3 unique views of past 18 years
Three look back - and forward

Thursday, July 26, 2007

They were there then and they're here now - three members of the Jersey City Board of Education who played key roles when the state took over the local school system in 1989.

Anthony Cucci was mayor leading up to the takeover. He fought it tooth and nail. Franklin Williams was schools superintendent. And Gerald McCann campaigned and won the city's top job on the platform that the takeover was a good thing.

All three were present yesterday for a meeting of the board's finance committee - the day after state Education Commissioner Lucille Davy announced she's recommending that Jersey City regain control of its fiscal operations and governance, meaning the board - not the state-appointed superintendent - would be the boss.

Recalling his efforts to prevent the takeover, Cucci said, "I begged for four or five months to meet with Mr. Cooperman," referring to Saul Cooperman, the education commissioner at the time. "All I got was 'Hello, How are you?' salutations."

Williams lashed out at the state's 18-year reign, calling it "the most educationally disruptive part of our history. We have not gained. I think it's been a setback."

McCann blamed the teachers union for running up costs in the district so dramatically - mostly for teachers' salaries - that the takeover was the only way limit the labor organization's domination.

"The teachers union had usurped the operations of the district," McCann said. "Taxes (to pay for schools) had doubled."

Union representatives couldn't be reached last night to comment.

The district now has 45 days to submit "corrective action plans" to the state for three other areas examined as part of the state's "Quality Single Accountability Continuum (QSAC)" process - instruction and program, personnel, and operations management.

Per the QSAC legislation, the city must hold an election a year after the state gives up control of governance to decide if the board will be elected or appointed.

A "transition plan" that will be formulated by summer's end will include a specific timetable for this election, state officials said.

KEN THORBOURNE