Washington DC: Williams's School Plan Defeated

[Skinner]

Council Scoffs At Takeover Bid
By Justin Blum
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, April 21, 2004; Page A01

D.C. Council members yesterday soundly rejected Mayor Anthony A. Williams's bid to gain control over the city's schools, with several saying that his management of other agencies gave them no confidence in his ability to fix the long-troubled system.

The council voted 9 to 4 against a measure that would have turned the school board into an advisory panel and given Williams the power to hire and fire the superintendent. Council members then voted 11 to 2 to make the school board an all-elected panel after 2006, removing the mayor's power to appoint four of its nine members. Final votes are expected May 4.

The outcome was a stinging setback for Williams (D), who had said that repairing the schools was key to his legacy and that he wanted to follow the example of New York, Chicago and other large cities where mayors assumed control over public education and were credited with sparking improvement.

"I believe that once in our tenures as public officials, or maybe, if we're lucky, twice, we have an opportunity to really make a difference," Williams said at a hastily called news conference after the council action. "And I think the council today in its vote missed out in that opportunity."

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A27659-2004Apr20.html

[fortyfeetunder]

1. good I am glad it happened

he needs to delegate someone to fix the schools, not micromanage it....