No one should be surprised at the new Board of Education. Mayor Bloomberg wants control of the public schools and won't give it up easily. Plus, Borough Presidents won't disagree with the Mayor for fear of having their budgets severely cut. (Ask Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum about that.) So, the B.O.E. will look a lot like the D.O.E. for now. But don't change the signage at Tweed just yet. It's just a matter of time before the stubborn Senators agree to "retroactively extend" mayoral control...

State Senators didn't get back to work before midnight, so New York City public schools are no longer under mayoral control. Well, not technically. The seven people chosen to lead the new Board of Education include three current Deputy Mayors in the Bloomberg administration. The Board then voted unanimously to give Schools Chancellor Joel Klein full authority.

As for the Senators, they held another quick special session in Albany to satisfy Governor Paterson's order. But no bills were voted on and the power stalemate is now in its 24th day.

What's your reaction to the "new" Board of Education? Do you expect to see any differences in public schools? Are you surprised State Senators let midnight's deadline pass without voting on non-controversial bills?

Send us your thoughts using the link above.

I knew Bloomberg would keep control of the schools, contract or no contract. By appointing 3 under him in his administration, of course they had enough strength to vote in Klein with complete authority. There will be no difference in public schools because Klein is Bloomberg's puppet. I think what is going on in the senate is ridiculous and these "children" should start acting their age and get down to business.

Jessica
Arden Heights, Staten Island

what the chancellor sees as constructive engagement I view as CORRUPTION. dennis walcott, ed burke, you all honestly think the people are stupid. when are you all going to put the children before your own special interests. I believe in GOD and I believe in miracles and at last i believe all children including children with disabilities will come FIRST!

victoria
tottenville

I somehow think that the UFT and it's political operatives are behind this fiasco in a pathetic last-ditch attempt to restore the bureaucracy that they miss so much. I know that Randi Weingarten is leaving the UFT but her UFT gestapo will be around for a long time.

Nick / Oakwood, SI

So, NYS VOTERS can call and/or write their NYS Senators on just how they feel about this NYS Senate Coup! I can only say that I concur & agree with NYS Governor David A. Paterson! NO WORK! NO PAY!

Floyd

Dear John:

As I have previously stated I hope that you run this coverage during the next election as voters tend to have very short memories. These degenerates deserve to be relieved of duty and call for a special election. It is obvious that they are unqualified to govern let's start over again.

Jose'
Astoria

A classic example of what goes around, comes around. Bloomberg took control of the schools by mounting a middle of the night pogrom against the then members of the Board of Ed. Now, overnight, control has reverted back to the Board of Ed.

Bloomberg is in no position to lecture the Senate, or anyone else, on observing the rule of law. Can Bloomberg say term limits?

Barbara
Uptown West Side

Surprised that the deadline passed? Of course not! What would be surprising is if the morons in Albany conducted themselves as representatives of the people. Then again, if that happened, what would you guys at The Call have to talk about?

At least the NYC schools are still, in my opinion, in good hands.

Keep up the good work.

Dominic
Cobble Hill

I do not have words to express the anger I have over the Senate's disgraceful dereliction of duty and utter disregard of the people they were elected to serve. There is no justification for failing to act on a bill to continue the Department of Education under Mayor Bloomberg's leadership, which had overwhelming support from both Democrats and Republicans. The bipartisan support was a reflection of the documented vast improvement in public education throughout New York City over the past seven years. To instead, thrust hundreds of thousands of NYC children, teachers, principals, and staff into a state of confusion, uncertainty, and stagnation is an affront to public education. The message sent is that hard work and proven progress is meaningless. How I hope that our children do not accept that message.

-Public school parent
Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn

Hi John,

This Mayor is more than a dictator and I'm getting sick and tired of him throwing his weight around. Why do they insist on defying all of us? There has to be something we all can do. There must be a way for all of us to do something. They just keep defying us. So directly or in-directly this mayor just rules the roost. I still think he is in trouble., and notice none of the circulars are being mailed anymore., although I did send mine back. Well enough for now it just gets very frustrating.

maxxiee
mp

Please explain to me how the Mayoral Law can expire and Bloomberg is still acting like he is in charge. Oh I forgot, the Borough Presidents are the same people that voted themselves a third term along with Bloomberg. They are all corrupt. I won't vote for any of them come election time.

A, Bronx, NY

Speaking as a graduate of EBC Bushwick High School of the class of 2004, I know what the Board of Education was like. It was full of red tape, bureaucracy, and incompetence. So now – because of our beloved senate – we have to go back to the “good-ol’ days”? I for one loved the idea of Mayoral control over our schools. Scores went up, drop-out rates went down, and – not to sound selfish but, I was a product of one of those schools that succeeded because of Mayoral control.

Under Bloomy, we had accountability, responsibility, and proven results – which is a lot more than what I can say about our folks in Albany. If we want kids to have any sort of chance to graduate and make it through without having to deal with the bull of the Board of Education, we have to make our voices heard. After all, when you want something done right, you got to do it yourself – and not leave the futures n the hands of people who put their own personal political interests ahead of the people that they have supposedly sworn to serve.

Joshua
Resident of Bushwick, Brooklyn, NY
Graduate, EBC Bushwick H.S. – Class of 2004

John,

Beyond the specific current issues of control of NYC education, sales tax rate being held up by the mess in the NY State Senate, there is a larger issue. Why does NYC need the state to control these things? These issues (along with rent control, at least as it exists in NYC) should not be at the mercy of a legislative body which is largely made up of upstaters who are indifferent (or even hostile) to New York City and its people.

Faye from Brooklyn

John,

Enough is enough! The powers that be must call for a special election to replace the governor and these idiots asap. It's time to close their local district offices also, because nothing is being done. They love the publicity the media is giving them. Ignore them just as they have ignored us and just maybe they will get the message!

Liz
Rosedale

In this system people on the board should have an educational background. Education is not a business but an institution of learning.

Rina, Qns

The new Board of Election voted not to meet till September. Bloomberg must be terrified. He even said the Soviet Union would be resurrected and there would be chaos without mayoral control. He needs to keep Klein in place to cover his dirty deals - such as lack of NYC licensing of inner circle friends in the DOE, illegal contracts and inflated test scores.. A change in chancellor just might expose Bloomberg and Klein's corrupt practices. How can they be held accountable, when they call the shots. There is no independent monitoring of the budget or of student data. We need a strong system of checks and balances and then we can hold these crooks accountable

roxanne
Morris Park bronx new york

Mayor Bloomberg had warned that if mayoral control sunset, we'd return to the "Soviet Union." And we have! A board of at least 6 "yes people" brought to us by Comrade Mike himself! Then I come home to hear Dennis Walcott tell Michael Scotto on The Road to City Hall that the new board is an example of the dysfunction of the old system! Smooth guys, real smooth.

Susan
Morningside Heights

Why should us, the voting public, even bother to do anything about our government? Mike Bloomberg runs roughshod over our vote that two terms is the limit in office. He runs roughshod over the supposed Board of Education, which has his cronies well in place, and Albany runs roughshod over the entire population of New York, acting like big babies and doing nothing. Why do we bother voting for anyone, when they don't do work or ignore what we, the people, ask for?

Throw out the lot, and start over.

Adam, Gerristen Beach.

mayor bloomberg is a business man. education is not a business. we do not need the school system to become corporate america. bloomberg shows up once every 3 months holds up a book and thinks he is qualified to run the department of ed.... i dont think so.

lisa

When parents were involved in the old Community School Boards, the system was filled with people who knew nothing about running the schools. We need a leadership, not patronage and nepotism.

Rhonda
Upper East Side

Legally questionable new Board:

1. Who called the “first Board of education meeting today?”
2. Under what legal authority was it called?
3. Was it open to the public?
4. Where was the meeting announced?
5. Did that announcement contain specific details as to the time, place and date of the meeting?
6. Did that announcement contain a phone number, address and/or email for the public to contact for details?
7. Are all the members chosen to serve residents of New York City?
8. A Deputy Mayor serving as President of the Board of Education is a conflict of interest, violates the separation of powers since the Board of education is no longer part of the executive/mayoral branch. Patricia Harris and Ed Skyler as well as Dennis Walcott must resign as Deputy Mayors or as Board members.

Nick
Riverdale

I think it is a shame that we are all focusing on what is happening with the Board of Education right now can we get to the core of the issue....

We (all Democrats and Republicans) have voted people in an office (Senate) that we thought was mature enough to handle our business. Unfortunately they have proved to not be so mature. Because they cannot even come together for meetings and meet deadlines it has effected once again the people.

So we should on election day not show up to that meeting (the election polls and see how they all feel)

Lets fight fire with fire dont worry about the bd of ed it will survive. Always has, Always will you have great leaders in the Department of Education aside from who they put in place today and I truly believe that we will win in the End

to every senator SHAME ON YOU

Annette

I originally believed in the Mayoral control of the schools especially since the schools were run sort of willie nillie prior to this Mayoral control, however lately some news that I learned led me to believe that a few should control the schools, something in between the former and more than the current control. My daughter has always gotten 4's on her state tests, it was rare that she did not. However, last year and this year she was split on 3 and 4 scores. She received a 4 in math and 3 in English. I was told by a teacher/neighbor from another school that the new grading system on the state test was to aimed at lowering the number of 1's given out and in turn lessened the students who received 4's on the English portion of the test, based on interpretations of essays etc...Basically to keep the schools in the higher end range and thereby making the schools seem to be improving more than they really are. I would agree. My daughter was reading by age 4 and she went to kindergarten able to read a 2nd grade book. She reads now constantly and has went back to books she got when she was younger to read them over again. Her reading and comprehension along with her writing skills are excellent. I cant imagine her getting a 3 on the English test but if this is true, this would be the proof that something is going on with the testing and or scoring of the state tests.

I would be interested to know if this can be confirmed.

Donna

Pathetic.
So sorry to see that Klein is still in charge.

Anni
Upper West Side

I don't think anything will change the special board seems to have covered the bases pretty well there. I am not surprised this is over three weeks now why should it change those people are just not going to do their jobs no matter what the Governor does. I am not surprised at their actions, it is clear they have their own agendas. There is no concern for us the people that voted them in. Just remember this a year from November

Jim
UWS

i think that Honorable Senator Pedro Espada jr is right for what he is doing the closest senators to him in his area are Eric schneiderman jeffrey dinowitz and jeffery klein i have tried to get a response from them and they don't do anything so i think those Senators dont respond to the public and they probably dont respond to Honorable Senator Pedro Espada jR.

and i think it is rediculous for the Governor to force the Senator's to be in albany and without pay so they vote on what could be the Dem's number 1 priority on there Agenda "Gay Marriage"

Thank You,
Alan
Bronx, New York