Potential problems with the “ Mayoral Control of the Rochester City School District: Citizen Survey ” by the Center for Governmental Research (attached for your information). 1. the survey begins by characterizing the issue in the following way: “Mayor Robert Duffy is seeking to change how the Rochester City School District is supervised.” The use of the word “supervision” mystifies the essence of the matter. The mayor is seeking to seize control of the city schools, he is seeking to be the main authority over schools, the chief decision-maker. He is seeking to eliminate the school board in effect, thereby violating the public interest. Mayors in Chicago, NYC and DC do not “supervise” their city schools, they control them. 2. the first question in the survey states: “Which of the following best describes your current opinion on this proposal?” The problem with this is most people lack any information or have only minimal information about the topic. Many have stated they do not know what exactly to make of the issue because basic, accurate, factual information is absent. The D&C, for example, promotes mainly pro-mayoral control articles and the mayor has many means to make sure his pro-mayoral control position is spread broadly. Most people seem opposed to mayoral control or do not have a good feeling about it—even if they can’t or don’t always articulate what they are feeling. 3. the next question asks people: “Compared to a few years ago would you say Rochester city schools are.” This is a set-up: practically everything in society has gotten worse over the last few years! More poverty, unemployment, inequality, homelessness, hunger, depression, etc. 4. question four is framed this way: “When considering your position on management of the Rochester City School District , how important are each of the following.” The use of the word “manage” obscures what the mayor is seeking to do: seize control of city schools. Mayors in NYC, Chicago , D.C. and elsewhere do not “manage” the schools, they control them, they have final authority over them, they appoint people from the private sector who are beholden to them and carry out their dictate. 5. question three presents people with a list of things they value in and about schools. The problem with this is that all these things (except maybe one or two) are important and should not be pitted against each other and ranked. 6. Question four asks: “When compared to the Board of Education how difficult do you think it would be to hold the Mayor and City Administration accountable for student achievement?” Parents, teachers, and students in cities where mayoral control exists have a much harder time accessing the mayor, let alone influencing him, than they did accessing and influencing public school boards when they existed. Every one has the experience that it is hard to get the ear of the mayor of a large city. Everyone knows that public school boards hold tons of meetings and basically anyone can go to these and many times can influence things. 7. Question five, like question three, pits numerous positive things against each other and pressures survey-takers to treat separately things that need to be considered together and holistically. 8. question six asks: “How much do you agree or disagree with each of the following?” Fourteen items are listed. A main problem here is that if people do not have basic, accurate, factual information broadly and easily available to them then the results can be used in a self-serving manner. 9. some of the remaining questions are innocuous but some could be critiqued in ways that could probably shed light on how responses to them may be used in a self-serving manner, especially given how unscientific many of the other survey questions are. Regards, Shawgi ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dan Drmacich" <dandrmacich@xxxxxxxxx> To: "Denise Bartalo" <denisebartalo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Bill Bendschneider" <bamboo789@xxxxxxx>, "Carolyn Bennett" <cwriter85@xxxxxxx>, "Mary Berger" <mpresber@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Wasa Bouphavong" <daboupha@xxxxxxxxx>, "G Brown" <gjb0145@xxxxxxxxx>, "Amy Brown" <scottvbrown@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Pat Cavanaugh" <cavanaughpat22@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Jason Charno" <jasoncharno42@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "A Colon" <aacolon@xxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Rochelle Corey" <archer14611@xxxxxxx>, "Kelly Damick" <kelli2478@xxxxxxxxx>, "Deana Darling" <jddarling@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Deana Darling" <darlin3@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Brian Erway" <brian_erway@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Tracey Farmer" <Tracey.Farmer@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Karen Fisher" <fishekh@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Dennis Francione" <d.francione@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Shalanda Garfield" <Shalonda_Garfield1@xxxxxxxxx>, "Lynn Gatto" <lynn.gatto@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Nancy Gersh" <nancygersh@xxxxxxx>, "RJ Glomboski" <parallax@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Synthia Green" <sng4979@xxxxxxxx>, "Richard Greene" <richard_greene@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Gretchen Haag" <gretchenhaag@xxxxxxxxx>, "Shawn Haarer" <drhaarer@xxxxxxxxx>, "Kate Hathaway" <kaytea@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Kyra Hawn" <khawn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Joseph Henderson" <jhenderson11@xxxxxxxxx>, "Sara Hughes" <sara@xxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Julia Kantor" <julia.kantor@xxxxxxxxx>, "Doug Klick" <douglasklick@xxxxxxxxx>, "Jack Langerak" <jlanger0@xxxxxxx>, "Barb Lemcke" <b_lemcke@xxxxxxxxx>, "Joan LoCurto" <locurto135@xxxxxxxxx>, "Tom Mackey" <tmackey@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Jennifer Malinchak" <jenjenfuller@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Katheryn McCullough" <katmccullough@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Gena Merliss" <merliss@xxxxxxxxx>, "Jessica Metras" <jessicametras@xxxxxxxxx>, "Nancy Monachino" <nmonachino@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Gwynne Mosch" <Gwynne.mosch@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Barbara Moynihan" <barbara.moynihan@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Kevin Murray" <kmurray@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Jessie Nimeh" <jgnimeh@xxxxxxxxx>, "Maureen Nupp" <Maureennupp@xxxxxxxxx>, "Rich Ognibene" <richard_ognibene@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Tom Pappas" <tjp18@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Sheila Pearlman" <yspearlman@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Norreen Pelusio" <njpelusio@xxxxxxx>, "Todd Pschierer" <psch811@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Kari Ritter" <kritter84@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Rosemary Rivera" <rrivera@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Emily Roberts" <emilymarkelle@xxxxxxx>, "Peter Rosenthal" <prosenthal@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Scott Schaefer" <mister_schaefer@xxxxxxxxx>, "Chojy Schroeder" <chojy.schroeder@xxxxxxxxx>, "Sharon Silvio" <ssilvio@xxxxxxx>, "Steve Skidmore" <steve.skidmore@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Pete Smith" <petersmith71@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Ralph Spezio" <rspezio@xxxxxxxxx>, "Gail Stoddart" <stoddart.g@xxxxxxxxx>, "Mathew Taber" <sundevil108@xxxxxxxx>, "Leslie Vermeulen" <ldvermeulen@xxxxxxxxxxx>, "Jennifer Wheeler" <jennifer_wheeler@xxxxxxxx>, "Mary Wilkins" <mtkwilkins@xxxxxxxxx>, "Ruth Young-Card" <cardjrb@xxxxxxx>, "Lee Zelazny" <lee.zelazny@xxxxxxxxxxx> Cc: "Regional School" <regional_school@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 3:32:47 PM GMT -05:00 US/Canada Eastern Subject: [regional_school] WXXI-TV hosts forum to discuss Mayoral control of Rochester City Schools -----Original Message----- From: Petronio, Tom Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 12:25 PM Subject: FW: WXXI-TV hosts forum to discuss Mayoral control of Rochester City Schools For immediate release Contact: Kristin Tutino, 585-258-0253 WXXI HOSTS A LIVE, TELEVISED FORUM TO ADDRESS MAYORAL CONTROL OF ROCHESTER CITY SCHOOLS Rochester , New York (March 10, 2010) – As the debate over mayoral control of the Rochester City Schools continues, the Center for Governmental Research (CGR) is conducting a scientific poll to assess the concerns Rochester city residents have regarding the issue. In conjunction with the poll, WXXI will host a live, televised forum to discuss CGR’s findings and examine all viewpoints. Point by Point: A Forum of Mayoral Control will air Thursday, April 1 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV (DT21.1/cable 1011 and 11 ). WXXI is partnering with City Newspaper and WDKX-FM to provide viewers with in-depth information and analysis throughout the broadcast. Mayor Bob Duffy and Rochester City School District Board President Malik Evans will meet at WXXI studios to answer questions from panelists: Bob Smith, host of AM 1370’s 1370 Connection; Liz Medhin, co-host of WDKX’s Wake Up Club; and Tim Louis Macaluso, education writer for City Newspaper. Duffy and Evans will also take questions from a studio audience of individuals who participated in the CGR poll. Analysis will be provided by Joseph P. Viteritti, PhD, chair of the Hunter College Department of Urban Affairs and Planning. Dr. Viteritti specializes in education policy, state & local governance, and public law, and is editor of When Mayors Take Charge: School Governance in the City. WXXI’s News Director Julie Philipp will moderate the forum. Point by Point: A Forum of Mayoral Control will simulcast on AM 1370, and will stream live on WXXI.org. You can read more WXXI news stories about the debate regarding mayoral control of the Rochester City Schools at [ http://interactive.wxxi.org/news/specials/mcs ]wxxi.org/news/specials/mcs. ### WXXI is the essential, life-long educational media resource for the Greater Rochester area. WXXI puts the community first with programming that stimulates and expands thought, inspires the spirit, opens cultural horizons and promotes understanding of diverse community issues. Log on to wxxi.org for more information about our services and programs. Kristin Tutino Station Publicist WXXI 280 State Street Rochester , NY 14614 (585) 258-0253 ktutino@xxxxxxxx