By Renee Collymore

One day after the announcement of the resignation of now-former School’s Chancellor Cathie Black and celebrating the incoming Chancellor Dennis Walcott many are curious as to why Walcott wasn’t chosen for this post in the first place. At least, that’s what Renee Collymore, President of the Parliament Democratic Club, in Brooklyn, is asking.

“As Dennis Walcott is well-known in this City and as everyone was well aware of his longtime position as Deputy Mayor of Education, why hadn’t the elected officials in government, not only protest Cathie Black, but stand up and recommend Walcott, when this fiasco first began? Why was he overlooked? Two Master Degrees, a former kindergarten teacher, a product of the system and stands next to Mayor Bloomberg at all times, how is it that his name was never even thought of?” says Collymore.
Certainly, the appointment of Walcott would have saved the City lots of time and energy considering the amount of public hearings, protests, law suits and the like, but how did his name slip through our fingers?
“Easy…politics being played” says Collymore. “Our elected representatives should feel embarrassed that they allowed the Mayor NOT to consider his qualified and close working colleague. Most electeds are known to jump on a controversial issue when they see others on board, so that it may appear, to their constituency, that they are championing for what’s right, but very few will actually take a stand, on a hot issue, if they are uncertain that anyone will join them” says Collymore.
For sure, there is a sigh of relief, that is in the air concerning this turn around and with the decision to fire Black and hire Walcott, the City maybe able to slightly forgive the Mayor for a few of his other mishaps.