Joel Klein Left Me Behind
By Carol Boyd
The resignation of NYC public schools Chancellor Joel Klein has given a new meaning to the phrase “Joel Klein left me behind” that was chanted by the throng of angry Bronx parents outside the Department of Education’s (DoE) District 9 headquarters on Monday, despite the gusting winds and hail. Although the Chancellor calls Tweed Courthouse home, parents descended on the District 9 office because so many of the 239,000 children who suffered drastic declines in standardized test scores are enrolled in Bronx schools. Historically, District 9 has been the 2nd lowest performing district in the city. An attempt to deliver a failing report card to Mr. Klein in effigy was thwarted by the building security staff. The document gave the Chancellor a grade of “F” for failing to ensure that schools were providing intervention services for these struggling students.
After more than 8 years as Chancellor, a promising new venture in the private sector awaits Mr. Klein in a mere 53 days. Meanwhile for the more than 5,000 NYC students currently repeating 8th grade who may not receive