Deputy Mayor Dennis M. Walcott was named the new chancellor of New York City schools.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg made the announcement April 7 citing the current chancellor Cathy Black agreed that a change was needed. “For the past nine years, Dennis has been a key part of all our education reform issues,” Bloomberg said. “He has been involved in our schools at every level, as a student, as a teacher, as a parent and as a deputy mayor. His children, you should know, went to our public schools, and he has a grandson now in public schools. So I think there is no better person qualified to step into the job of chancellor at this point.”
Walcott has deep connections with the NYC school system. In addition to attending the city public schools, he has dedicated numerous years to public service. Walcott taught kindergarten in Queens for two years and hold’s a master’s in education and social work. Heading the Urban League for over 11 years, Wolcott developed programs that stemmed the tide of student dropout rates.
Walcott’s grandparents immigrated from the Caribbean, which he told reporters had him feeling “very blessed” that, with his children and grandson, his family represented four generations of public school students.
Walcott is replacing the embattled, former magazine executive, Cathy Black. Her short tenure in replacing longtime chancellor, Joel Klein, placed Mayor Bloomberg under fire for NYC public education advocates, most notably her lack of experience and no connections with the NYC public school system. Black’s children attended private school. Her appointment was announced last November. –annsonita robinson
