While residents of Rochester are well aware of the proposed bill in Albany to grant the Mayor of Rochester control over the cities public schools system - eliminating the elected school board - residents of Buffalo have been provided with no information regarding the proposed law or its likely impact on Buffalo.
While originally denying he was interested in seeking mayoral control over the schools, Rochester Mayor Robert Duffy has turned out to be a militant supporter of the bill. Interestingly, he has also been selected by Andrew M. Cuomo as running mate on the Democratic gubernatorial ticket, as the candidate for lieutenant governor.
Business and business-funded groups, along with many politicians including Governor Paterson, support mayoral control. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is also an ardent supporter. The typical rendering of the issue can be found at a recent forum held by the Rochester Business Forum.
Residents of Rochester are, however, actively opposing the measure.
From the NYDailyNews.com: “[Senator] Smith is bullying our leaders into doing something that will hurt, not help, our community,” Mary Adams, a 44-year-old nurse, said.
The protesters, the Daily reported, were “armed with colorful banners and signs, shouted against mayoral control in Rochester public schools, claiming the results would marginalize, exploit and disenfranchise urban residents.”
“Public schools need fixing in every city,” Adams said. “But this is not the answer -- it might even widen the achievement gap between whites and blacks even more.”
“Albany clearly doesn’t have our best interest,” said 19-year-old Casey Asprooth-Jackson, a recent graduate of a Rochester public high school.
In another recent article discussing the timing of a vote on the bill, Senator George Maziarz (R-C, Newfane) said, “If this [law is passed], I guarantee you — guarantee you — the next day the mayor of the city of Buffalo, I suspect, (asks for legislation). I would have to believe that Syracuse, Yonkers and even Albany might not be very far behind.”
According to the same report, a spokesman for Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown declined comment. Yet, Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner “has said she is considering seeking mayoral control, but has not yet thrown her support behind it there.”
So, here are some questions:
- Why has the Buffalo News been largely silent on the issue?
- Why are our elected officials in Buffalo not informing the public about the bill?
- Given that this is a national trend, why are our elected officials not sharing with the public their views on mayoral control?
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