Bloomberg's School Chancellor Granted Waiver
The New York Times reports:
Cathleen P. Black, the publishing executive picked by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg to be the next schools chancellor, cleared a final hurdle on Monday as the state granted her the waiver she needs to take office.
In a 12-page decision, the state education commissioner, David M. Steiner, said that Ms. Black’s inexperience in education would be offset by the appointment of a chief academic officer to serve by her side.
The city agreed to create that position on Friday after Dr. Steiner expressed serious doubts about Ms. Black’s readiness for the job.
“Despite her lack of direct experience in education, I find that Ms. Black’s exceptional record of successfully leading complex organizations and achievement of excellence in her endeavors warrant certification,” Dr. Steiner wrote in his decision.
Ms. Black, the chairwoman of Hearst Magazines, needed a waiver to bypass a 73-year-old state law that requires the New York City schools chancellor to hold education credentials. She has spent her career in the media industry and holds no advanced degrees.
But even with the endorsement of Dr. Steiner, Ms. Black will have to work to win over skeptics when she takes office on Jan. 1. Parents, teachers and lawmakers protested her appointment over the weekend and vowed to challenge Dr. Steiner’s decision in court.
