Principals union declares unanimous vote of 'no confidence' in Mayor de Blasio, Chancellor Carranza

The executive board of the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators (CSA) declared a unanimous vote of "no confidence" Sunday in Mayor Bill de Blasio and School Chancellor Richard Carranza.

News 12 Staff

Sep 27, 2020, 9:46 PM

Updated 1,476 days ago

Share:

The executive board of the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators (CSA) declared a unanimous vote of "no confidence" Sunday in Mayor Bill de Blasio and School Chancellor Richard Carranza.
The CSA, which represents more than 6,400 New York City school principals and administrators, cites the decision due to what it calls de Blasio and Carranza's failure to lead New York City through the safe and successful reopening of schools.
The CSA called on Mayor de Blasio to cede mayoral control of the Department of Education for the remainder of the COVID-19 health crisis.
It also called for Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Carranza to seek the immediate intervention of the New York state Education Department.
It’s the first time the union has called for state intervention like this in city schools.
CSA President Mark Cannizaro says confusing guidance or no guidance at all led to many roadblocks over the summer, and that having a fresh pair of eyes working on the problem will be beneficial.
Cannizaro shut down any thoughts of a strike, saying that would be a disingenuous move because the students need them right now.
“School leaders want school buildings reopened and have been tirelessly planning to welcome back students since the end of last school year,” said Cannizzaro. “They must now look staff, parents, and children in the eye and say that they have done all they can to provide a safe and quality educational experience, but given the limited resources provided them, this is becoming increasingly difficult. During this health crisis, school leaders have lost trust and faith in Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Carranza to support them in their immense efforts and provide them with the guidance and staffing they need. Quite simply, we believe the City and DOE need help from the State Education Department, and we hope that the mayor soon realizes why this is necessary.”
In a statement, the press secretary for the city's Department of Education said, "For the past six months, we’ve worked with our labor partners to navigate completely uncharted waters and accomplish our shared goal of serving students this fall. We’ll continue this work to guarantee a safe, health and successful opening for all. This week, more kids will be safely sitting in New York City classrooms than in any other major American city — a testament to city leadership and our educators’ commitment to their students, and the importance of in-person education."
News 12 also reached out the mayor's office for comment and is awaiting a response.