Parents Seeking More Involvement in School Policy Get "Straw Vote"
New York, NY —
City parents are participating in their first ever "straw vote" for members of Community Education Councils.
The councils have little power except over school zoning. Technically members are elected just by PTA leaders. But this year, the Department of Education created a symbolic vote where other parents could express their preferences in an online ballot. In the first week of voting the Department says 5,500 votes were cast. Schools Chancellor Joel Klein calls it an important step.
KLEIN: You're empowering parents not just to cast a straw vote but to get involved in this process.
REPORTER: Klein says he wants to strengthen Community Education Councils, but a group called the Parent Commission wants parents to have a bigger role when the law giving Mayor Bloomberg control of the schools comes up for renewal in June.
The "straw vote" ends on April 22nd. The ballot is in nine different languages.
