For about 90 days, beginning in early January and ending last week, the New York City Department of Education, which runs the nation's largest public school system, was a hotbed of controversy and some say disillusionment.
As the government agency grappled with a looming budget crunch; angry parents who felt bypassed by a seemingly uncaring bureaucracy; battled with the United Federation of Teachers, the union which represents tens of thousands of disgruntled classroom professionals; and tried to figure out how to implement a new teacher evaluation system while considering how to close poor performing schools, the DOE was thrown into crisis when Joel Klein, the Chancellor of Education for at least eight years, decided to quit for greener pastures. Mayor Michael Bloomberg made things worse when put Cathie Black in the job. It was a poor decision because of her lack of knowledge of the school system, inexperience in education, and her insensitivity when it came to dealing with poor people, especially those of color.
The tumultuous 90 days of Black's tenure came to an abrupt end when she was asked to step down by Bloomberg who immediately appointed Dennis Walcott, a New Yorker to the core and a public figure who can best be described as a product of the public school system and a man committed to providing the 1.1 million students in its classrooms with the best possible education.
Little wonder that Walcott's accession to the top of the DOE's leadership has been greeted with acclaim and high expectations for better days, but tempered with a dose of cautious realism. Federal, state and local government elected representatives as well as community leaders, professional educators and managers have used a common phrase, "excellent choice," to describe his appointment. We couldn't agree more.
How come?
Walcott, an affable person who is well-grounded in the nuances that make New York City the great metropolis that is, understands the aspirations not to mention the fears, of parents grandparents, teachers and the young people who flock to the school system's classrooms day in and day-out to get an education that would launch them into a high-tech world or send them on to college or university.
His upbringing in a Caribbean-oriented home in Queens where there was a high premium on education and lifelong achievement, not to mention involvement in the community, paved the way for his productive career in a variety of areas – the Urban League; serving on the Board of Education, which became the DOE; and then moving to City Hall as Bloomberg's Deputy Mayor for Education and Community Development.
Clearly, of the three chancellor's appointed by Bloomberg in the past nine years, Walcott is the best suited for the position; hence, the galloping expectations and the fervent prayers for his success, for if he does well, the City's children would be better off.
But there are some inescapable factors. The first is that he is taking over a vast bureaucracy which in recent years was a ship without a rudder, meaning it was adrift. It seemingly lost touch with its mission – the education of our children – and became embroiled in a succession of unfortunate and avoidable controversies, such as inappropriate school closings; refusal to communicate with parents; a battle over charter schools versus public schools; and an over-emphasis on preparing children for tests instead of educating them.
That's why Walcott's presence is going to be so crucial. As Bertha Lewis, head of the Black Institute, sees it, Walcott is well-placed to engage parents in a dialogue about their children. City Councilmember Jumaane Williams, a vigorous critic of both the Mayor and Black is also hoping for change from the business-as-usual approach to one of new and innovative ideas, while Dr. Roy Hastick, president of the Caribbean-American Chamber of Commerce and Industry expects Walcott to bring the same kind of sensitivity, sound judgment and management skills to the chancellorship that he has exhibited during his career. That's a realistic wish list. To it we must add an end to the nightmare hundreds of Caribbean teachers are facing over their future in the classroom and their immigration status. At first glance, the West Indian teacher dilemma may not loom large on the DOE's list of priorities, but it has been a festering sore for almost a decade and needs quick treatment. Walcott can solve it by lighting the fire under the international teacher's unit at the Department and positively resolving the problem.
Through all of these challenges, one thing shouldn't be ignored. It's a point Walcott himself made within hours of his appointment: he serves at the pleasure of the Mayor and can be hampered, if not removed like Black, should he seek to run a completely independent course.
Walcott must find ways to usher in a new era at DOE that would be beneficial to the children, who are, to use well-worn phrase, among our most precious assets.
