“Constant Change Contributes to Chaos and Confusion”
Thursday, July 6, 2006
By Bernard Gassaway

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No one seems to miss the chaos and confusion that came along with having a central Board of Education, thirty-two community school districts, a high school division, a special education district, a chancellor's district and an alternative schools district. Constant political infighting among the various school boards and the constant battles between the mayors and various chancellors created an education system that failed to educate the city's children. By nearly all objective accounts, the New York City Board of Education was the largest dysfunctional system in America .

Therefore, when Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg assumed control of the New York City Public School System in 2002, the public gave him an unwritten mandate to destroy the old Board of Education. No one cried for the long-term bureaucrats who were told to retire or resign. In fact, many silently cheered their forced exodus. “Out with the old, in with the new.” Change is what we expected and change is what we got, plenty of it.

When Chancellor Joel Klein began his “Children First Reform,” he was empowered to destroy anything that stood in his way. He collapsed the thirty-two districts into ten regions. He closed offices and returned needed space to the schools. He abolished certain titles and returned reluctant personnel to the classroom. These were some interesting times for change agents. I was a staunch believer in the reform. Like many others, I knew the old Board of Education was a mess. To my great disappointment, once the dust settled from the demolition of the old system, I quickly realized that the more things changed, the more they stayed the same.

Hundreds of thousands of children are still not receiving a quality education. Thousands are placed in special education programs. Teacher morale is low. Principals are rendered impotent under the guise of empowerment. Superintendents are beings used as pawns for central administration and local politicians. Parents are dismissed and disrespected. Children have no voice. With all the changes, we continue to have more of the same. Instead of thirty-two quasi-independent community school districts, we have an autocratic centralized school district.

I believed Klein was our best opportunity for real change and continuity, since he could potentially serve an eight-year term. Instead, at a time when the Department of Education should be in full stride, it has begun another round of reforms, which in effect throws everyone into a state of shock.

On the district level, people are afraid, apprehensive, paranoid, and demoralized. Instead of providing direct support services to schools, many are spending hours each day trying to survive, to find a job. As many were aware of the invasion of the consultants and their behind-the-door clandestine meetings, no one was really prepared for the abrupt, heartless termination notices. Positions which were seen as essential during the first so-called reform were eliminated without warning or explanation. This was tightly controlled from central headquarters. Regional superintendents were kept in the dark. Principals, teachers, parents and children — everyone was kept in the dark.

On the school level, principals and teachers are confused by all of the changes. They feel totally out of the loop. They too are afraid, apprehensive, paranoid, and demoralized.

On the community level, parents are in shock. They have not figured out how to respond to the blatant disrespect from the school administration. Administration officials have figured out that parents will not leave the system because they don't have anywhere to go.

For the ones who are ultimately left out and behind — children; they are confused. They do not understand adult behavior. They do not understand why they are being treated as if they can't think. They do not understand why adults seem to focus on things that are not relevant to their daily lives. As a result, many of them simply shutdown, withdraw or resort to aberrant adult-like behavior.

As we brace for the impact of another round of changes, once again the New York City Public School System will be thrown into a vortex.

Believe it or not, the worst is yet to come. Once the chancellor makes his exit, the search will begin for the next great hope. A racially and economically divided city will focus on the candidate's ethnicity, professional background and political connections. The game will continue with different players. What role will you play?

History may prove that Mayor Bloomberg missed a golden opportunity to become the finest education mayor. What went wrong? Children were not put first!

Bernard Gassaway is the former senior superintendent of alternative schools and programs for New York City, a Columbia University Charles H. Revson Fellow 2003-2004 and author of “Reflections of an Urban High School Principal,” and homeschool father.”