Published Online: November 19, 2010
NYC Mayor Seeks Waiver for His Chancellor Choice By Christina A. Samuel
New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has formally requested a state waiver to make publishing executive Cathleen P. Black the city’s schools chief, even as opposition to her selection has become more vocal this week. Ms. Black is a person of “extraordinary skills and accomplishments” with firsthand knowledge of the demands and challenges of today’s workplace, the mayor wrote in a six-page appeal to state Commissioner of Education David M. Steiner. The letter , dated Nov. 17, was posted on the website of The New York Times. Under state law, district leaders in New York are required to have at least three years of teaching experience, a master’s degree or higher, and successful completion of a professional certificate in educational leadership. The commissioner is allowed to grant a waiver, however, for “exceptionally qualified” people. Some local groups are citing the state requirement in seeking to block the appointment of Ms. Black who has little experience in education, to succeed Joel I. Klein as the chancellor of the 1.1 millionstudent school district. Mayor Bloomberg announced the surprise pick Nov. 9. ("Media Leader Tapped to Head N.Y.C. Schools," Nov. 17, 2010.) In his letter, though, Mr. Bloomberg argued that his choice fits the description of “exceptionally qualified.” Ms. Black is the chairman of the board of Hearst Magazines, a division of the Hearst Corp that publishes titles such as Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, Esquire, and O, The Oprah Magazine. Until earlier this year, she served as the division’s president, leading a team of 2,000 employees. Track Record Examined At Hearst, the mayor wrote, Ms. Black “was responsible for putting the company at the forefront of digital expansion by starting a digital media unit dedicated to creating and implementing online and mobile strategies.” During her time there, he said, she “spearheaded innovative strategies” that produced record-breaking years for the company. And her educational experience includes time spent on the boards of the University of Notre Dame and her alma mater, Trinity Washington University. She also serves as a trustee of the Kent School, a 500-student boarding school in Connecticut, and recently joined the leadership board of the Harlem Village Academies, a charter school group in New York City. These varied experiences have made Ms. Black “an innovative leader with a proven track record of success, who can immediately step in, consolidate our gains, and aggressively continue our reform
Page 57 of 141