be a good parent. Basically, I don’t ignore my children or any children who may need my help. Ms. Black, I have no idea if you will make a good chancelor or not, what I do know is I wouldn’t blame the schools before I acess the parent. I am 1st generation American and learned to speak English in school and my local YMCA (which provided free English classes back in the seventies), My parents struggled in this country and worked very hard to provide a life for myself and my siblings. I am very proud of them and all hardworking individuals who sacrifice in-order to make a better future. Stop blaming teachers, Political Correctness is destroying this country.

  • Akademos

    Most of the time decorum is best, but not necessarily when civil disobedience is called for.

  • Lisa Donlan

    Math Teacher you are..” actually embarrassed about some the comments … over heard by people while she gave her speech.”

    You  think “as teachers sometimes we should act like our best students at these meetings instead of screaming and acting like the bad students in our classes.
     Because we act like this the people in charge will disregard what we say because we disregard what that say.”

    Actually, Math Teacher I think you have it backwards- we act like this because the people in charge disregard what we say.

     They have disregarded what we say for 9 years.

     Did you notice that when people did use the forum as designed- lining up to speak for 2 minutes, with no response of any kind –  the mayoral controlled,  rubber stamp PEP just voted anyway for the proposals that few, if any, speakers supported and many many many more opposed?

    Do you blame people for expressing their simmering anger over the lack of input and accountability this crazy system affords them?
    They boo, hiss and cry out when told bald faced lies by remote unqualified edutantes and educrats.

    Do you honestly believe that anyone is listening, at any time, anywhere?

  • Jenn

    Cathie Black is unimpressive, but she is also bearing the brunt of anger the public harbors toward her predecessor. It is imperative that all concerned public school constituencies stay focused on what we really want for our children: rigorous, creative content-driven curriculae, excellent, motivated teachers, and caring, but disciplined, learning environments. Let’s shift the focus to the “leaders” of our schools and the way leadership is determined in our schools. Administrators hire teachers and set the tone and norms for a school. Administration handles the budget, oversees facilities management, and sets priorities for learning and community outreach. Let’s take a look at what our school principals are doing, earning, and planning and, where necessary, evaluate if they’re worth retaining. It is well known that many public school administrators in the city schools are from the bottom of the barrel. To the good ones: you — and we — know who you are and you have nothing to fear. Let’s put the others on notice. The bloated salaries are in administration, not in the classroom, at least certainly not in city school classrooms.

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