The NYC public is tired of Mayor Bloomberg’s policies of testing, school closings, and privatization. But for 12 years he has had the constant support of the city’s three major newspapers.
The editorialists have supported and cheered him at every turn.
But WOW, today the Néw York Times has an editorial today that agrees that the critics have a point. Will wonders never cease?!
The other papers regularly insist that any dissent from the mayor’s policies–no matter how ruinous to students they may be–comes from the teachers union or from paid shills for the union. The tabloids are quite certain that parents don’t have brains or ideas of their own.
The irony is that the tabloids continue to lambaste the quality of the schools despite the fact that Mayor Bloomberg has had total control of them for 11 years. If children don’t pass tests, the mayor is accountable. How do citizens hold our billionaire mayor accountable? As he once memorably said, you can always boo him at parades.
Here is an excerpt from the Times’ startling editorial:
“But after 12 years, this mayor’s ideas are due for a counterargument. The critiques the candidates are offering hardly shock the conscience, and their complaints about the Bloomberg administration can be heard from teachers and parents in any school in the city.
“The school system has indeed gone overboard in relying on standardized testing. Tests need to be a means to the end of better instruction, not the pedagogical obsession they have become. Yes, Mr. Bloomberg has shown disdain for consultation, as in his rush to close underperforming schools without the full and meaningful involvement of affected communities.
“The system needs to strengthen neighborhoods’ connection to schools and reconnect with parents who feel shut out. And while charter schools can be a path to excellence, they can also cause problems. Shoehorning them into existing school buildings over local objections can alienate parents and reinforce among students a harmful sense of being separate and unequal.”
“Rook to B-3”
Wow…too early to renew my subscription? Are they merely jumping on a new bandwagon?
Linda,
I think Hell did freeze over, except that the editors still believe VAM is the best way to evaluate teachers. Had they revisited that issue as well, I would be jumping for joy. But for now I will just smile because this is such an “I told you so” moment. 🙂 But this is still huge, and I wonder how many other editorials will now feel it’s okay to speak the truth.
I left this comment….they have much repairing and apologizing to do before I give them any of my hard earned money. I will check on line here and there for free:
Wow! NY Times. Where have you been the past twelve years? Tired of defending the reformy status quo of all status quos? How about an investigative report on the Bloomberg DOE lies, the Duncan/ Gates USDOE FERPA changes violating student privacy and Rheegate? Don’t stop here….you’ve only just begun.
Another example of the “respected” media playing catch-up,
I think the NYT is waking up to the fact that mayoral control is only desirable when “your guy” is in Gracie Mansion. Now that Bloomie is about to leave, they suddenly become circumspect. How can you run a school district that is subject to change direction 180° every time there is an election?
BUT — if you’re a corporate education reformer, it’s entirely possible that both parties’ candidates are “your guy”.
Do we know who is likely to run in the next election? Is either leading candidate opposed to corporate reform?
I too left a comment, but I noticed if I ever criticized the paper directly, my comment was never posted. They have yet to post a comment that had to deal with bringing back Winerip to the education beat. Well, I did accuse them of taking him off deliberately because his articles proved all their editorials wrong. I hope he is LOL!!!
The mayor makes this statement: “If the next mayor really is serious about kowtowing to demands from some radicals in a union,” he said, “then this city does not have a future.”
Mayor Bloomberg conveniently forgot how the PEP members kowtowed to all his failed education policies to approve in$ane no-bid contracts and school closures or else be removed. Mayor Bloomberg received the questionable kowtowing from Reverend Al Sharpton who joined the Education Equality Project with Joel Klein where Sharpton’s $500,000 largess had the Black and Hispanic communties in shock but the sudden infusion of cash put an IRS investigation to rest. But the most famous kowtowing of all times is Quinn’s support of overturning term limits.
I’m sure that they are other incidents of those kowtows to the Mayor’s demands that I haven’t listed. But, the threats to the mayor’s narcissistic image is obviously showing that he believes kowtowing belongs to him only.
Speaking of the NYTimes, I would think readers here would enjoy George Packer’s op-ed piece from today, which touches on some of this blog’s favorite themes.
The Times-Bloomberg connection is no mystery.
Bloomberg owns a lot of investment/corporate media. He is connected to stock markets and the investment banking community, which is connected to corporations that sell products and services. These products and services are constantly advertised in the NY Times. . . they are a lifeblood of the publication.
If at any time too much or the wrong kind of criticism had been doled out to Bloomberg for his autocratic style, he in turn would have easy access to all his friends and associates who advertise in the NY Times. They in turn could always decide not to advertise, holding this sword of Damocles over the Times’s editorial board and even senior editors. . . .
There is NOTHING mysterious here.
And THAT”S why the New York TImes has never been too harsh on Bloomberg. Now that he’s on his way out, the Times is feeling its oats a little bit and intends, perhaps to play like mice now that the big fat cat is leaving the house for good. Maybe this cat will stray into the streets, be picked up and put into a shelter, never get adopted, and then be put to sleep.
There will always be connections, but with Bloomberg’s departure, those connections are relatively weaker.
The Times, aside form Mike Winerip, has always shown a pro-reform, anti-teacher slant. I will NEVER resume my subscription with them. One of my illustrations was published in the Op/Ed section back in 2006, and it took me 5 years to receive compensation. When my drawing went to print, the editor, Brian Rea, said he was “trying me out” and never paid me or gave me any other assigments. FIve years later, I went to Nicholas Blechman and Aviva Michealov (art directors) who had the integrity to confirm what I reported and pay me retroactively.
I am alienated from the Times, but certainly welcome this recent editorial that rethinks Bloomberg’s disgraceful policies.
It is good news, although not perfect. I think when people come around to recognizing and acknowledging the damage that has been done to public education in the name of “reform,” it occurs in fits and starts. This is a pretty solid beginning.
I spent hours writing a response, only to discover when I pressed “submit” that, during that time, they closed the comments period. A less than 24 hour window open for comments? Guess they don’t really want to hear what people have to say. Argh…