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NYC Public Education: Leadership Without Accountability
 

 

I was one upset white woman when I read the Saturday, November 27th New York Times and learn that Mayor Bloomberg had selected a white man,  Polakow-Suransky for the position of Academic Deputy to be "second in command" to Cathleen Black, a white woman, as the city’s new public school chancellor.  Children is the NYC public schools are predominantly children of color!  

 

It is hard to believe that after all the discussion this past summer about the Mayor's "white at the top" hiring practices, in spite of his vow for diversity, that he could not find one professional of color to fill this post who has expertise in leadership and education.  His  position that educators have not done a great job thereby justifying the selection of a corporate woman who does not have educational experience would be like hiring someone with no financial expertise to head the financial sector since they have done a horrible  job. This is outrageous!

 

It makes me regret a recent decison to not highlight the Mayor's vow to hire with diversity yet fail to do so, as an example in an article addressing the need for a racial equity impact process in decision making.  Is Mayor Bloomberg accountable to anyone.?  He offers an example of the most dangerous decision making possible.  Decisions made behind closed doors with "business as usual" outcomes.

 

Using a Racial Equity Impact Statement in Policymaking is vital.  It's time to bring this lens forward into our work and into our institutional practices. http://www.antiracistalliance.com/EquityImpactStatement.html

 

Sandra Bernabei

 


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