GothamSchools — daily independent reporting on NYC public schools

One of the first things that’s likely to happen if the state Senate allows mayoral control to expire tomorrow is a vote on whether to retain chancellor Joel Klein.

Four of the five borough presidents, who will make that decision, have already committed to keeping the chancellor in power.

Letting mayoral control expire would revert the school system to its pre-2002 structure, which is run by a seven-member Board of Education. The borough presidents would appoint five of these members and the mayor would name the other two. It would fall to these appointees to select a schools chancellor, and there’s little doubt they would name Klein.

The lone hold-out is Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. “He has mixed opinions on the chancellor,” said John DeSio, a spokesman for Diaz.

Asked if Diaz would instruct his appointee to vote in favor of Klein, DeSio would not comment.

All of the other borough presidents, or their school board appointees, have said they would favor retaining Klein as chancellor. (more…)