Marist poll on Mayoral control

In the latest Marist poll, voters say that rather than mayoral control of our schools, 60 percent would prefer that the "responsibility be given to an appointed citywide Panel on Education Policy.”

Among parents, 27 percent supported mayoral control, while 67 percent favored the citywide panel.

In the Quinnipiac Poll in March, voters said they'd like the Mayor to share control with the City Council (53-37) or with the borough presidents (50-41). In several earlier polls, including the July Quinnipiac poll, most voters said that the Mayor should share power with an independent board. Then Quinnipiac dropped that choice because they said that “independent” was too positive a word.

In any case, there appears to be a consistent desire on the part of the public for checks and balances when it comes to determining education policy in this city, rather than one man rule – despite what Bloomberg and his billionaire buddies, Mort Zuckerman, Rupert Murdoch and Eli Broad, might like.