WEEKEND QUOTABLES

Mayor Bloomberg on his appointment of Cathie Black

“It’s a chance to change the world.” (N.Y. Post)

Former N.Y. Supt. Rudy Crew

We’re in danger of making the New York City public schools a plaything for the rich and famous. Perhaps the thinking is that directing schools is something you do when you’re finished doing your real job; an avocation that starts with a love of learning and warm remembrances of being in school yourself.(NYT)

Hedge-funder Tilson lays it out bare naked

Charter schools, explained Whitney Tilson, the founder of T2 Partners and one of their most ardent supporters, are the perfect philanthropy for results-oriented business executives. For one thing, they can change lives permanently, not just help people get by from day to day. For another, he said, “hedge funds are always looking for ways to turn a small amount of capital into a large amount of capital.”

A wealthy hedge fund manager can spend more than $1 million financing a charter school start-up. But once it is up and running, it qualifies for state funding, just like a public school. Except that in most cases, charter schools save the taxpayers money because they are much more cost-conscious than the typical big city public school. “It is extremely leveraged philanthropy,” Mr. Tilson said.(NYT) h/t Fred Klonsky

Privatizing the garbage

Rahm Emanuel officially launched his Chicago mayoral campaign Saturday, with a pledge to open the city's garbage collection to bidding from private companies. He has already committed himself to privately funding Chicago's version of Race To the Top.

“Should we continue to collect Chicago’s garbage the same way we have for decades when it can be done cheaper and more efficiently, as other cities have shown?" (Chicago News Cooperative)