Last Thursday evening, a professor from the Margaret Warner Graduate School of Education and Human Development held a teach-in to inform students and community members about the details of Mayor Bob Duffy’s push for mayoral control of the Rochester City School District. While this is a major local issue and debate topic among Rochester residents and officials, many at UR may be unaware of its implications. Although it is neither Warner’s nor the broader University’s place to take a political stance, faculty and staff at the graduate school are well positioned to provide expertise to the community as the legislative process unfolds.
Currently, the legislation on RCSD mayoral control is in Albany and waiting for discussion in March. If passed, the legislation would affect both students in the educational pipeline and faculty. A number of Warner students do field work in RCSD schools, and some graduates eventually work in the system. Additionally, faculty members conduct research and literacy interventions in Rochester.
The director of the Urban Teaching and Leadership Program at UR Ed Brockenbrough, who organized the teach-in, has succeeded in providing a venue for discussion on the issue of mayoral control. There is no reason why the larger UR community should not be involved. The visibility of passion displayed by residents and UR community members at the forum indicates the importance of this debate to the University.
It is vital that there are more on-campus events so that students understand the consequences of the change. But regardless of where the events are held, UR needs to realize the amount of educational expertise it can offer and take this opportunity to be a major contributor to the greater Rochester community.
