Queens School District 24's Lost Member Highlights Conflicts Between DOE And Parents
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A high profile resignation from the parent council of School District 24 in Queens has brought to light several problems that parents are having with the Department of Education, particularly when it comes to Community Education Councils. NY1’s Lindsey Christ filed the following report.Brian Rafferty resigned last week from the parent council for School District 24 in Queens. He sent a letter to Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott, questioning whether the councils have any real role representing parents.
“We are this punching bag in-between the parents and the DOE. We are the shield to help deflect parental anger towards the DOE so they can sleep better at night,” said Rafferty.
Rafferty, who is editor-in-chief of the Queens Tribune, is not the only one frustrated with the DOE's handling of the 34 parent councils. Elections for the Community Education Councils, or CECs, were so botched last spring that the chancellor eventually required them to be redone. After that, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer convened a parent task force, and on Monday, it released a report calling for major changes.
“We should update the CEC's roles and responsibilities so that work of parents is relevant in the school system,” said Stringer.
CEC members are elected by the PTA presidents in their districts, but first the DOE holds a "straw-vote" that any parent can participate in.
In 2009, 25,000 parents voted. Last spring, fewer than 3,000 did.
The taskforce said the straw-vote should be abolished and that every parent should get an actual vote. They also want the elections and management to be transferred to an independent body.
“There is an inherent conflict of interest in the DOE being in charge of parent engagement. Because what they want is parents who are supportive of them, not necessarily engaged,” said Noah Gotbaum, a CEC member of School District 3.
DOE officials say they’re already working on reforming the elections before the next round in 2013. In late July, Chancellor Walcott replaced the deputy in charge of CEC oversight. Taskforce members say that's not enough.
However, many of these reforms do require changes to the state law governing mayoral control of the schools. That law doesn't come up for renewal again until 2015. Parents say they want change before then, but it won't be easy.