State education commissioner expected to grant waiver Monday The state's education commissioner will grant media executive Cathie Black a waiver Monday to serve as chancellor of the nation's largest school system, an official with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press yesterday.
Schools Chancellor Joel Klein and the mayor's new choice for chancellor, Cathie Black, attend a cabinet meeting at the city Department of Education headquarters earlier this month.
(Associated Press)The state's education commissioner will grant media executive Cathie Black a waiver Monday to serve as chancellor of the nation's largest school system, an official with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press yesterday.
The official spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the announcement had not yet been made.
The decision opens the door for the Hearst Magazines chairwoman to succeed Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, who is leaving to take a job with News Corp. The 66-year-old Ms. Black had needed the waiver because she does not have a background in education.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg had been criticized over his decision to appoint the noneducator to the position. Among the detractors was City Councilwoman Debi Rose (D-North Shore), who was one of more than a dozen Council members to sign a resolution asking state Education Commissioner David Steiner to deny Ms.Black a waiver.
In a letter yesterday, Bloomberg said Ms. Black would appoint 38-year-old Shael Polakow-Suransky, a former teacher and a member of Klein's administration, to serve as senior deputy chancellor and chief academic officer.
Borough President James Molinaro was among the politicians who wrote letters in support of Ms. Black's appointment. While pleased with the decision to appoint a chief academic officer, he said, "It's not necessary. But if it satisfies the critics, then fine."
When asked whether the process by which Bloomberg made the selection may have contributed to the criticism, Molinaro said that there may be "some merit to that," but "it is (Bloomberg's) choice on what procedure to use (to select the new chancellor)."
- Advance staff writer Kiawana Rich contributed to this report.