Where's the Beef?
From a report in the Observer that Virginia Fields has hired Chung Seto, former executive director of the New York State Democratic Party, to run her campaign, an anonymous commenter stated, "If Virginia had a message beyond she's 'black' and a 'woman,' than Chung might have something to work with. Unfortunately for Chung, there's no there there."
Comments
Here is more of what could be called "Where's the beef". Virginia Fields offical website has a blog posting from her today titled "I will end overcrowded classrooms". This is a lot like saying I'm for better education...like anyone would be for bigger class size and worse education. She claims to be a leader in the campaign for fiscal equity yet was silent on the issue when others were fighting. She has been quiet about the Mayor's relationship with the Governor until now but suddenly thinks he is not doing things right. I also wonder what about her blog posting shows a plan or how to do what she suggests. read below:
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Wednesday, April 6, 2005
I will end overcrowded classrooms.
The Mayor launched a major initiative to set up a group of small high schools. Smaller schools can give students more individual attention, especially if there are fewer students in the classroom. I support smaller schools.
But, the Chancellor didn't listen to warnings from principals and teachers, so he did it the wrong way. To get space for smaller schools, he carved out classrooms in existing large high schools. That left the rest of the school overcrowded. Pushing more students into less space is precisely what you shouldn't do in a high school that's in trouble already. Violence goes up. More drop out. Test scores go down.
I would put the new schools into their own separate spaces. That will take more money. Reducing overcrowding means investing in new schools and fixing up the old ones. But, the children must come first and they can't learn in overcrowded classrooms. Mayor Bloomberg made severe cuts in capital spending for schools, and restored the cuts only after intense pressure from parents and teachers. I would have made stopping overcrowding a major priority.
I would get the money from the Campaign for Fiscal Equity court decision. I have been astounded that the Mayor has not demanded that Governor Pataki comply with this landmark court decision to give us our fair share of funding. I'm a leader in the Campaign for Fiscal Equity. I filed a friend of the court brief. This struggle has been going on for fifteen years. An entire generation of students has been lost.
When I'm Mayor, I will not let the Governor off the hook.
More thoughts about education tomorrow...
By C. Virginia Fields
Posted by: Tom | November 10, 2005 12:38 PM