On November 18, 2014 a letter to Chancellor Tisch from Brian De Vale, 29-Year Veteran Public school Educator, Principal, P.S. 257, Chairman Council of Supervisors and Administrators, Community School District #14, 60 Cook Street Brooklyn, New York was published on the "WITH A BROOKLYN ACCENT" blog. Below are a few excerpts:
Dear Regent Tisch,
I found your latest comments about expanding charter schools to be not only disgraceful but hypocritical....
Why don't you call it a day? Step aside and let us have a new regent take over who has actually worked in and understands PUBLIC education (Dr. Lester Young, Dr. Betty Rosa or Dr. Kathleen Cashin are a few possibilities). Someone not rich, not from nor connected to the upper east side would be a breath of fresh air. The policies you and your friends have let loose upon our schools are destructive and wrong. The insane charter policies that you, the Governor and Dean Skelos push on NYC would never fly in the suburbs which is why there are over 100 charter spots open upstate. The cap in NYC still has not been reached but you and your rich friends are salivating over a chance to open even more. Shame on you. You were all for mayoral Control when your rich pal was in charge but now that a populist who actually sends his children to public schools is in charge you start putting roadblocks in his way. The people of NYC have spoken - loudly and clearly. They do not want any more micromanagement from your crowd. Let Mayor de Blasio do his job and stop trying to control him through the back door from Albany. Mayoral Control is a policy and though I personally disagree with it, it should not be implemented as "good for my friend Michael" and "bad if I don't like Mayor de Blasio's policies". Once again you show a hypocrisy in that you supported one policy for your pal and another for our new mayor.
I know you rarely, if ever, receive letters like this from educators currently employed in public education. That is only because of the fear that taking a stance against you and these wrong headed policies will result in professional retribution. I have seen enough and know what I am up against: you and your very powerful friends. That said, I must speak truth to power as I watch my community continue to be decimated by your destructive agenda. I pray for a better day in PUBLIC education, free from the destructive policies of billionaire "philanthropists", do-gooders and policy wonks where communities and the mayor they elected are free to run their schools. [emphasis added]
