Empowering the NYC Council: A Call for Leadership and Responsibility

New public hearings start tonight to consider the future of the New York City public school governance. The responsibility should be shifted from mayoral to city control. The current mayoral control system has led to political interference and decreased the City Council’s authority over education. Community control has been an impractical solution, and having citywide solutions for quality and equity is essential. Electing the board through city-wide elections is likely to lead to political turmoil. The City Council has earned public respect and should be considered for a more prominent role in educational governance. Replacing the ineffective PEP with an independent City Council is consistent with the state Education Law establishing mayoral control. It’s time to move away from mayoral control and include the Council’s representation in decision-making for the schools.