Schools

Spotlight: Dennis Walcott

A closer look at the city's new schools chancellor

It was an appointment made by Mayor Michael Bloomberg that came during a time of great adversity for the city's school system — one that required a special waiver from the state Board of Education to even get off the ground. 

No, we're not talking about embattled former schools chancellor Cathie Black, who after a series of public relations mishaps and a lingering bad first impression made on many parents, teachers and community leaders. 

Instead, we're referring to Black's replacement in the top schools post, Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott, who like his successor, will require permission from Albany due to his lack of requisite qualifications for the position of chancellor.

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But it's there that the similarities between the two City Hall insiders seem to end. 

"I've always been a fan of Dennis," said Councilman Mark Weprin, D-Oakland Gardens. "I think he’s a bright guy, a humble guy."

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An outspoken critic of the city Department of Education, Weprin wasn't alone in his positive views of the longtime city official. Striking when compared to almost-uniformly negative reaction to Black's appointment as chancellor is the muted-bordering-on-outright praise for Bloomberg's most recent choice.

Tracing his roots to the West Indies, Walcott grew up in Queens, attending Francis Lewis High School. According to his bio posted on nyc.gov, Walcott received his Bachelor's and a Master's in Education from the University of Bridgeport and received a Master's in Social Work at Fordham University.

And as a counterpoint to Black's lack of classroom experience, Walcott started his career as a Kindergarten teacher at a Queens childcare center. Today, one of his grandsons attends elementary school in St. Albans. 

Even a persistent critic of the city Department of Education, District 26 school board president Rob Caloras, gave Walcott (somewhat) grudging praise when his appointment was announced last week. 

“He has good roots,” Caloras said. “They are better than Klein’s or Black’s. His children went to public schools. But I fear his roots have been severed. He’s been drinking the corporate reform Kool Aid for too long.”

Weprin acknowledged that not every critic would be placated by Walcott's appointment. However, given the tepid reception given for Black, the deputy mayor seemed all-but-sure to have an easier time building coalitions to tackle the city school system's many challenges.

"His biggest asset is that he knows our local schools," Weprin said. "He has children in the system and now a grandson. That's a big step up."


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