Fidler Opposes New School Chief Cathie Black

City Councilman Lew Fidler isn’t so happy with Mayor Bloomberg’s choice for the new schools chancellor, Cathie Black.

“Who is going to explain to her what goes on in a public school room between 9-3,” Fidler told the Observer. “She didn’t go herself. She didn’t send her kids. Her only experience is with charter schools and that is minimal. The arrogance of the appointment is unbelievable.”

“I served on the board of a Catholic high school for two years,” he added. “That doesn’t qualify me to be the Pope.”

Fidler, who is chair of the City Council’s Youth Services Committee, is supporting a resolution urging state education commissioner David Steiner to deny Black a waiver she needs to fill the slot. The waiver is to permit the appointment of a person without education experience.

Others signed onto the resolution include Tony Avella, Charles Barron, Mark Weprin and Daniel Halloran.

For those living under a rock for the past week, education advocates are up in arms after the appointment to schools chancellor of Cathie Black, a publishing executive with no education experience, who did not attend public school, and who sent her children to private schools.