Schools

Avella Looks to Block Mayor's Pick for Schools Chancellor

State Senator-elect Wants Nominee with Education Background

State Senator-elect Tony Avella is calling on the state's Education commissioner to deny Mayor Michael Bloomberg's request for a waiver for city School Chancellor nominee Cathie Black.

Avella, who will take office on Jan. 1 after defeating Frank Padavan, R-Bellerose, in last week's state Senate race, said he believed the post should be filled by someone with prior education experience.

"I've always believed the chancellor should have an education background and experience," the senator-elect said. "This is the largest school system in the country. The mayor thinks [Black] can transpose managerial experience from one career to another."

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Black previously acted as the chairwoman of Hearst Magazines and a publisher of USA Today. But she has neither a degree in educational management nor any educational experience.  The mayor would need to obtain a waiver from State Commissioner of Education David Steiner for Black to be designated as the chancellor.

Avella sent a letter to Steiner, requesting that the commissioner deny Bloomberg's request.

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"While I'm sure that Ms. Black is a very well qualified executive in the magazine industry, the top executive in the New York City school system should be an educator," Avella wrote. "I firmly believe that the chancellor should be a person who understands how to develop curriculum, who understands the value of parental involvement and who understands what principals, teachers and students go through on a daily basis."

The senator-elect said he has not yet heard back from the commissioner.

The city's Department of Education could not be reached for comment.

Susan Yagerman, a Bayside resident whose children attend P.S. 209 in Whitestone, said she agreed with Avella's position on the matter.

"She needs to know the basics of how things operate and she's lacking," Yagerman said of Black. "So, she probably can't even hit the ground running. She's not a licensed teacher. She doesn't have any background in education."

During a press conference last week, Bloomberg touted Black's credentials.

"Cathie Black is a superstar manager who has succeeded spectacularly in the private sector," the mayor said.  "She is brilliant, she is innovative, she is driven. And there is virtually nobody who knows more about the needs of the 21st Century workforce for which we need to prepare our kids."

Black would replace Joel Klein as chancellor if Steiner approves the mayor's waiver.

Bayside Patch Editor Lori Gross and Little Neck Patch Editor Paul Leonard contributed to this story.


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