Dennis Walcott

State Senator Jose Serrano of the Bronx joined constituents calling for a new middle school in the High Bridge section of the Bronx this morning.

A 20-page lawsuit filed yesterday by former Khalil Gibran International Academy principal Debbie Almontaser says Michael Bloomberg and school officials forced her to resign last August.

According to the lawsuit, it all started during a telephone interview with a New York Post reporter who asked her about t-shirts printed with the phrase “Intifada NYC” that were designed by a company that rented space from a group Almontaser was associated with.

More after the jump.  read more »

Rarely has such a diverse and passionate coalition come together in opposition to a less imposing fi  read more »

In the paper this week, I take a look at the broad coalition of critics that has made Schools Chancellor Joel Klein a lightning rod for frustrations with city schools and the Bloomberg administration.

Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott acknowledges the fiasco of the school bus mix-up that triggered the continuing barrage of criticism, but matter-of-factly brushes aside much of the other complaints, telling me, "Criticism is always in cycles."

UPDATE: Relatedly, a new audit of city-funded universal Pre-K programs from city Comptroller Bill Thompson found $785,000 in "overpayments, inappropriate payments or questionable expenses."

According to Thompson, questionable expenses went towards things like "karate uniforms, an air conditioner, and playground tiles." Also, one group running a universal pre-k program made a $20,000 withdrawal "to repay its Educational Director (who also owned the building) for a loan and for rent."

-- Azi Paybarah

State Senator Ruben Diaz, Sr. is having a big day.

Earlier today, he became the first state lawmaker to call for the firing of city Schools Chancellor Joel Klein and Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott for their handling of the public school system.

And just now, in brief interview, he mocked the idea that Eliot Spitzer could have achieved a mandate without help from Democrats in the "dysfunctional" legislature.

"We Democrats, we elected Eliot Spitzer. People talking about his mandate. His mandate. Oh, he got a mandate. And people calling us dysfunctional and good for nothing. But it is us, the elected officials throughout the state, that go out campaigning and make it possible for Eliot Spitzer to get his mandate.

"We were not dysfunctional when were going around asking people all around to vote for him."

-- Azi Paybarah

Here's the City Council chamber moments ago, packed with advocates and critics of a plan to build four schools on a contaminated site in the Bronx. Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott and education officials are trying to quell fears about health issues that may arise from developing the site.

The meeting doesn't seem likely to wrap up anytime soon, which, for those of you keeping track, will probably force the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus to relocate a scheduled meeting about the Sean Bell shooting.

-- Azi Paybarah

Mike's war with the Drum Major Institute, the think-tank Freddy once led, seems to be over.

Back during the campaign, a Bloomberg surrogate accused the institute of "unlawful partisan political activity."

But this Thursday, Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott is appearing at an event there with Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown.

Late last month, with the city thrown into chaos by the transit strike, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and  read more »

There is new news in the continuing saga that is American public education.  read more »