Kimberly writes: Cathleen Black was appointed by arrogant, NYC Mayor Bloomberg. She needed and received a waiver from the NY Regents, because she did not have any education background or credentials. Now that she is gone, let’s get rid of the Regents that voted YES for her. And, let’s demand an open process to hire the next person, and demand a person with education credentials. (The Mayor has already appointed another person who will need a waiver. Egads!)
*Update: So, I still wish that there was more process to appointing a Chancellor. Though, the person that the Mayor has appointed, Dennis Walcott, does have public school experience, and the distinction of having been an executive at the Urban League. I think the waiver he needs is for a specific, administrative certification. More at NY1: here.
(excerpt from) Newsday
NYC schools chancellor stepping down
By MARIA ALVAREZ. April 7, 2011
Embattled New York City schools chancellor Cathleen Black, a magazine executive with no educational experience whose approval rating had hit rock bottom, agreed to step down Thursday, the mayor announced.
Black, 66, agreed to resign following a private meeting Thursday morning with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
The mayor made the announcement during a late-morning news conference at City Hall, calling it a “mutual” decision. He said Black will be replaced by Deputy Mayor Dennis M. Walcott…
Black stepped down under pressure following a week that saw the fourth of eight high-ranking education officials who served under her predecessor, Joel Klein, announce their resignations…
In just three months on the job Black had seen her approval rating fall to 17 percent. The Associated Press reported that during one community meeting Black was heckled by hostile parents — and heckled them back. She also joked that school overcrowding could be fixed with birth control…
Like Black, Walcott will need a waiver from the Board of Regents to become chancellor…
Councilman Charles Barron of Brooklyn, a staunch critic of Black and the mayor, said at City Hall after the announcement that the mayor wasted valuable educational time — three months — because of Black’s appointment.
“She was forced down our throats because of the mayor’s arrogance and incompetence,”‘ said Barron, who will advocate for an open hiring process that includes a national search for a new schools chancellor.
Related stories from onthewilderside:
https://www.onthewilderside.com/2010/12/31/when-politicians-trample-on-education/
Filed under: children, Education, new york, New York State Politics, News, politics, progressive politics Tagged: | Bloomberg, Cathie Black, Cathleen Black, Chancellor, Charles Barron, Dennis Walcott, education news, Mayor Bloomberg, NY Board of Regents, NY politics, NYC politics, NYC public schools, NYC School Chancellor, NYC Schools
Wow! Wonder if I called it before the news happened, that the person in charge of granting Black the waiver is going, too!
The NY Education Commissioner, David Steiner, who was responsible for granting Cathie Black a waiver (because she did not have education credentials) just announced his retirement, for later in the year.
Wonder if that means anything about Bloomberg’s new Chancellor choice having a chance at getting a waiver. Will Stein take a stand, and not grant the waiver? Or, figure, he is going, might as well create a stir and grant it? Hmmmmm…..
Also, do all the Regents make the waiver decision (I think so?) or just the Commissioner?