Creative Noncompliance
Every time we got a new chancellor of education in New York City we’d lament that he didn’t start out by acknowledging what’s gone before him (or her). I suppose it’s part of the “politics” of the situation. In order to look good, he paints as bad a picture as possible–one that allows him to go up with just a little PR. But there was one who invited a group of principals whose reputations rested on successful innovations. His name was Frank Macchiarola. I recall our amusement–as he called on us for our ideas–with our carefully avoiding one secret ingredient. It’s what former colleagues and bosses–Sy Fliegel and Tony Alvarado–preached. I think it as called creative noncompliance or maybe creative compliance… hmm. Anyhow, in short it meant ignoring most of the rules. Of course, it came with risks–and several of us did remind the new chancellor that it was hard to collaborate under such circumstances. And it’s not a program for system-wide success, unless the system either disappears or changes.
So when charters were first talked about, many of my colleagues were interpreted. We thought District 4′s work
So when charters were first talked about, many of my colleagues were interpreted. We thought District 4′s work