We're Still Paying Manny

We Thought We Were Rid of Him, but . . . He's Baaack!

From the Office of the Governor -

Governor Eliot Spitzer and Lieutenant Governor David Paterson today announced the appointment of the Governor’s top education policy advisor. Manuel Rivera, Ph.D. is appointed to serve as Deputy Secretary for Education. Mr. Rivera is currently the Superintendent of Schools in Rochester.

In this newly created position, Mr. Rivera will act as the administration’s senior education policy advisor. Based in Albany, he will oversee the implementation of Governor Spitzer’s education reform policy, which will couple increased funding with necessary accountability and a more transparent school aid formula. He will also be responsible for implementing sweeping reforms designed to improve accountability. The appointment is the successful result of a nationwide search.

Overlooking the grammatical errors in the press release the use of the term accountability in this release is interesting as questions remain about accusations of racial discrimination by Rivera and the RCSD. Regardless of questionable hiring and personnel practices that will be highlighted in a demonstration by the Parent and Community Advisory Committee on February 15th, how sound is the decision to place Rivera in a position of state oversight when his term as superintendent in Rochester has resulted in one of the lowest graduation rates, and highest dropout rates, in the nation? A good place for Manny to start might be grammar lessons for the Governor's press office. Read the first article on the matter from the WBP for more -