More than half the City Council yesterday backed a resolution urging the Department of Education to stop its reorganization of the school system.
The development was the latest in an escalating battle over the city’s public schools pitting the Bloomberg administration against lawmakers, parents and activists who say they were blindsided by the plan.
“This is like a railroad car that’s going loose and you don’t know where it’s going to go off the track,” said Robert Jackson (D-Manhattan), head of the Education Committee.
Jackson promoted the nonbinding measure outside City Hall with a dozen officials and about 40 parents and protesters, who chanted “Listen to the parents!” as Mayor Bloomberg exited the building without acknowledging the rallying cry.
“That just shows what he’s doing – he’s not listening even when you scream and yell,” said parent Corinna Lindenberg.
The changes are intended to give principals more authority over school budgets and curricula by doing away with superintendents and having schools team up with “support networks,” including private groups.