A statement from the Desk of Assemblyman Dean Murray (R,C,I-East Patchogue)
(Long Island, NY) “The decision by the Board of Regents to appoint MaryEllen Elia as the new Education Commissioner is both unsurprising and incredibly disheartening, underscoring the very problems that plague New York’s education system.
“The fact is, although we finally have a new education commissioner, her appointment only raises more questions, and creates more problems than it has solved. Who else was interviewed for this position? How many rounds of interviews were conducted? Should the public not have some kind of say in her selection? Why are we only learning about her qualifications, for better or worse, after her appointment?
“Given the problems with Common Core, high-stakes standardized testing and the ever present need for more school aid, this was probably one of the most important appointments in recent memory. The process by which she was given this central position is one shrouded in secrecy and the parents, teachers, principals and administrators should have had a voice in, or at the very least some kind of ability to observe, this appointment.”
