Klein goes; his policies need to go next

The news that Chancellor Joel Klein resigned is welcomed by New Action as long overdue. In fact, it should be cause for celebration throughout the school system and in the communities of NYC. His performance as chancellor has had a terrible impact on teachers, students, parents, as well as administrators. His corporate model has, in a word, been a disaster.

He leaves the DOE in virtual disgrace after the latest exposure that student grades were scandalously inflated. That manipulation was done to clearly help Mayor Bloomberg win his election.

He closed almost 100 schools, creating chaos.

The fixation on charter schools, as a be all and end all, to the problems confronting the system has done great damage, as well.

His serial reorganizations took a difficult system, and created an unaccountable disaster.

His absolute refusal to allow parents any meaningful voice is a disgrace.

His animosity to teachers and to the UFT specifically will be recorded as a black mark on his legacy.

From teaching bashing, to denigrating and harassing veteran teachers, from closing schools to an unhealthy drive to teach for the test–his methods have hurt the school system. His tenure is marked by an utter contempt for parents and children advocates. No amount of sugar coating can blur the damage he has done to the school system.

New Action says good riddance!

Mayor Bloomberg’s selection of Cathleen Black is not a positive decision. Even without analyzing the record of this multimillionaire publisher and neighbor of Bloomberg’s, because there is none, we are confident that the selection of a non-educator is a serious mistake. New Action has insisted, particularly following Joel Klein, that that there be no waiver on the part of the state for anyone without education credentials. We believe there should be no exception in this case.

Students and educators need more than a new individual occupying the position of chancellor. We deserve a break with the disastrous policies of the past eight years. We deserve a first class education for all students of NYC and a voice and place at the table for all stakeholders in the education system.