Panel rejects waiver for Black

Big defeat for Bloomberg and mayoral control

An eight-member panel of education experts, including several with close ties to Mayor Bloomberg, has voted to deny publishing executive Cathleen Black a waiver to become the next schools chancellor. The mayor has argued that under the 2002 law that gave him control of the city schools, he should be able to appoint whomever he pleased.

The erosion of support for Ms. Black, the chairwoman of Hearst Magazines, was a rebuke to Mr. Bloomberg, who had enlisted powerful business and political allies to lobby Dr. Steiner. (NYT)

OK Commissioner Steiner. You have your cover. Your panel voted. Now deny Black the waiver or look like a complete Bloomberg toady.