Mayoral Control in Seattle Public Schools

So I haven't heard much lately about new Seattle mayor Mike McGinn wanting to take direct control of the Seattle School District, the way things have happened in New York and Washington D.C. My guess is that it was something easy to say during the campaign, but that the reality of running a large city is going to make the schools one of the things he passes on.

I thought of it recently after reading this quote from Michelle Rhee, the chancellor of the DC Public Schools:

Ms. Rhee observed that she has what she sees as an advantage over many urban superintendents: The mayor controls the city's schools, and the chancellor answers to him, rather than having to run major policy changes through a school board.

Remember, too, that popular State Representative Ed Murray was making noise about this back in 2006.

There's no fire here; there's not even really any smoke. That said, it's something at the periphery worth keeping an eye on.

Read more here, if any.

Mayoral Control in Seattle a Step Closer?

Remember back in March, when a community activist by the name of Mike McGinn said that part of what he'd do if elected mayor of Seattle would be to take over the Seattle Public Schools, the same way that Michael Bloomberg has done in New York City?

With former mayor Greg Nickels throwing in the towel today, Mike McGinn is now in the general election this November against T-Mobile exec Joe Mallahan.

Could be interesting, because with the Race to the Top putting education more into the spotlight the schools are going to be in the spotlight in an intense way--I expect that it'll really heat up next year, when our Representatives and Senators start looking for issues to hang their hat on in the 2010 midterm elections. It's an idea that was floated before; is now the time?

Listen too to today's Weekday program from KUOW, where they preview the race and one of the callers brings up mayoral control directly.

Read more here, if any.