Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.), laying out issues in his expected bid to become New York City's next mayor, says three essentials of a good educational program are safety, attracting and retaining good educators, and directing more money to the classroom rather than to the bureaucracy.

Outlining his views Tuesday, Jan. 25 to the West Side Chamber of Commerce, Weiner said principals and teachers should be given more authority to deal with disciplinary problems than they have today under "the complex, multi-tiered disciplinary process currently in place in our schools."

To attract and retain good educators, the congressman said New York City must increase teacher salaries "so that we can compete for the best teachers available, and keep them when we get them," Weiner said. 

He said currently "one in four teachers quit after their first year, and 40% have less than 5 years of experience."

Weiner said that instead of  “leadership academies” for prospective principals and over 1,000 “parent coordinators”, New York City should  direct revenues toward "classroom resources like arts classes and technological upgrades."

He also urged that New York City pursue a greater share of federal funds under the "No Child Left Behind Act" than it has thus far been able to garner. 


        —Donald H. Harrison