Reply #3: She tells what "mayoral control" really means.

[madfloridian]

"The decision in NYC was probably made long ago, but the law required a public hearing by the city's school board (named the Panel for Educational Policy by Mayor Bloomberg). An overflow crowd of 2,000-3,000 parents, teachers, and students turned out for the hearing to protest the closing of their schools; some 350 people signed up to speak against the closings.

But to no avail. The panel—whose majority is appointed by the mayor and serves at his pleasure—sat impassively and listened without being moved by what they heard. The vote was taken at 3 a.m., when most of the audience had given up and gone home. As expected, the panel voted to close the schools; representatives of four of the city's five borough presidents voted against, but in vain because the mayor controls the panel. This is what mayoral control means. The mayor does whatever he wishes, regardless of the views of parents, students, and teachers. The schools belong to him, not them. Democracy at work."

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/Bridging-Differences/2010/02/closing_schools_solves_nothing_1.html

In reality the NYC schools belong to Bloomberg.