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November 12, 2010

David Steiner
Commissioner
New York State Education Department
Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12234

Dear Commissioner Steiner:

I am writing to express my deep concern about the choice Mayor Bloomberg has
made in naming Cathie Black as a successor to the current Chancellor and to
request that you do not issue the waiver that would permit her appointment.
New York State education law is explicit regarding the minimum requirements
that the Superintendent of any New York State School District must meet. The
Mayor’s choice, Cathie Black, meets none of the professional experience
requirements, apparently satisfying only the undergraduate graduation standard.

School systems are not corporations; they differ profoundly in their mission,
dynamics and governance processes. Ms. Black’s marketing expertise and
personality may have made her a superlative corporate leader for the publishing
industry but I do not see evidence of experience in education that a Chancellor
needs to guide our nation’s largest and most complex public school system.

When Mayor Bloomberg announced the appointment of Raymond Kelly as

Commissioner of the New York Police Department, he emphasized the
importance of Mr. Kelly’s extensive experience as a law enforcement
professional. When Mayor Bloomberg announced the appointment of Salvatore
Cassano as head of the City’s Fire Department, he stressed the significance of
Mr. Cassano’s 40 years of experience with that agency. With nothing less than
the future of our children at stake, the Mayor suddenly seems to be saying that
experience is no longer important.
In announcing Ms. Black’s candidacy, the Mayor said he conducted a “public”
search and “picked the best.” The Mayor talking “to people for suggestions”
cannot be equated with a public search. I dispute his conclusion that “the best”
is an individual totally lacking experience with public education.

The need for a real education leader is evidenced by the failure of far too many
students to meet the new State standards, as well as unacceptable dropout and
graduation rates and a tragically persistent achievement gap. We need a
Chancellor whose good judgment is honed by years of experience on the issues
that confront our schools – not a neophyte who is asking us to be patient. This
is not the time to waive mandated qualifications.

I have frequently made the analogy that transforming the New York City
Department of Education is like turning around a very large boat in a very
narrow river. I extend that analogy - the ship is an aircraft carrier with 1.1
million school children, heading into the Atlantic Ocean in the face of a forecast
for extremely severe weather. It will take an experienced captain at the helm to
keep the ship stable and moving in right direction.

I urge you to take personal responsibility for the fate of our children by refusing
to grant the waiver that would allow Ms. Black to assume the position of
Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education.

In Unity,

Robert Jackson

C: Board of Regents
Panel for Educational Policy
New York City Delegation of the New York State Senate
New York City Delegation of the New York State Assembly
New York City Council