I have participated in the past several months in “at the table” discussions regarding the Mayor of Rochester, NY, the Honorable Robert Duffy, former Chief of Police of this same mid-sized upstate NY American city’s intent on taking control of the Rochester City School District’s administration and operation. Through out these discussions whether behind closed doors, within smaller break out groups or one on one my position remains steadfast and immovable. I am completely against Mayoral control of the school system! My staunch  opposition is that the Mayor seizing control of the Public School system in Rochester, NY is not only a poor choice but an absolutely wrong choice. Considering many of the diverse discussions and individuals who have been a part of shaping the argument for and against mayoral control, not forgetting nor overlooking the major stakeholders such as parents, grand parents, students, law guardians and teachers (to name a select few), who have been shut out of the process thus far, I can without shame commend the Community Education Task Force effort to spotlight the REAL experts in this matter. So, on Tuesday May 25th, 2010 the Community Education Task Force (CETF) will bring together a panel of Rochester City School District parents and students to speak with and share there unfiltered opinions and concerns regarding this issue with the community and invited guests, many of whom have been recognized as the “experts” in this issue, such as Mayor Robert Duffy, City Council Members, Board of Education members, Union Leaders, College Presidents, and State Legislators, and many more. This Panel presentation and discussion will convene promptly at 4:30 PM and is slated to last until 7:30 PM at the Wilson Foundation Academy (the former Wilson Magnet High School and previous to that the West High School) at 200 Genesee Street, Rochester, NY. Dinner will be offered following the discussion and much-needed childcare will be available. All are welcome to attend this historical event! The event will be hosted by the Student Government Association of the Wilson Foundation Academy.

A well written brochure has been developed by the Community Education Task Force and with the support of the Rochester Teacher’s Union and the printing facilities of the Rehanna Enterprises Digital Imaging Studios (a subsidiary of Tillman & Associates Multimedia Communications and Marketing Solutions), 569 Thurston Road Rochester, NY 14619 the message is going out via mailing and door to door canvassing that the seizing of the educational system by the Office of the Mayor of Rochester NY is not the heal all remedy to Rochester’s education ills! So what are the experts really saying about mayoral control of school districts through out the USA? “There is a great risk of limiting minority participation through mayoral control. (Wong 2006); “…mayoral control is positively related to a widening of the achievement gap between the races.” (Wong et al, Education Mayor Improving America’s Schools); “The record on mayoral control of schools is unimpressive. Eleven big-city school districts take part in federal test called the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Two of the lowest-performing cities-Chicago, and Cleveland are under mayoral control.” (Diane Ravitch, former Under Secretary of Education); “The bottom line is that school district reform is messy, difficult work that requires repeated efforts over several years…In the end, governance reform may result in improvements in a district’s fiscal condition, but may not have sustainable impacts on student achievement, especially of low-income and minority students.” (Public Policy Forum). My desire is that the attendees of this community discussion will depart more accurately informed than they were when they arrived. The public needs to know that mayoral control is part of a bigger movement to privatize urban schools and destroy unions! Mayoral control tends to marginalize, exploit and disenfranchise urban residents giving special interest groups decision-making power and it makes education just another departmental function of the mayor’s office. Mayoral control limits parental and community involvement in the educational process, widening the achievement gap between affluent students and students of poverty and mayoral control has failed nationally in urban education.

Clearly Mayor Robert Duffy’s plan (actually non-plan) is to consolidate city and district departments and keep schools open longer. Adding insult to injury the mayor’s plan deprives citizens of their right to vote for school board members. What is that all about?

What Mayor Duffy has accomplished so far is; eliminated community participation in neighborhood planning, slashed funding to after-school and recreation center programs, eliminated neighborhood police precincts (better known in Rochester as “Sections“) and failed to display any history of educational knowledge, experience or expertise. Many in the community have asked what they can do to be a part of the solution. There are a number of concrete things that each and everyone of us can do, the point is just do something, below are some suggestions.

  1. Join the CETF (Community Education Task Force) which convenes every Wednesday at 5:30 PM at the Freedom School, 630 Goodman Street, Rochester, NY.
  2. Canvass Rochester, NY households to talk about mayoral control; call 585-317-2367 for more details.
  3. Get signatures on our petition; email us for a copy at community-education-internal@lists.rocus.org
  4. Attend forums about mayoral control and speak out; tell your friends and family!
  5. Call the legislators in Albany, NY (State Capital) who will ultimately decide and tell them emphatically NO MAYORAL CONTROL!
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