The Stealth Election in NYC: Community & Citywide Education Council Elections

Did you know that there was an election on here in NYC for Education Councils? I didn't until just recently. This seems to be a Bloomberg gesture to increase parent participation in the educational system, yet that gesture seems to be made on the sly in a way that no actual parents will know about it. Maybe some schools are publicizing it, but not from anything I have heard. And no political activists I know are talking about it. And not even any of the politicians I know have talked about it. Who knows about it???

But there is a website.

Here is what it says about the Councils:

Community and Citywide Education Councils (CECs) are education policy advisors responsible for reviewing and evaluating schools’ instructional programs, approving zoning lines, advising the Chancellor and hold meetings at least every month with the superintendent and the public at-large to discuss the current state of the schools in the district. CECs are an essential and critically important part of the public decision-making process in New York City’s public schools. Each council consists of at least nine elected parent volunteers who provide hands-on leadership and support for their community's public schools. Council members hold meetings at least every month with the superintendent and public at-large to discuss the current state of the schools in the district.

* There are 32 Community Education Councils (CECs) in New York City. Each CEC oversees a Community School District that includes public elementary, intermediate, and junior high schools.

* In addition, there are two Citywide Education Councils that represent the interests of high school and special education parents. These are the Citywide Council on High Schools (CCHS), and the Citywide Council on Special Education (CCSE)

Community and Citywide Education Councils (CECs) are education policy advisors responsible for reviewing and evaluating schools’ instructional programs, approving zoning lines, advising the Chancellor and hold meetings at least every month with the superintendent and the public at-large to discuss the current state of the schools in the district. CECs are an essential and critically important part of the public decision-making process in New York City’s public schools. Each council consists of at least nine elected parent volunteers who provide hands-on leadership and support for their community's public schools. Council members hold meetings at least every month with the superintendent and public at-large to discuss the current state of the schools in the district.

* There are 32 Community Education Councils (CECs) in New York City. Each CEC oversees a Community School District that includes public elementary, intermediate, and junior high schools.

* In addition, there are two Citywide Education Councils that represent the interests of high school and special education parents. These are the Citywide Council on High Schools (CCHS), and the Citywide Council on Special Education (CCSE)

The deadline to apply to run is March 19th. Go here to apply.

Voting will be ONLINE (meaning parents without computers are disenfranchised, particularly since library hours have been cut back). The chance for all parents with kids in public schools (not sure I qualify since Sarah is at Hunter...part of the public school system but technically not a public school?). But then again, that online vote is ONLY ADVISORY! Yes, the actual decision is made by "the President, Secretary, and Treasurer – collectively referred to as "Parent Selectors" – of every PA/PTA in the district."

So it is a secret election, conducted online for parents with access to a computer, that isn't really an election but only an "advisory vote." But then again, I guess so our Presidential elections are only "advisory votes" to some degree. Here is what the website has to say about the relationship between the advisory vote and the real vote (at least they are upfront about it!):

The "Straw Vote" or Advisory Vote is not binding and there is not an appeal process. However the Parent Selectors are expected to vote in good faith and take the results of the parent’s Advisory Vote into serious consideration.

There are informational and candidate forums being held. Go here to see the calender of forums.

The whole things seems suspicious to me, but if done in good faith, and problems of lack of publicity and the disenfranchisement of parents without computers, it is a step in the right direction to make our schools responsible to parents and not just a mayor who has no stake in the public schools. And I urge as many people as possible to get involved both as candidates and as advisory voters. I know all those reading this have computers so you have no excuse not to vote if you have kids in the school system. I need to check if I qualify this year (next year Jacob will be in public school) and then decide if I have time to run and serve (I don't! But...)

Let me know if any of you have more info on this. It could be an important thing for our schools.