Release #455-00

 

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MAYOR GIULIANI ANNOUNCES FORMATION OF
THE INDEPENDENT COMMITTEE FOR EDUCATION

Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani was joined today by Jerry I. Speyer, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Tishman Speyer Properties and other New York business leaders, to announce the creation of The Independent Committee for Education (ICE). ICE, a group of major New York City business leaders organized by Mr. Speyer and David Rockefeller, will advocate for State legislation that would give the New York City Mayor, as well as Mayors of other cities in New York State, accountability over their individual public school systems. Any legislation would take effect following January 1, 2002. Elected officials joining the Mayor today were New York City Council Speaker Peter F. Vallone and New York City Public Advocate Mark Green.

Members of ICE in attendance at today's press conference included: Chase Manhattan Bank Vice Chairman Donald Boudreau; KeySpan Chairman and CEO Robert Catell; Peter Johnson of the Rockefeller Foundation; Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide Chairman and CEO Shelly Lazarus; Con Edison Chairman and CEO Eugene McGrath; Verizon Communications President and Co-CEO Ivan Seidenberg; Silver Cup Studios President Stuart Suna; New York Presbyterian Hospital President and CEO Dr. Herbert Pardes; Peter Wolff of Time Warner Inc.; Deputy Mayor for Planning, Education and Cultural Affairs Anthony P. Coles; City University of New York Board of Trustees Chairman Herman Badillo; and Board of Education Members Ninfa Segarra and Jerry Cammarata.

"On behalf of New York City's children I want to thank Jerry Speyer and David Rockefeller for creating this group," said Mayor Giuliani. "Our City's school system should be about educating our children and creating a better environment in which they can learn, but unfortunately, for too long, its been about job protection and bureaucracies. Today the business leaders of New York City are telling the parents of our City that they understand the need and importance of reform in our City's school system and that only by holding the Mayor of the City accountable for our public schools will fundamental reforms take place."

ICE proposes reforms to the New York State education system similar to those school reforms that have been implemented in Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit and other cities around the country where the Mayor appoints a Chancellor or Commissioner of Education who is accountable for the day-to-day management of the school system. This individual would be appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the City Council. ICE will also support other efforts to further streamline accountability and reduce unnecessary bureaucracies and administrative expenses.

Mr. Speyer said, "The Independent Committee for Education will serve as an advocate for reforming our City's public schools. The members gathered here today believe the future of our City's children is dependent upon these reforms, and only by making the City's Mayor accountable for our public school system will we see these changes. "

Mr. Rockefeller said, "I fully support the effort to examine the current structure and governance of public education in New York City and, more broadly, in New York State."

City Council Speaker Vallone said, "For years I have been calling for the abolition of the Board of Education. Currently there is no accountability from the bureaucracy - the people running our schools are not accountable to anyone and we need to change this. If the schools answer to the City the City would have the ability to streamline the bureaucracy, hold every school accountable for its performance and give the public school system to the people who use it. The formation of this committee is an important step in de-politicizing education in New York City."

City Public Advocate Green said, "I am proud to join this bipartisan, public-private effort to make Mayors directly accountable for our children's
education. This is one in a series of important steps to make sure that our schools are not only better, but among the best in the nation."

City University of New York Board of Trustees Chairman Herman Badillo said, "The New York City public school system has been in need of reform for years. The members of this group believe that our City's children deserve better and only through fundamental change will this happen."

Other members of ICE include: Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe Partner Russell Carson; McKinsey & Company Managing Director Peter Flaherty; Former Young & Rubicam Chairman and CEO Peter Georgescu; Invemed Associates Chairman and President Kenneth Langone; Merrill Lynch Chairman and CEO David Komansky; Time Warner Inc. Chairman and CEO Gerald Levin; Warburg, Pincus & Company Chairman and CEO Lionel Pincus; Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Chairman and CEO Philip Purcell, and Chase Manhattan Bank Chairman Walter Shipley.

www.nyc.gov