Bloomberg Defends Against Cathie Black Criticism

Mayor Bloomberg pointedly criticized those who have questioned his choice of Cathie Black as the city's new schools chancellor.

"It just goes to show they have no understanding whatsoever of what the job is," Bloomberg said on the John Gambling Show. "This is a management job."

Black stepped down from her role as Hearst Magazines Chairman to take the position. She has no previous experience in education.

"We have a phenomenally competent team of education professionals that have been built up over the years," Bloomberg said. "The real problem is how do you take all this money and all these people and all the needs and get them all together."

The mayor also defended his clandestine selection process.

"Nobody would talk to you about a job if it was in the public domain because it's too embarrassing to them if they don't get selected," Bloomberg said. "If you are going to interview people who are already working some place else, it leaves them in an impossible situation if they don't get picked with where they work now."

Black's appointment caused two top schools veterans to leave, and Bloomberg's selection drew tepid responses from city politicians. Here's what HuffPost bloggers have to say about the mayor's choice.

[Via]

Comments

[BlackYowe]

10:32 PM on 11/14/2010

Such an arrogant choice its astounding. He hired a union buster.

[itsashanda]

10:30 PM on 11/14/2010

It should be quite entertaining to see Cathie try to fit in with public school teachers, parents and students in her lizard skin Monolo pumps, Prada suits, nanny in tow. This will be her first time ever seeing the inside of a public school. Perhaps she'll leave the 12" chip on her shoulder behind when the "Ice Queen" as she is called at Hearst starts her new "public" job...lol.

[PoliticalRockChick]

11:49 AM on 11/14/2010

Sick just sick. You think education should be run like a business? Education is not a business.

[anfractuous]

02:39 PM on 11/13/2010

I am still astounded by his choice of someone from the publishing industry. Couldn't he find a developer who wanted the job?

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

12:10 PM on 11/13/2010

Gee thanks for the explication, Napoleon.

[pep1]

10:38 AM on 11/13/2010

Cathie Black lives 'part time' in New York City. Throughout her entire career she has never been remotely interested in education or specifically education of minorities.
I read the reviews of her 'book' on Amazon. After her 2 children were born, she immediately hired a nanny and transferred all the responsibilities of being a mother to her nanny and her mother in law. Both of her children are enrolled in a private boarding school in CT to the tune of $45K per year for each child. Neither one ever set foot in any public school anywhere.

Cathie's education is private, mostly Catholic as well. With only a BA from Trinity College, she has less education than every schoolteacher in the system. They all have MA's and 60 credits beyond the MA. Her career as a magazine magnate that is managerial experience, but so far removed from unions, working mothers, I could go on forever.

Photeine Anagastopolus (spelling is incorrect I think)? Check her credentials yes Harvard MBA but an entire career at the College Board, McGraw-Hill..This is what just quit.

I agree with Mayor Bloomberg on many many of his decisions. This time I am shaking my head in disbelief.

And yes I am a licensed teacher, with about a year of subsitute experience and 8 years in what was the NYC Night HS System. I served there as a mentor teacher for 2 semesters. I have more qualifications than Cathie Black.

[lamplighter55]

08:59 AM on 11/13/2010

This notion that MBAs can run any institution no matter how little they know about it is one of the things that's wrong with this country. Management skills are vital but specific knowledge of the business you are in is also vital.

[WSS61]

03:27 AM on 11/13/2010

One thing Donald Trump and Michael Bloomberg have in common...they don't let bullies have the last word. I may disagree with both men, but the Democrats need to take a lesson in political self defense from these two pubic figures.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

12:12 PM on 11/13/2010

You are confusing the bullies... with the bullEES.

Fercrissakes.

[Morena]

12:21 PM on 11/14/2010

Actually they have a few things in common. But speaking to your point, they're both bullies!

[dct1999]

01:15 AM on 11/13/2010

Bloomberg has decimated the middle class and ignored the outer boros. There has been no real improvement in NYC public schools, it's all smoke and mirrors.

[BlackYowe]

10:34 PM on 11/14/2010

Bloomberg loves killing off the Middle Class.

[momopopo]

10:11 PM on 11/12/2010

I wonder if he is sleeping with her.

[jonnyquest]

06:07 AM on 11/13/2010

I can't think who i'd feel sorry for......i know! Cathie!

[julbar]

05:22 PM on 11/12/2010

Mayor Bloomberg has always been correct in his overall assessments and so I have no doubt he is doing the right thing once again. She is a Manager, and if anyone knows what the job needs it is he. Michael was right about Klein and he will be proved right with Cathie Black.And

Ms Black has done a very good job at Hearst, building it to a great modern institution once again with a fabulous new headquarters to reflect its success.. and then navigating a beleagured industry through tough times.

[dct1999]

01:13 AM on 11/13/2010

Klein hasn't done anything worthwhile and Bloomberg has k1lled NY's middle class and completely ignored the outer boros.

[pep1]

10:39 AM on 11/13/2010

No she lives part time in NYC and has 2 kids in a rich boarding school in CT. She has NO CLUE about what it means to be a real working mother ...

[divalite]

04:58 PM on 11/12/2010

"Black stepped down from her role as Hearst Magazines Chairman to take the position."

That's crap, she was ousted over the summer because she couldn't figure out how to move Hearst out of the publishing downturn. Everything was bleeding $$.

[Morena]

09:04 AM on 11/13/2010

Doesn't matter. She and Mike are long time close friends, this makes her qualified for whatever Mike says she is.

Remeber if Mike played by the rules, or at the very least least followed the law, he wouldn't be mayor today.

[dct1999]

01:01 PM on 11/13/2010

dayum straight

[pep1]

03:54 PM on 11/13/2010

interesting point...
If you want a reformer in charge? Geoffrey Canada Harlem Children's Zone, Dennis Walcott, Michele Rhee

[edwcorey]

04:43 PM on 11/12/2010

And so there's no one in the whole Board of Education qualified to manage it? Isn't a good manager one who supposedly can train, or groom, a capable successor? And Klein couln't even do that--so Bloomberg picks someone just like him?

[m1jones]

10:57 PM on 11/12/2010

The educational system of New York City has not performed as well as Bloomberg thinks it should be performing. He's trying a different approach with a fresh perspective. I think it's a long shot, but just because someone had been in the system for a long time was not necessarily evidence that he/she would be better for the job than Bloomberg's selection.

[KayAch7]

10:09 PM on 11/14/2010

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result. Hint* Klein had no education experience either....and nothing ever changed.

[Morena]

09:06 AM on 11/13/2010

Please Mike bypassed a few qualified candidate just to install his personal friend. If he weren't a law breaker he wouldn't even be mayor today.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

12:14 PM on 11/13/2010

Amen.

[jonnyquest]

03:30 PM on 11/12/2010

Poor Michael, he just doesn't get the fact that mayor's are supposed to serve the people not the other way around.
Bad choice on this pick Mike but then have you really made many good decisions in your term as mayor?

[m1jones]

10:58 PM on 11/12/2010

On the whole, Michael Bloomberg has made great decisions as Mayor. That's why NY City is in better shape than most cities in the country.

[jonnyquest]

11:30 PM on 11/12/2010

Really? You love the bike lanes?
The traffic jams caused by his pedestrian mall that have killed many small business's?
The school system that is falling apart and the games Michael and Joel have played with the kids grades?
The 2nd Ave. subway construction that has caused more than 20 business's to close while the city is practically broke?
The police force that takes forever to respond to crimes, this i know first hand.
The waste of money spent on the waterfall under a bridge in Brooklyn?
The overturning of term limits?
The closing of St. Vincent's hospital?
The closing of Fire Houses?
Trying to break the teachers union?
Not fighting for or representing the 9/11 responders and trying to make them accept the money offered to them while these people are dying from the chemicals they ingested?
Defending Wall Street during the financial crisis?
His new choice for school chancellor?
Only concentrating on Manhatten, instead of being the mayor of all 5 boroughs?
Should i go on? Naw, let's make Mike, mayor for life, he's the best, yea you're right. Phhhhht!