Bloomberg's New Vision for NYC Schools

NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg unveiled his new plan for the city's public schools. Below, just for fun, I replaced all references to teachers and schools with references to police officers and crime. Imagine holding a police precinct captain's feet to the fire for not reducing crime in the precinct. Imagine firing a veteran police officer because he had fewer drug arrests. Imagine rewarding "police officer excellence" and eliminating "police officer mediocrity." Imagine police precincts issuing "user-friendly report cards" to community members on the status of crime in area neighborhoods.

Seen though this lens, it becomes comically and tragically clear that such an approach is sheer idiocy writ large.

--begin parody of Bloomberg plan as reported in the 1/17/07 NY Times (changes in bold italics)--

The 32 community police precincts will report directly to the chief of police, he said, and “each precinct will be able to pick the path that’s best for its citizens and community members. The money we save by downsizing our bureaucracy will go directly back to the precincts.”

He also said that police precincts would be required to issue annual “user friendly reports” that will be sent to members of the community, grading each precinct with a grade of A to F “to hold the precinct captains’ feet to the fire.”

With the help of the powerful police union, the United Federation of Police Officers, Mr. Bloomberg said he would put into place a new system of police officer evaluations that would allow officials to “reward police officer excellence and begin to eliminate mediocrity."

The current tenure system, he said, rewards longevity over police officer performance.

“We must do a better job of keeping police officers who are effective crime preventers but at same time we must make sure that ineffective police officers are not awarded the privilege of tenure and the near-lifetime job security that comes with it.”

---original text from the NY Times--

The 32 community superintendents will report directly to the chancellor, he said, and “each school will be able to pick the path that’s best for its students, parents and teachers. The money we save by downsizing our bureaucracy will go directly back to the schools.”

He also said that schools would be required to issue annual “user friendly reports” that will be sent to parents, grading each school with a grade of A to F “to hold the principals’ feet to the fire.”

With the help of the powerful teachers union, the United Federation of Teachers, Mr. Bloomberg said he would put into place a new system of teacher evaluations that would allow officials to “reward teacher excellence and begin to eliminate mediocrity."

The current tenure system, he said, rewards longevity over teacher performance.

“We must do a better job of keeping teachers who are effective instructors but at same time we must make sure that ineffective teachers are not awarded the privilege of tenure and the near-lifetime job security that comes with it.”