Opposition to Bloomberg Pick Growing

From the NYTimes:

The head of the City Council’s education committee and a vocal critic of mayoral control is now speaking out against the mayor’s choice of Cathleen P. Black to oversee New York City schools. 

“Cathie Black meets none of the professional experience requirements, apparently satisfying only the undergraduate graduation standard,” the committee chairman, Councilman Robert Jackson, wrote in a letter to David M. Steiner, the state education commissioner. 

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s appointment of Ms. Black as schools chancellor last week seemed to catch much of the city off guard. Mr. Bloomberg has argued that her management acumen more than compensates for her lack of education experience. 

Mr. Jackson joins a growing list — including State Senator-elect Tony Avella and more than 5,800 parents in an online petition — of those calling on Dr. Steiner to block her appointment. It will be up to him whether to grant Ms. Black a waiver from a state law requiring education heads to have a professional certificate in educational leadership and to have at least three years’ experience in schools. . . .