Comments on: Marcus on Tenure & Test Scores http://jaypgreene.com/2009/12/02/marcus-on-tenure-test-scores/ With Help From Some Friends Sat, 26 May 2012 22:17:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Greg Forster http://jaypgreene.com/2009/12/02/marcus-on-tenure-test-scores/#comment-7679 Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:28:25 +0000 http://jaypgreene.com/?p=4956#comment-7679 Alas, no – see the caption: “HT Education Week.”

]]> By: Brian http://jaypgreene.com/2009/12/02/marcus-on-tenure-test-scores/#comment-7678 Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:19:46 +0000 http://jaypgreene.com/?p=4956#comment-7678 Is that some more of your photoshop skills on display?

]]> By: Greg Forster http://jaypgreene.com/2009/12/02/marcus-on-tenure-test-scores/#comment-7671 Wed, 02 Dec 2009 20:29:27 +0000 http://jaypgreene.com/?p=4956#comment-7671 Oh, I disagree about Bloomberg’s control over the system as compared to the control that most mayors have. While the mayor’s office is stronger in NYC than in many other cities, the public-sector unions are much stronger. Under New York law, if the city and public sector unions can’t agree on a new contract, the old one stays in force. That basically means the unions have the whiphand over the city pretty much across the board. Giuliani got all his reforms by just bribing all the unions outright to go along with him; there was no other way to do business.

Bloomberg certainly has more at stake than most mayors in the success of his city’s schools, because he’s widely believed to be pulling all the strings, and thus the political buck stops on his desk. Too bad for him he doesn’t have the real power people think he does.

Similarly, the desire for centralized mayoral control of schools (in NYC and elsewhere) isn’t just a function of mayors wanting more power, although it is that, too. It’s seen as the only plausible way to break the power of the unions. Decentralization (other than via school choice, including not only vouchers and charters but also the breakup of large school districts into smaller ones) almost always means the unions win.

]]> By: allen http://jaypgreene.com/2009/12/02/marcus-on-tenure-test-scores/#comment-7670 Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:36:10 +0000 http://jaypgreene.com/?p=4956#comment-7670 Of course not many – if any? – mayors have the influence over the public education system that Bloomberg has so he could be pretty miserable and just by not rolling over for the status quo, be better.

I just wonder when Bloomberg, or some other mayor, will realize that education doesn’t require the sort of centralized control that makes sense for fire and police departments?

]]>