By Howard Koplowitz
In the four months without Queens representation, the Panel for Education Policy has voted on a capital budget and on Monday approved an end to social promotion for eighth-graders by an 11-to-1 margin.Queens “has already missed out on two important things,” said William McDonald, president of the Chancellor's Parent Advisory Council, which advises the chancellor on policy issues, and a Springfield Gardens resident.The lone vote against abolishing social promotion, a policy where students who do not meet academic requirements still move on to the next grade based on their age, was cast by the member appointed by the Manhattan borough president.”It's a very important position, in my opinion, and it needs to be filled,” said McDonald. “You need a voice in education matters, especially with these budget cuts.”Dan Andrews, a spokesman for Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, who is responsible for appointing one member to the PEP, said her office would look into the situation. Michael Flowers, the Queens representative on the PEP, left the post in November.The PEP is the predecessor to the now-defunct Board of Education, which was abolished after Mayor Michael Bloomberg was given control of the city's school system.Bloomberg appoints eight representatives to the 13-member board, with the remaining five selected by the borough presidents.While the PEP has final say on education matters, the body basically rubber-stamps policies advocated by Bloomberg, whose representation dominates the board.”It's almost criminal and it's neglectful at best,” said one Queens education advocate who declined to give his name. “Queens needs to have a rep on this board.””For the last four months, Queens has had no rep on the PEP,” the advocate said, noting that there was not even an observer from the borough present at PEP meetings since Flowers' departure. “Queens didn't even have a rep at the table.”Reach reporter Howard Koplowitz by e-mail at hkoplowitz@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 173.
