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Re: “Putting the Watchdog Out to Pasture” (1/17):

Enemies and friends may agree that no one knows more about the DCPS budget than Jim Ford, but Mary Levy of Parents United comes in a very close second, and that’s only because she has had to get much of her data about an unforthcoming DCPS bureaucracy through Ford. That or FOIA.

Consensus now is that Kevin Chavous will be so far in over his head with no one to throw him a life preserver—help him ask the right questions—that the council’s oversight of DCPS will at best take a back seat to that of the board of trustees. At worst—and this is the most likely outcome—the council’s oversight will wither and die while Chavous postures on behalf of one interest group or another, always focusing on his upcoming mayoral race. Meanwhile, his staff will claim to be working for meaningful change—whatever that means—rather than the so-called grandstanding of Jim Ford. Insiders need have no fear.

According to the article, Ford advised Joyce Ladner to start all over again rather than try to fix DCPS. Were that but possible—for both DCPS and the council.

Mount Pleasant

via the Internet