Exit Cathie Black, Enter Dennis Walcott
by Anne Silverstein
Cathleen Black’s 95-day excursion as the NYC Schools Chancellor came to an end when Mayor Michael Bloomberg realized his mistake and asked the embattled Ms. Black to step down on April 7.
Mr. Bloomberg immediately replaced Ms. Black with Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott who was confirmed by State Education Commissioner David Steiner on April 14. (Dr. Steiner also announced his departure on April 7, a coincidence, Dr. Steiner said. See story here.)
Mr. Walcott, although eminently more qualified for the position than Ms. Black from almost everyone’s point-of-view, still required a waiver from Dr. Steiner because he lacks the certification state law requires. Mr. Walcott is the fourth consecutive Chancellor to lack those credentials, causing some to question the
point of the law at all.
Mr. Walcott, unlike his predecessor, taught kindergarten and has been involved in public education for years; he was appointed to the now-defunct Board of Education in 1993, spearheaded a public education campaign on the importance of community school board elections, and as Deputy Mayor served as Mayor Bloomberg’s education liaison to Schools Chancellor Joel Klein.
CSA President Ernest Logan said he was “delighted” by the appointment noting Mr. Walcott’s education expertise and experience. After Mr. Klein’s resignation, Mr. Logan recommended that Mr. Walcott be named chancellor. “All of us at CSA hope that Dennis Walcott will bring stability to NYC public schools, uniting educators, families and the general public and helping them gain a new spirit of confidence,” he said.
Ms. Black’s appointment back in November (she officially became Chancellor on Jan. 3) was greeted with an enormous public groan from union leaders, education advocates, parents and lawmakers. Although Mr. Bloomberg touted her managerial skills as a publishing honcho, it soon became apparent from public gaffes that she did not have the public relations skills nor the educational acumen needed to handle the job.
