Q poll: Klein's approval down and the Mayor should share control of the public schools

Despite his recent charm offensive, all the millions being spent on ads by the Fund for Public Schools and doled out to community groups and churches by Learn NY, and all the other efforts being made by DOE, Bloomberg, and his billionaire buddies to control the public debate about the results of their chokehold over the public schools, Chancellor Klein’s approval rating continues to fall – 7 points in the last month alone. And even though he often claims to be a civil rights hero, his disapproval ratings are highest among blacks and Hispanics.

Meanwhile, while most voters generally approve of Bloomberg's handling of the public schools, parents with children in the system disapprove, by a large margin --54-41%

Overall, voters say Albany should continue mayoral control (53-37), though that figure has dropped by 4 points in the last two months.

In a new question offered by Quinnipiac, voters also say they'd like the Mayor to share control with the City Council (53-37) or the borough presidents (50-41).

In last month’s poll, the pollsters eliminated the question they’d asked for several years about whether voters believed that the Mayor should share power with an Independent Board, even though most respondents had favored that response by a large margin.

Their public explanation? “Independent” was too positive a word.

The new poll is here . See the specific responses about Klein below.

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8. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Joel Klein is handling his job as New York City Schools Chancellor?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Wht Blk Hisp Approve 37% 48% 36% 35% 41% 34% 34% Disapprove 35 24 35 39 28 42 37 DK/NA 28 28 28 27 30 24 29 Brnx Kngs Man Qns StIsl Men Wom Approve 35% 39% 39% 36% 39% 43% 33% Disapprove 35 36 29 39 38 29 40 DK/NA 30 26 32 26 23 28 27

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Joel Klein is handling his job as New York City Schools Chancellor?

High Low Mar 24 Feb 24 Jan 27 Nov 25 Oct 3 Feb 26 Mar 15 2009 2009 2009 2008 2008 2003 2007 Approve 37 44 43 43 42 46 33 Disapprove 35 36 36 35 38 27 43 DK/NA 28 20 21 22 20 28 24