Black’s waiver prompts “Red Thursday”
Opposition to Mayor Bloomberg’s appointment of Cathleen Black as schools chancellor continued to mount this week, even as the former publishing executive was formally cleared to take on the role. On Monday, State Education Commissioner David Steiner approved a waiver for Black, only after Bloomberg agreed to install Deputy Chancellor Shael Polakow-Suransky as a “chief academic officer” advising Black.
In the weeks after Bloomberg announced the appointment, parents, lawmakers, and others protested Black’s lack of education credentials, attempting to persuade Steiner to deny a waiver that would allow Black to assume the role nonetheless.
On November 23, Community Board 1 passed a strongly worded resolution against a waiver, which read, in part, “there can be no reasonable doubt that there are far more qualified and better prepared persons to oversee the management of our schools at this precarious moment in our City’s future, given Ms. Black’s breathtaking lack of professional qualifications.”
Several groups have been formed to protest the appointment, including the Deny Waiver Coalition, which calls itself “an association of public school parents and educators as well as concerned community leaders.” Following the news that the waiver had been granted, Noah Gotbaum, a D.W.C. member, said, “Last week Commissioner Steiner, plus six out of eight experts on his advisory panel, stated unequivocally that Cathy Black possesses neither the qualifications, the related life or professional experience, nor any prior interest in public education, to serve as Chancellor. Other than a closed door deal to mollify the mayor – parents and educators want Commissioner Steiner to explain what has changed over the past six days?”
The D.W.C. plans to hold a protest called “Red Thursday” on Thursday, December 2, on the steps of the Tweed Courthouse at 52 Chambers Street, at 4 PM. Attendees – and those in solidarity with the protest who cannot attend – are invited to wear the color red.
Silver hosts construction job fair
Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is hosting a job fair on December 9 at Rutgers Houses that will focus solely on the construction job market. The New York State Dormitory Authority, the Lower East Side Employment Network and the New York City Housing Authority are also sponsoring the fair.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Gouverneur Hospital will be among a number of groups delivering presentations about specific construction jobs currently underway where employment opportunities might exist.
