Mahattan BP Brewer Backs de Blasio on Mayoral Control of Schools

By Charlene Carlies and Austin Santiago

 

Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer held a “big-tent” rally Thursday on the steps of City Hall, showing support for a budget bill that would support the mayoral control of New York City public schools.

The budget bill proposes a three-year extension of mayoral control.

“Mayoral control works because the public can hold the mayor accountable for the school system,” Brewer said. “We want mayoral control for a very long time.”

Mayoral control over the schools was first granted in 2002, during the administration of then Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Prior to that, schools were governed by a Board of Education and 32 elected community school boards.

The Board of Education had seven members; the mayor appointed two, and each of the five borough presidents appointed one. The Board of Education had the authority to select the chancellor. The mayor could also influence the school system through the city budget.

According to statistics, high school graduation rates and national test scores have significantly improved as a result of mayoral control.

“Mayoral control has allowed big changes to happen fast. We went from 20,000 kids in full day pre-k to 70,000 in two years time,” Mayor Bill de Blasio has said.

“There’s nothing more humbling than being responsible for 1.1 million children and their futures.”

Anita Gundanna, a representative of the Coalition for Asian American Children & Families, also spoke out in support of mayoral control.

“Under the leadership of Mayor Bill de Blasio, the city’s public schools are growing stronger.”