As the candidates in next year’s may oral race fire up their campaigns, a critical question moves to the fore: Who should run the city’s schools?
Anonymous hack politicians, the way it always was?
Or an accountable mayor, the way it has been since 2002?
What a no-brainer.
The 2002 state law that vested City Hall with control of public education – and accountability for public-education outcomes – will expire next June.
If that happens – or if there are any significant accountability changes in the present law – a return to the bad old days, when clubhouse pols ran things in collaboration with the teachers union, will be swift and certain.
This must not happen.
Many pols (most notably Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver) say they back a renewal of the law. But in the next breath they say they’ll insist on “minor tweaks” in the statute intended to improve “parental participation” in the process.
“The alternative [to the law] is too devastating to contemplate,” Silver says – noting “concerns of parents regarding the lack of parental input.”
That sounds reasonable, but it’s not. It’s code for: Gut the law.
For the more “checks” on a mayor’s prerogatives, the less power he has to eliminate patronage hiring and politically driven purchasing in the system.
Either the mayor runs the schools – and takes responsibility for outcomes – or nobody runs them.
Then nobody can be held accountable.
As it was before pre-2002.
And the record is clear: When Mayor Mike took control, political hiring and patronage-driven purchasing were out.
Improving educational outcomes became the principal objective.
And test scores and graduation rates began to rise.
The pols lost. The kids won.
Has the new way succeeded? Not fully.
But is it succeeding? Beyond doubt.
As it stands, of course, Bloomberg can’t seek a third term. With that in mind, we asked three likely mayoral front-runners if they’d back renewal of the law in its current form – with no “amendments,” no “tweaks” and no “improvements.”
Rep. Anthony Weiner said yes.
Good for Weiner.
City Council Speaker Chris Quinn and City Comptroller Bill Thompson said no.
Not so good.
Sure, it’s early.
But not too early to note that a mayoral candidate who’s unwilling to fight to retain full control of the public schools is unworthy of the office.
It’s that simple.