The UFT is working roll back mayoral control in New York City, including reducing the number of mayoral appointees on the Panel for Educational Policy from eight members to five and limiting the options a future mayor would have for selection of a schools chancelor.
An editorial in AM New York outlines how dysfunctional the system was before mayoral control, noting:
The last time control of the schools was split among warring political tribes, school leaders couldn't say how many employees the system had. It took years to fix window casings that leaked in the rain and snow. Principalships were sometimes up for sale. Patronage was rife, school headquarters hid budget numbers from City Hall and social promotions were the rule.
The editorial is pretty clear on its opinion of the UFT's plan, commenting:
Can there be a worse idea? The United Federation of Teachers wants to strip the mayor of control over city schools. If this is a trial balloon, it has all the appeal of the airship Hindenburg.
Do you like this post?
