Carol Schwartz's Flunking Plan for DC Schools

DC Councilwoman Carol Schwartz opposes Mayor Fenty's plan for a mayoral takeover for DC schools. She raises one argument against: the Mayor is too busy, she says.

Then she goes on to undermine her argument by saying that if the schools don't get any better the Council should go ahead and grant the takeover in three years. Presumably by 2010 Mayorlicious will have nothing to do other than run marathons and send text messages to admirers.

The DC school system -- as it stands -- had had its chance. Last fall, the DC School Board gave the superintendent -- already the highest paid DC public official -- a whopping bonus, even though the schools have not shown progress on any measurable standard. That, to me, was DC's education Katrina.

The Mayor still has to prove himself -- but the DC School system is already a known entity. And the status quo, or changes at the margins of the status quo, aren't enough for DC's kids.