Though he hasn't officially taken over the spot of Schools Chancellor (and might need a waiver from the state Education Department before he does) soon-to-be Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott continues to speak to parents and politicians about his plans. Though all he really has to do for approval is not be Cathie Black. Walcott said at Downtown Brooklyn's Church of the Open Door. "My style is different from Cathie's, just like Cathie's style was different from Joel's... What I want to dedicate the next 2½ years to is making sure that parents are fully engaged in the lives of their children." But he's gotta get through this lawsuit first!
On Friday, parents of students at the Brandeis High School campus filed a lawsuit against the Department of Education in an attempt to bar them from opening the Upper West Success charter school in the same building. "We don't want our children to be treated like second-class citizens in their own building," said one parent. Walcott previously said that "co-locations" are "driving a lot of concern from people," and Public Advocate Bill de Blasio said of the suit, "As a public school parent and a public official, I wholeheartedly support the Brandeis community's lawsuit."
Walcott also defended the fines some teachers paid to get out of the dreaded rubber rooms, saying, "Some people pay fines, some we remove and dismiss altogether. "So there are a variety of charges against people. Part of this is our pledge to end rubber rooms." At least he sounds like he knows what he's talking about! One hopes he isn't too sensitive about unflattering photos.
