Submitted by Marge Kolb, Apr 13, 2007 10:13

I have 3 children in NYC public schools (K, 4th and 12th grades) and I am an active parent - former PTA president and current CEC member (CEC's replaces Community School Boards a few years ago). Most parents who are "in the know" object to the proposed restructuring plan as being rushed, not-well-thought-out, and done with zero consultation with parents. We have been asking questions since it was announced which are STILL not answered (what's happening with Special Ed; how are high schools being organized - they don't fit in the district model which is only K-8). We are also concerned with the amount of autonomy to be given to ALL principals, regardless of their length of tenure in their jobs (one statistic I heard claims that 49% of current principals have 3 or less years of experience in their jobs). Finally, we are disappointed that the city is not making a commitment to lowering class sizes in ALL grades.

It's just sad that while the Mayor and Chancellor have not been able to convince the primary stakeholders in the system - parents and teachers - that this re-org is a good thing, they twist the arms of friends of Bloomberg and recipients of his largesse (many of the groups represented have contracts with the DOE and/or receive donations through Bloomberg's personal donations to the Carnegie Corporation).

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