Panel Votes Against Waiver For Cathie Black
NEW YORK (CBS 2/WCBS 880/1010 WINS/AP) -- In a potential setback for Mayor Michael Bloomberg's hand-picked choice to run New York City schools, an eight-member panel of education experts has voted Tuesday against recommending a waiver for Cathie Black.
A majority of the panel advising state Education Commissioner David Steiner expressed reservations about Black's waiver -- with four members voting to deny it outright.
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Sources also told CBS 2, that Steiner has "serious concerns" about Black's ability to lead city schools, but might be willing to sign off, if she is paired with a deputy who has a strong education background.
However, Steiner is not required to follow the panel's advice in deciding whether to grant the waiver, nor is he required to consider public opinion.
During the closed meeting, the panel members had three options on whether to recommend a waiver: yes, no, and "send the waiver request back to the New York City mayor for possible resubmission,'' said spokesman Tom Dunn.
Four members voted "no," two "yes,'" and two members urged resubmission, Dunn said.
Meanwhile, a new Quinnipiac University poll found the public giving a decisive thumbs down to naming Black as Joel Klein's successor.
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WCBS 880's Rich Lamb reports on the poll results
"Overall, 47 to 29 say they don't approve of this appointment," Quinnipiac's Maurice Carroll told WCBS 880's Rich Lamb.
"But voters with children in public schools: 62 to 25 [say they don't approve]. So, in the population that really is affected by this, the public school parents are even more negative than the general public."
Carroll said 64 percent of those polled say a schools chancellor needs education experience more than management expertise.
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The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 percentage points.
Black is the chairwoman of Hearst Magazines. Because she has no educational credentials, she would need a waiver from the state Education Department to serve as chancellor.
LINK:Full Poll Results
