Chicago Wants An Elected School Board

The only way change can happen and the only way that the rights of parents, teachers, and children can be protected is by changing Mayoral Control so that there is once again an elected school board, elected by ALL voters in the New York City School District.

And, we must be able to elect the school chancellor, too, and have term limits for everyone.

This is common sense.

Wasn't there a tea party to establish a vote for each person in order to have fair taxation?

Betsy Combier

Rahm Emanuel

Elected school board referendum shows 90 percent want the elected school board

George N. Schmidt - February 25, 2015

Despite the tricks played by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and his allies (especially Alderman Joe Moore) to block a major referendum on the elected school board in 2011, in 2015 the voting on the elected school board in 37 of the city's 50 wards was decisive: Chicago citizens have voted by 90 percent in favor of an elected school board. When the February meeting of the Chicago Board of Education begins at 10:30 a.m. on February 25, it will be interesting to see how the seven members of the city's school board, all appointed by Rahm Emanuel, treat the citizens and press. Under Board President David Vitale, the members of the school board have been smug, arrogant, and generally hostile to any citizen or member of the press who expresses criticism of the appointed school board system.

Members of the Chicago Board of Education at the January 28, 2015 Board meeting. Left to right, Henry Bienen, Mahalia Hines, Jesse Ruiz, David Vitale, Andrea Zopp, and Carlos Azcoitia. Not shown because of the difficult media angles at Board meetings is the corrupt Board member Deborah Quazzo (see photo below). Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.Chicago has never had an elected school board.

 

The current system, under which the mayor appoints a seven-member school board (originally called the "School Reform Board of Trustees" for two years), began in 1995, with the passage of the Amendatory Act by the Illinois General Assembly. The Amendatory Act also stripped the Chicago Teachers Union and the Cook County College Teachers Union of most bargaining rights and made strike illegal for the first two years of the law.

Despite the overwhelming vote in support of an elected school board on February 25, 2015, the reality of the appointed school board will continue until the Illinois General Assembly votes to change the law and create, for the first time in history, an elected school board in Chicago. The Illinois General Assembly is currently in session.

The February 25, 2015 vote took place in 37 of the city's 50 wards. Despite attempts by Rahm Emanuel's allies to block the referendum, only 13 wards did not vote in the referendum.

 

Despite the numerous media exposes showing how Chicago Board of Education member Deborah Quazzo (pictured above) was profiting from her position on the school board, Quazzo sat stolidly at the January 28, 2015 Board meeting (above). At the meeting's end, Quazzo continued her silence, while five of her fellow Board members spoke about how the media and public were picking on Quazzo -- not mentioning Quazzo's corruption. Only Board member Carlos Azcoitia kept his mouth shut as Henry Bienen, Mahalia Hines, Jesse Ruiz, David Vitale and Andrea Zopp praised Quazzo as being a nice person who really cared about the children, etc., etc. etc. All of the current members of the school board were appointed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Quazzo, a multi millionaire investor, was appointed in March 2014 to replace Board member billionaire Penny Pritzker, who had been appointed U.S. Secretary of Commerce by President Barack Obama. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.Ward by Ward results reported by DNA Info Chicago early on February 25 follow below. 

 

Chicago REALLY Wants An Elected School Board, Ballot Results Show
 

By Jen Sabella and Ted Cox on February 24, 2015 10:33pm
 

More than 400 from the Chicago Teachers Union and other groups came out for a rally at Operation PUSH on Martin Luther King Jr. Day calling for an elected school board. More than 400 from the Chicago Teachers Union and other groups came out for a rally at Operation PUSH on Martin Luther King Jr. Day calling for an elected school board. View Full Caption DNAinfo/Sam Cholke

CHICAGO — Chicago voters overwhelmingly voted in favor of an elected school board Tuesday — even after what some described as "political shenanigans" kept the question off the ballot in parts of the city.

In nearly every ward that had the opportunity to vote on the topic, nearly 90 percent of voters said they were in favor of an elected school board. Vote breakdowns are below.

Currently, the school board is appointed by the mayor.

“I’m tired of going to school board meetings where people who don’t have skin in the game are making decisions,” said Jitu Brown of the Kenwood Oakland Community Organization, at a rally for an elected school board last month.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who is heading to a runoff with Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, has dismissed the notion of an elected school board, saying, "I don't believe what we need right now is more politics in schools."

Garcia, however, believes an "elected school board is a constitutional right."

Ald. John Arena (45th) had pushed for a citywide referendum on an elected school board, but in October the council's Rules Committee approved three other questions to fill up the ballot: a proposal by 49th Ward Ald. Joe Moore on mandatory paid sick leave, another on public campaign financing backed by the grassroots group Common Cause and another on whether city employees should be forced to seek counseling if convicted of domestic abuse, sponsored by Ald. Deborah Graham (29th).

Ald. Bob Fioretti (2nd) charged that the move was illegal, but those referenda held their spots.

A collection of grassroots groups filed 50,000 signatures to place an advisory referendum on the ballot for an elected school board in 37 of the city's 50 wards. The Chicago Teachers Union joined in the effort.

Here is how 37 Chicago wards voted on the elected school board question:

1st Ward

Yes: 86.55%

No: 13.45%

3rd Ward

Yes: 87.83%

No: 12.17%

4th Ward

Yes: 87.05 %

No: 12.95 %

5th Ward

Yes: 86.69 %

No: 13.31%

6th Ward

Yes: 92.71%

No: 7.29%

7th Ward

Yes: 92.68%

No: 7.32%

8th Ward

Yes: 91.97%

No: 8.03%

10th Ward

Yes: 91.20 %

No: 8.80%

12th Ward

Yes: 89.89 %

No: 10.11%

14th Ward

Yes: 89.09 %

No: 10.91%

15th Ward

Yes: 90.50%

No: 9.50%

16th Ward

Yes: 92.04%

No: 7.96%

17th Ward

Yes: 92.07%

No: 7.93%

19th Ward

Yes: 85.45%

No: 14.55%

20th Ward

Yes: 92.51%

No: 7.49%

21st Ward

Yes: 92.35%

No: 7.65%

22nd Ward

Yes: 91.75 %

No: 8.25%

24th Ward

Yes: 93.26%

No: 6.74%

25th Ward

Yes: 88.30 %

No: 11.70%

26th Ward

Yes: 91.16%

No: 8.84%

27th Ward

Yes: 88.62 %

No: 11.38%

28th Ward

Yes: 90.57%

No: 9.43%

29th Ward

Yes: 91.18%

No: 8.82%

30th Ward

Yes: 87.63%

No: 12.37%

31st Ward

Yes: 90.27%

No: 9.73%

32nd Ward

Yes: 82.96%

No: 17.04%

33rd Ward

Yes: 89.79%

No: 10.21%

34th Ward

Yes: 92.24 %

No: 7.76%

35th Ward

Yes: 90.67%

No: 9.33%

36th Ward

Yes: 88.74%

No: 11.26%

37th Ward

Yes: 92.44%

No: 7.56%

40th Ward

Yes: 86.94%

No : 13.06%

45th Ward

Yes: 85.18%

No: 14.82%

46th Ward

Yes: 83.21 %

No: 16.79%

47th Ward

Yes: 84.04%

No: 15.96%

49th Ward

Yes: 87.03%

No: 12.97%

50th Ward

Yes: 83.87%

No: 16.13%

Public Outrage Grows Against Mayoral Control of Public Schools

In the article below, focus on the following words:

"closed-door session"; "without the proposed amendments that the New York State Senate added to that bill"; "The four amendments—which still have to be debated and voted on in the Assembly—would create a parent training center, an arts advisory committee, the expansion of superintendents’ roles and required public meetings on school safety."

If the reporters of this article are correct, Governor Paterson signed into "law" a bill that has provisions not debated on by the Assembly or the Senate, and thus not voted in by the full two houses of our State government. So, how could he sign this paper and how could it be legally valid? I'm not an attorney, so maybe an attorney would like to post a comment.

I dont know what powers, duties, or responsibilities the Mayor and the New York City Board of Education have now that Paterson has gone ahead and put his signature on a document that has not been voted in by the New York State House or Senate. It is obvious that the Bloomberg/Klein regime will continue to do whatever they want whenever they want.

Let's remember that Paterson was not voted in, but slid into his current position when former New York State Governor Eliot Spitzer was forced to resign because of his solicitation and transportation of a prostitute across state lines.

David Paterson is in political trouble right now, as in whether or not he can get elected to his current position or any position, in the future. 

Whatever the answer to that question is, the fight against the "I don't care what the public says, I'm going to do what I want" public service by public employees has to stop or be stopped. We the people need to get out from under the winds of whim, where politicians can change lives without caring about the consequences.

Put an end to Mayoral control, people!!.

Betsy Combier



'MAYOR’S WIN, CHILDREN’S LOSS’

Sen. Perkins and advocates decry mayoral control of schools
By MARYAM ABDUL-ALEEM and NAYABA ARINDE
LINK
Special to AmNews
Amsterdam News Editor
Published: Thursday, August 13, 2009 12:55 PM EDT

“The mayor’s victory is our children’s loss,” said State Sen. Bill Perkins, (pictured below) who voted against the mayoral control bill twice in the Senate.

“Mayoral control, unfortunately, was renewed when Governor Paterson signed the bill into law on Tuesday, but the so-called amendments were not included. This underscores how in this point in time the parents are still left out; the policing in our public schools will continue to the dismay of parents and educators. Art education and cultural education will continue to not be included and there will not be the type of transparency and accountability that parents demanded and demonstrated on the steps of City Hall for.”

After a stalemate in the New York State Senate over a power struggle and then a deadlock over a vote to extend the Assembly’s version of mayoral control, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has gotten what he wanted and succeeded in getting a large number of legislators to agree with his vision for 1.1 million New York City School students. Mayoral control is back until 2015.

In a closed-door session, at 10:30 on Tuesday morning, Gov. David Paterson signed the 2002 state law that the Assembly overwhelming passed in June—without the proposed amendments that the New York State Senate added to that bill. The four amendments—which still have to be debated and voted on in the Assembly—would create a parent training center, an arts advisory committee, the expansion of superintendents’ roles and required public meetings on school safety.

The bill that the governor signed is very similar to the original version of the 2002 law, except for a few changes that were added to address some concerns people expressed over the mayor’s governance power.

In a released statement, Gov. Paterson said, “It gives me great pleasure today to sign into law an agreement that will secure the future of New York City’s school governance and allow 1.1 million schoolchildren and their families to breathe a sigh of relief. The agreement continues the progress made under Mayor Bloomberg over the last several years, while adding new layers of cohesion, stability and parental involvement. This is great news for all of the students returning to school next month, as they will continue to receive the support they need both inside and outside of the classroom.”

A representative from Paterson’s office could not be reached for additional comments at press time. Out of his eight appointments to the 13-member Panel for Educational Policy, the mayor will now have to name two public school parents, as determined by the bill the governor signed. The mayor will have to hold public meetings and notify parents and the community before the closing of schools; the panel will review no-bid contracts and an independent budget office will have the authority to review data on the performance of students.

News of the governor’s act was expected by many, but disappointing to others. “I am disappointed,” said Jitu Weusi, a long-time educator and member of The Coalition for Public Education. “We hoped that the governor would at least have had a public hearing before signing the bill. It was disappointing that it was not a more democratic process.” But, Weusi said, he knew that the governor was under a lot of pressure by certain forces. “That pressure would make you do a lot of things,” he said.

“We, The Coalition for Public Education, will continue to develop and build a pressure group to end mayoral control at the earliest possible date,” he added.

Sam Anderson, also a member of The Coalition for Public Education, said, “Governor Paterson is part of the problem; it’s official now.” Paterson, Barack Obama and a host of others have fallen for mayoral control of our school system, which is mainly for predominantly Black and Latino people, said Anderson. The governor “has aligned himself up with the right wing of the Democratic party.”

Anderson continued to say that the Coalition for Public Education has now got to be a “formidable” force for more parental and student involvement to mobilize and provide the basic services needed, such as a grievance procedure that will resolve issues for parents in the schools. Anderson said they must now work “school by school, district by district ”to create mechanisms to develop and retain Black and Latino teachers, while continuing to create meaningful change.

Ironically, on Monday, there was a press conference sponsored by The Coalition for Public Education, along with other advocacy and political groups in attendance such as Black New Yorkers for Educational Excellence; Independent Coalition on Public Education; New York Coalition for Neighborhood School Control; and the December 12th Movement that gathered to show their resistance to mayoral control, which they view as an autocratic dictatorship that has no place in a democratic system.

A furious City Councilman Charles Barron fumed, “The people must hold the governor and Senate and assemblymen accountable for mis-education of our children. The mayor been a failure, and it is very disappointing that they can’t see that this mayor, who we’ve invested $130 billion in to educate our children, has failed miserably. And for them to give one person this dictatorial control is incorrigible.”

Barron continued, “We must hold them responsible for endangering our future by putting the responsibility of educating Black and Latino children in the hands of two unqualified individuals such as Bloomberg and Klein.

“Parents have no power; the people have no power. The power was instead kept in the hands of those who are unqualified and uninterested in educating Black and Latino children, in particular, and all children in general. We hope our people have long memories come the election regarding who it was who sold our children out.”

Mayor Bloomberg and Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott were even spotted entering City Hall while the press conference was taking place. The assembly of organizers and activists booed and chanted “no mayoral control” along with “dictator” at the men as they walked by.

The same day that the press conference was taking place, Mayor Bloomberg introduced a proposal to end social promotion in public schools for grades 3–8.

Previously, the mayor instituted the policy for grades 3, 5, 7 and 8, but now has added two more grade levels, saying that the new policy to end social promotion was a step in the right direction for students.

The Panel for Educational Policy (PEP) has to approve that measure. The mayor’s policy on social promotion made headlines when he first promoted the educational reform.

Bloomberg fired members on the panel who had disagreed with him on the issue. This issue of mayoral control and term limits even received the attention of the federal government when Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, who is an open advocate for mayoral control and charter schools, sent a letter to an influential educational advocacy group to influence the group to stop fighting for term limits for members of PEP. Even President Obama has made known his admiration for “innovative” practices regarding public education, which includes “schools of choice” that are run independently but receive public money.

Many have expressed their concern for some of the educational initiatives that are being proposed in this season of educational reform, such as paying or firing teachers based on performance and student achievement, and closing down schools that do not make the grade.

All this comes at time when more states with heavy urban populations are transitioning to a mayor-controlled public education system.

Mayoral control is predicated on the premise that the public educational system has failed far too many students, mainly students of color, who are disproportionately affected by high dropout rates and low testing scores and who, many proponents of these educational reforms say, are being left behind in the competitive work force, especially against other students in different countries, along with their European counterparts.

But many opposition groups to mayoral control have asked what will happen when another mayor comes along who is not as vested in public education as their predecessor? Others assert that mayoral control is not about the students, but about politics.

While the Bloomberg administration has said that the achievement gap is closing, graduation rates are climbing and test scores are up since 2002,studies are continuously being revealed that show the measurements the administration are using may not be fully accurate. And others have said that public education is now too focused on showing these “measurable” stats of improvement over the quality of the education that students are exposed to, in addition to making the test easy to pass in the process. They charge that schools have become “testing mills.”

At the press conference on Monday against mayoral control, Weusi read from a paper in front of the podium that stated, “Under dictatorial powers of the mayor—police rule in the schools; criminalization of children; continuation of the classroom to prison pipeline; excessive high stakes testing; crowded classrooms; harassment of veteran teachers; the notorious ‘rubber room’; reckless and excessive spending of public money; using charter schools as a means to privatize public schools creating a three-tier public school system; no discussion, no debate, no democratic tradition; no libraries with books; no science and computer labs in all schools; charters in minority neighborhoods with all-white staffs; no independent parent organization of training establishment of an independent commission to evaluate education; no educational leader of NYC public schools—for all these reasons and more, we say NO to mayoral control.”

Perkins concluded, “We want the people to understand this loss is not the end of the movement to empower our parents and bring transparency and accountability to our schools, bring back art and culture to the curriculum and curb the excessive policing in our schools. The organizing will continue because they are angrier than ever.

“Until our children get the type of education they are entitled to without the fudging of the numbers and the procurement practices and the Bloomberg buddy system are brought to light, the organizing will continue,” said Perkins. “Obviously, the answer is a new mayor who will listen to and bring about the changes that the parents have continued to demand. For parents, this is the most important issue in this upcoming election.”