Education

NYC Chancellor Draws Heat for Suggesting Birth Control to Ease School Overcrowding

Just two weeks after stepping into her new role as New York’s schools chancellor, Cathie Black is drawing criticism from parents and school administrators for for a flippant comment she made during an otherwise serious meeting about the city’s overpopulated schools.

“Could we just have some birth control?” Black said during a meeting with a school overcrowding task force Thursday in lower Manhattan. “It would really help us out,” she added as the comment earned subtle chuckles from the panel.

Black’s off-handed comment immediate proceeded the testimony of Eric Greenleaf, a PS 234 parent and NYU professor, who warned that lower Manhattan will need space for another 1,000 elementary school students by 2015, DNAinfo.com reports.

According to the New York Daily News, many parents aren’t laughing.

“I always cringe when I hear that. Joel Klein said it a couple of years ago as well,” PS 234 parent Tricia Joyce told the Daily News. “I understand the temptation to joke about it. But our situation isn’t funny any more.”

Joyce also voiced concerns that Black compared weighing the needs of different schools to the movie “Sophie’s Choice.”

“I don’t mean this in any flip way. It is many Sophie’s choices,” Black said, in a reference to a story in which a mother in the Auschwitz death camp has to decide which of her two children should live.

“As we all know, one child dies (in the movie). This isn’t optional,” Joyce said. “We have a right to a public school seat.”

On Friday, Mayor Michael Bloomberg defended Black on another front, fighting off criticism of the schools chancellor‘s decision to attend a press conference on the city’s snowfall instead of following through on a scheduled visit to a State Island school.

“I thought it was important that she be there to answer questions, which she did, about school closings. So, sorry, but we will reschedule,” Bloomberg said.

Comments (100)

1 2 3
  • ChasVS
    Posted on January 14, 2011 at 10:49pm

    Jesus Christ, they’re backnat it! And you don‘t think these kind of evil people won’t use healthcare rationing to cull the old, sick and feeble from Society?!!!!!

    Report Post »  
  • dealer@678
    Posted on January 14, 2011 at 10:38pm

    Want an education . Go to You Tube and punch in “ illegal immigration gumball ” and see the future

    Report Post »  
  • reckless
    Posted on January 14, 2011 at 10:34pm

    Her mother should have used it.

    Report Post »  
  • dealer@678
    Posted on January 14, 2011 at 10:29pm

    These Illegal Alien women can keep their legs in the air all they want as long as i dont have to pay for the results

    Report Post »  
  • dealer@678
    Posted on January 14, 2011 at 10:24pm

    Now the northern states are starting to feel the effects of illegal immigration. Can them Mexicans breed or what

    Report Post »  
  • Workforit
    Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:59pm

    Dam that common sense… Rears its ugly head at the most inappropriate times.

    I wonder if I should joke about “responsible parenting” next… Nah… this room will never get it.

    Report Post »  
    • Eblaze44
      Posted on January 14, 2011 at 10:16pm

      you can use “responsible parenting” and New York City in the same breath – man you are a wizard.

      Report Post » Eblaze44  
  • ensemble
    Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:59pm

    This is just stunnning. It falls in line with Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger who wanted to use abortion as a means to rid the civilized world of those that she considered unworthy. “The most merciful thing a large family does to one of it’s infant members is to kill it.”- Margaret Sanger–Women and the New Race.

    Report Post »  
    • ChasVS
      Posted on January 14, 2011 at 10:51pm

      Think Obamacare! Another method to eradicate the undesireable!

      Report Post »  
  • ALfromVAl
    Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:54pm

    If you are on any type of Govt. assistance, you should have to go on birth control. If you can not support yourself, you should not be allowed to have kids. If you want children pay for them yourself.

    Report Post »  
  • ILUVJESUS
    Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:54pm

    Step down Big Sister!

    Report Post » ILUVJESUS  
  • Mr.Obnoxious
    Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:52pm

    We sent our two daughters [ now 26 and 22 years old ] to a private school. Me and my wife gave up a lot of luxuries such as a new car every couple of years, home remodeling, vacations, ect. Was it worth it? Hell yes!

    Report Post »  
  • spendthrift
    Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:51pm

    Hey lady, why don’t you take a paycut and stop sucking up TAX PAYER DOLLERS to promote your personal agenda?

    Report Post » spendthrift  
  • broker0101
    Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:45pm

    It’s a shame that all the intellectual firepower here on the Blaze Comment Section has no actual real-life interpersonal outlet. (That is sarcasm, Losers. There is a reason no one in your real lives will spend time with you.)

    broker0101  
  • Eblaze44
    Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:42pm

    Make it easy for them – the ultimate form of birth control – abstinence or homosexuality.

    Report Post » Eblaze44  
  • Thunderstorm 316
    Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:38pm

    Go figure a demorat wants “brith control” and abrotion to solve problems. Now why do I always vote against the demorats?

    Report Post »  
    • exdem
      Posted on January 15, 2011 at 12:38am

      And death panels.Don’t forget the death panels.
      Kill the people , save the planet.

      Report Post »  
  • kadiatu
    Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:34pm

    “We have a right to a public school seat.”

    Excuse me, but somehow I missed that right in our Constitution. We have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness according to our Declaration. Pretty sure the right to a free education is not in either document. Education is a privilege, and the fact that some consider it a right explains the sad state of education in America today. If we would go back to viewing it as a privilege, behaviour would no longer be a problem and the students could get back to the business of learning and the teachers to teaching. Right my eye.

    Report Post »  
    • Eblaze44
      Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:47pm

      You are correct – it is not a right – it is a requirement – and there are parents who have been fined and jailed because they didn’t make sure their kids went to school. That’s why most school districts have “truant” officers. The local high school that I pass most every day has a chain link fence around it, the gates are closed and locked when the kids are in school – open when they aren’t – so, do you think the chain link fence is to protect the kids and school property – or to keep them prisoner during the day. Most states require a child to go to school until they are at least 16. some can then opt out.

      so, technically you are correct, it’s not a right, it’s a law that children MUST be educated. The shame is that our public schools should be run like private schools and private schools, you would think, would be the liberal establishments.

      Report Post » Eblaze44  
  • 82dAirborne
    Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:33pm

    Well this post sure won’t make me many friends! If a child shows up at a PUBLIC school who is not a legal resident or otherwise has the legal right to be in this country he or she should be turned away. No it’s not their fault the parents brought them here illegally but it is the parents responsibility to educate their own children.

    We make things too inviting here. Things are too easy, too much free stuff. We have to gain control of our boarders. We have to start somewhere.

    Take a page out of the progressive play book. Do little things one at a time until you accomplish your goal.

    Vietnam was a “Police Action.” Fine. Let’s have a police action on our southern border.

    Report Post » 82dAirborne  
    • psycodad36
      Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:26am

      I don’t think your post cost you any friends.saw nothing wrong in your view.

      Report Post »  
  • lasthouseontheright
    Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:32pm

    Take the union out of schools and there will be room for students.

    Report Post »  
  • UpstateNYConservative
    Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:31pm

    This is a good chance to encourage an expansion of home schooling, then. Then again, there’s that problem of the teacher unions…

    Report Post » UpstateNYConservative  
  • ZaphodsPlanet
    Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:31pm

    Why are liberal women so ugly?

    On the inside…..

    Report Post » ZaphodsPlanet  
    • onegodinkansas
      Posted on January 14, 2011 at 11:32pm

      My first impression, also. That face would make a freight train take a dirt road; most effective birth control in the world.

      Report Post »  
    • goatkid
      Posted on January 15, 2011 at 9:32pm

      @zaphodsplanet
      because hate really does make people look ugly

      Report Post »  
  • eat-more-bacon-USA
    Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:24pm

    Oh, don’t worry Miss Black – - 41% of NYC pregnancies end in abortion – - -
    http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local/new_york&id=7883827

    Report Post » eat-more-bacon-USA  
    • eat-more-bacon-USA
      Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:33pm

      It appears that the unborn are being slaughtered at an unprecedented in NYC – how’s that for birth control Miss Black?

      Report Post » eat-more-bacon-USA  
    • eat-more-bacon-USA
      Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:42pm

      It appears that the unborn are being slaughtered at an unprecedented RATE in NYC – how’s that for birth control Miss Black?

      Report Post » eat-more-bacon-USA  
    • fivebyfive
      Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:52pm

      We can get that to 70% if we TRY

      Report Post » fivebyfive  
  • RightPolitically
    Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:22pm

    Society ENCOURAGES the poor to reproduce without consequence yet TAXES THE HELL OUT OF ITS PRODUCTIVE members who ACTUALLY pay for their own kids plus the others. This is a recipe for DISASTER!

    Report Post » RightPolitically  
  • shorthanded12
    Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:20pm

    And shes payed what to come up with a solution like that? Gee can I have her job to? How bout it Mayor I’LL work for less to come up with a 10th grade level answer. BTW Where was her Higher Education from?

    Report Post »  
  • Wdawg
    Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:16pm

    Why not just build more school?

    Report Post » Wdawg  
  • Rn mom
    Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:14pm

    She ws the one person applauding at the NYC abortion rate of 41% This hag is in charge of kids?!!!! She has no experience, was given this position because she blew the right guy. uhh, I mean knew….

    Report Post » RN MOM  
    • Rn mom
      Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:19pm

      Just so we are all on the same page, this woman was GIVEN this job. She has zero experience in education. She was an executive for HEARST Magazine. NYC families were outraged when she got the job and protested it, but the illustrious limo liberal fool of a mayor gave it to her anyway.

      Report Post » RN MOM  
    • 912828Buckeye
      Posted on January 14, 2011 at 11:15pm

      Right the first time Mom. But I’m pretty sure she had a bag over her head.

      Report Post » 912828Buckeye  
    • heyjim55
      Posted on January 14, 2011 at 11:53pm

      The people working in education particularly at the state level are often not qualified to the job the public expects them to do. They are brought in usually as a returned political favor or they are the perfect fit for an agenda that may have nothing to do with improving education in a way that would please the public. This woman I suspect is a political favor and just so happens to be perfect fit for a Leftist system. But it‘s not that overcrowding isn’t a problem it is and has always been in every city, more schools are needed but the solutions are always the same, more taxes for schools on and on. When I was in Russia I saw their school system in one city of a 400.000 people, they did not have large complexes like they do here they had smaller satilite schools consisting of less than 100 kids there was just more of them all designed to control class size so to allow the teacher to give a fair amount of attention to each child. These schools were stratigically placed around the city based on the population in their districts and if more class rooms are needed the City procured another small building ususlly already built but empty and converted it for school needs at a fraction of what a school here would cost. Granted they are not fancy but comfortable and without the distractions that comes with a traditional western school. Also they were almost never right next to each other always a block or so away. That may or not work here but it has there for 100 years and Russia has one of the most literate societies in the world.

      Report Post »  
  • mrmikejohnson
    Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:10pm

    Working on deporting illegals before birth control. That would help you out even more as far as US over-population

     
    • MAULEMALL
      Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:12pm

      They are some of the most taxed people in the country and they have to listen to that ignorant bit of fluf…

      Report Post » MAULEMALL  
    • MAULEMALL
      Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:13pm

      How was bloomberg re elected???

      Report Post » MAULEMALL  
    • guyperram
      Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:33pm

      Cut out the illegals, create discipline in the schools, muzzel the lawyers, all sounds good but the muddel headed libs wouldn’t dream of doing anything that smacks of common sense.

      Report Post »  
    • Xcori8r
      Posted on January 14, 2011 at 9:36pm

      It’s a real easy choice to make… Bloated salaries, pensions and benefits or educate the kids.

      Sorry kids, you lose.

      Gosh, aren’t government schools great?

      Report Post » Xcori8r  
    • MiketheTrucker
      Posted on January 14, 2011 at 10:29pm

      Too bad their mothers didn’t use birth control, perhaps we wouldn’t be over crowding with liberal idiots.

       
    • spirited
      Posted on January 14, 2011 at 11:03pm

      First thought –almost– verbatim!

      >You’re 1st

      Report Post » spirited  
    • 912828Buckeye
      Posted on January 14, 2011 at 11:12pm

      Genius at work.

      Report Post » 912828Buckeye  
    • 8jrts
      Posted on January 14, 2011 at 11:45pm

      Please…lets be what we say we are…
      “the voice of reason” “not taking things out of context” “saying things in jest”
      Stop jumping on a word or a phrase and taking it out of context…that’s what liberals do…don’t stoop that low!!!

      Report Post » 8jrts  
    • independentvoteril
      Posted on January 15, 2011 at 12:50am

      I think IF they didn’t give welfare to children of illegals THEY WOULD QUIT HAVING THEM.. We are have to send our kids to private schools do without to support illegals kids AND get a decent education for ours..

      Report Post » independentvoteril  
    • JCoolman
      Posted on January 15, 2011 at 4:00am

      Yeah…and the next step is to impose a “1-child only” law.

      Report Post »  
    • EP46
      Posted on January 15, 2011 at 7:02am

      Ms. Black comes from the south side of Chicago…never went to public school, sent her children to private school. Great Bloomburg pick for this job since she had no previous experience in this field.

      Report Post »  
    • avenger
      Posted on January 15, 2011 at 7:53am

      why not mandatory abortion like the chinese model,hey the progressives want to thin the herd anyway….

      Report Post »  
    • Cemoto78
      Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:21am

      Does this really surprise anyone? ANOTHER elitist opens their mouth to us minions and serfs.

      Report Post » Cemoto78  
    • Jackers
      Posted on January 15, 2011 at 8:22am

      We don’t need birth control so much as we need to reduce legal immigration to reasonable levels and eliminate all illegal immigration! Where do these “experts” come from?

      Report Post » Jackers  
    • byehlik
      Posted on January 15, 2011 at 9:16am

      Another socialist a$$ deviling in her idea of social engineering. What a fool! I suggest, as others have, get the illegal immigration problem solved and then maybe your classroom overcrowding issue might subside. The breath of the elitist thought is staggering. Vote 2012. I do not understand how they can have overcrowding in NYC when the productive population is in mass exodus. That leaves the poor and illegal folks that are at least in this fools eyes, breading like rabbits. By, by to NYC! No loss to the rest of us. We can do without the ant hill culture.

      Report Post » byehlik  
    • aafriend
      Posted on January 15, 2011 at 10:14am

      My Daughter is half Hispanic, i married into the culture as white American citizen. i have love for the Hispanic people and culture. though i will tell you living in the left coast i see first hand what is happening to our education system.

      The majority of students in our education system is Hispanic. you can go drive by any school in the morning and see it, one in the stroller, one in the belly, one or two in hand. the majority of Hispanics in this country are Catholic. The Catholic church does not condone birth control, its about money for the church. this is just one problem. how do families survive in a state that can only produce minimum wage jobs to illegals ? politicians care about votes, free services carry most of the illegal population until they can get work permit status. here are a few things that people in the media or politicians don’t realize about the left coast and what socialism policies create.

      #1 The more children you have, white, Hispanic or any gender for that matter, the more money you get monthly.

      #2 The more children you have, the more free medical care needed.

      #3 The more children you have, the more schools needed, along with union teachers.

      #4 The more children you have, the more Us citizens are created, thus at the age of eighteen more tax revenue.

      Its all a political came, its not about quality of life. its sad that our country cares more about tax revenue and votes to fund entitlements than responsibly bringing children into this world. what responsible family brings 4 or five children into a world on a minimum wage job. yes i agree its a great American story, but when is enough enough. all we have to do is see that are politicians have not put a immigration policy in force, what does that tell you.

      i will say this is not just a Hispanic issue, other cultures are flooding here for the freebies. Google the gumball theory, it explains the influx of immigrants very clearly.

      Report Post » aafriend  
    • Rogue
      Posted on January 15, 2011 at 11:14am

      Here’s a novel idea – how about teachers unions give up thier pensions and free benefits, stop allowing illegals to go to US public schools, and for families on welfare, instead of offering additional money per child, simply provide government food to cover that child‘s needs and vouchers for children’s clothing at thrift stores. While we’re at it, eliminate tje Department of Education, and funnel remaining funds directly to the states for upgrading/building facilities and hiring new, capable teachers. Allow states to determine which teachers need to be let go based on performance, and replace them with teachers who actually care about the standerd of education they provide.

      There is more than enough money currently flowing into our education system for American kids to be the best educated children on the planet…. I thought that was the goal? Oh, I forgot – it’s not about the kids, it’s about money. And the power.

      Report Post » Rogue  
    • rubintheartist
      Posted on January 15, 2011 at 12:21pm

      No brain, No heart and we’re supposed to believe this woe-man is a comassionate educator????
      Check out the new animated comedy video that exposes progessive idiots. http://www.marcrubin.com/Hairmerica.ivnu

      Report Post » rubintheartist  
    • docvet
      Posted on January 16, 2011 at 3:05pm

      I also notice that she didn’t suggest home schooling to help over crowding. Kids have to be in school to brainwash them.

      Report Post »  
    • chazman
      Posted on January 16, 2011 at 4:40pm

      Cathie Black … THAT’S A MAN, BABY!!

      Report Post »  
    • happyboy
      Posted on January 17, 2011 at 8:01pm

      TOO BAD HER MOTHER DIDN’t ABORT HER

      And she is not even qualified.

      Report Post »  
1 2 3

Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In

Sign Up For Our Newsletter!

Glenn Beck Radio

Listen to Glenn Beck 24/7 Listen Now
Restoring Love