So, the suit by New York City's United Federation of Teachers and the NAACP to block 22 school closures and 15 charter school "co-locations" in Gotham came to naught. And? Mayor Michael Bloomberg, according to Gotham Schools, celebrated by mouthing off on a local radio show:
Close isn't what we do. It's retaking these schools, and over a number of years changing the management, the teachers, the programs, in schools that aren't working. One of these schools, I think they had a three percent proficiency rating in English and nine percent in math. And the suit wanted to keep that school open. This is just so ridiculous.
When radio host John Gambling described the judge's decision as one ?against the UFT and the NAACP,? Bloomberg interrupted. ?No, no, I would rephrase that. A judge ruling for the kids.?
Indeed, though Bloomberg has stumbled of late (with his appointment of Cathie Black as chancellor) and is suffering from some social contract fatigue with New York's notoriously picky citizens, it is nice to see that he has not given up on his title of the Education Mayor.
--Peter Meyer, Bernard Lee Schwartz Policy Fellow
