Local Democrats Join Opposition to New Chancellor

Since Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that publishing executive Cathleen Black would be replacing Joel Klein as chancellor of New York City's schools, the opposition to Black's appointment has been growing steadily.

Over 6,200 New Yorkers have signed an online petition to David Steiner, the state education commissioner, opposing her appointment. Councilman Robert Jackson, head of the City Council's education committee, wrote a letter to Steiner opposing Black's selection as well.

Now independent Democrats in Prospect Heights and other nearby neighborhoods are getting involved.

On Monday, the Central Indepedent Democrats of Brooklyn will be holding a press conference in Downtown Brooklyn to oppose an appointment one member of the group called "one more stumble for Mayor Michael Bloomberg on his road to infamy."

"The only phenomenon more outrageous than Klein's failure is the hubris of Mayor Bloomberg in appointing -- without discussion or review -- another person with no education experience or credentials to head the Department of Education," said 52nd Assembly District Leader Chris Owens the day after Black's appointment was announced. "Ms. Cathleen Black may be brilliant and accomplished, but no one can convince me that there are no brilliant and accomplished New Yorkers available to serve as Chancellor -- of any race, ethnicity or gender -- with a background in education."

Black, who is chairwoman of Hearst Magazines, has a professional background in business, not education, keeping with Bloomberg's perceived preference for appointing business executives to positions in city government.

Klein, meanwhile, will become executive vice president of the News Corporation, which owns Fox News and publishes the New York Post and the Wall Street Journal.

The protest will be held on the steps of Borough Hall and begin at 10 a.m.