Irving Anker
Encyclopedia
Irving Anker was an American
educator and administrator who served from 1973 to 1978 as New York City Schools Chancellor, overseeing the largest school district in the United States at a time when control of schools was being transferred to local community school districts and when the fiscal crisis besetting the City of New York forced major staffing cuts. He had also served as Acting Chancellor in 1970 while the New York City Board of Education
was searching for a permanent replacement.
, his parents were Jewish immigrants who had received little formal education. A product of the New York City public schools, Anker attended City College of New York
, where he earned bachelor's and master's degrees. He started teaching in 1934 at Erasmus Hall High School
and worked his way up through the school system, becoming chairman of social studies at Long Island City High School
, and then principal of Benjamin Franklin High School in East Harlem. Anker was named as an assistant superintendent in 1966 and was replaced as principal of Benjamin Franklin High School by Leonard F. Littwin.
, Ramsey Clark
, Arthur J. Goldberg and Sargent Shriver
, before choosing Harvey B. Scribner
, who had been Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Education
and superintendent of the Teaneck Public Schools
, where he oversaw the implementation of a voluntary school integration program. Described as an "answer man to any question anybody's got about the city's school system", Anker didn't know that his salary as Acting Superintendent of Schools would be $48,000, and increase of almost $14,000 from his previous post as assistant superintendent. Anker's title was renamed to Chancellor as of July 1, 1970, the same day that the 32 local school boards were to take office. Anker expressed concern that "decentralization is going to be a time-consuming and touchy job" and expressed fears that it could lead to all-white and all-black schools.
After being selected as Chancellor and as desired by the board of education, Scribner chose Anker to fill the newly created position of deputy chancellor at an annual salary of $48,000, to give Scribner a senior aide and second-in-command with experience in the New York City system. Scribner's post in Vermont did not expire until September 1, 1970, and Anker remained as Acting Chancellor until that date.
Citing what he called a "confidence gap" with the Board of Education, Scribner announced in December 1972 that he would leave his post as Chancellor when his three-year contract ended on June 30, 1973. Before going on a terminal vacation starting on April 1, 1973, Chancellor Scribner named Anker to serve as Acting Chancellor until Scribner's contract expired on June 30. While the New York City Board of Education
had not decided on a replacement, Anker was seen as the most likely person to fill the spot on a permanent basis if the board's choice was an "insider".
As School Chancellor, Anker oversaw the decentralization program that began in 1969 in which staffing choices in elementary and middle schools were made by a network of 32 community school boards. Often viewed as a steppingstone to political office or as an opportunity for patronage, Anker was often at odds with the local boards, ultimately investigating charges of corruption or mismanagement in seven of the 32 local boards and using his powers to suspend board members or to override their actions. In one of his first confrontations, after dismissing the school board of District 9 in the Bronx and replacing it with a trustee he appointed, Anker faced a sit-in by parents who viewed Anker's actions as a racially motivated effort to undermine local control.
In December 1974, Anker submitted a proposed $2.78 billion budget for the 1975-76 school year that would add more than $500 million in spending over the previous budget, which would be used to expand services for handicapped and non-English-speaking students. Anker resisted efforts by Mayor of New York Abe Beame to cut services during the depths of New York City's fiscal crisis, saying that he was only requesting "enough money to make the schools as good as possible - not nearly enough to make them as good as they ought to be". In a time of belt tightening citywide, Anker said that "we cannot write off the children of New York City without calling into question every value we live by". City budget officials forced Anker to make $230 million in cuts, including the termination of 21,000 positions in the system, increasing class sizes and reducing much of the art, music and after-school programs that had previously been offered. The increased burdens on the remaining teachers led to a five-day strike in September 1975 by the United Federation of Teachers
, which ended when Anker agreed with UFT head Albert Shanker
to cut 90 minutes from the school day.
In an effort to more thoroughly integrate the city's high schools, Anker had the attendance zones of high schools in Brooklyn modified to achieve a greater balance between white students and the increasing numbers of African American and Hispanic students, which resulted in further white flight
from the city and its schools. The Board of Education was charged in 1977 by the federal government, which claimed that the city's schools discriminated in the hiring of African American and Hispanic teachers and had improperly concentrated minority teachers in majority minority schools. Anker implemented changes to expand hiring of minority teachers and to achieve a more even distribution of staffing around the school system.
After taking office in January 1978 as Mayor of New York, Ed Koch
forced out Anker as Chancellor in favor of Frank Macchiarola
, a key Koch advisor who had been a vice president of the CUNY Graduate Center
and deputy director of the New York State Emergency Financial Control Board for New York City; Anker would serve until his contract ended on June 30, 1978.
.
A resident of Jamaica, Queens
, Anker died at his home there at age 88 on June 12, 2000, of natural causes. He was survived by his wife, three daughters, a son and seven grandchildren. A product of the city school system himself, all three of his children attended city public schools.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
educator and administrator who served from 1973 to 1978 as New York City Schools Chancellor, overseeing the largest school district in the United States at a time when control of schools was being transferred to local community school districts and when the fiscal crisis besetting the City of New York forced major staffing cuts. He had also served as Acting Chancellor in 1970 while the New York City Board of Education
New York City Board of Education
The New York City Board of Education is the governing body of the New York City Department of Education. The members of the board are appointed by the mayor and by the five borough presidents.-Rise, fall and return of Mayoral Control:...
was searching for a permanent replacement.
Early life and education
He was born on October 27, 1911, in Red Hook, BrooklynRed Hook, Brooklyn
Red Hook is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, USA. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 6. It is also the location where the transatlantic liner, the , docks in New York City.- History :...
, his parents were Jewish immigrants who had received little formal education. A product of the New York City public schools, Anker attended City College of New York
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
, where he earned bachelor's and master's degrees. He started teaching in 1934 at Erasmus Hall High School
Erasmus Hall High School
Erasmus Hall Campus High School is a four-year public high school in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, United States operated by the New York City Department of Education....
and worked his way up through the school system, becoming chairman of social studies at Long Island City High School
Long Island City High School
Long Island City High School, commonly abbreviated L.I.C. or LICHS, is a public high school in New York City, located in Long Island City in the borough of Queens. The present building was built in 1995...
, and then principal of Benjamin Franklin High School in East Harlem. Anker was named as an assistant superintendent in 1966 and was replaced as principal of Benjamin Franklin High School by Leonard F. Littwin.
Deputy and Acting Chancellor
While searching for a permanent Superintendent of Schools in 1970 for Nathan Brown, the Board of Education named Anker to serve as Acting Superintendent until the position was filled. The Board had approached, and been turned down by, such notables as Ralph BuncheRalph Bunche
Ralph Johnson Bunche or 1904December 9, 1971) was an American political scientist and diplomat who received the 1950 Nobel Peace Prize for his late 1940s mediation in Palestine. He was the first person of color to be so honored in the history of the Prize...
, Ramsey Clark
Ramsey Clark
William Ramsey Clark is an American lawyer, activist and former public official. He worked for the U.S. Department of Justice, which included service as United States Attorney General from 1967 to 1969, under President Lyndon B. Johnson...
, Arthur J. Goldberg and Sargent Shriver
Sargent Shriver
Robert Sargent Shriver, Jr., known as Sargent Shriver, R. Sargent Shriver, or, from childhood, Sarge, was an American statesman and activist. As the husband of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, he was part of the Kennedy family, serving in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations...
, before choosing Harvey B. Scribner
Harvey B. Scribner
Harvey Bertram Scribner was an American educator and administrator who oversaw the voluntary integration of the Teaneck Public Schools in the mid-1960s. He also headed the Vermont Department of Education...
, who had been Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Education
Vermont Department of Education
The Vermont Department of Education is the state education agency of Vermont. It is headquartered in the State Office Building in Montpelier, and it has additional offices in Berlin....
and superintendent of the Teaneck Public Schools
Teaneck Public Schools
Teaneck Public Schools are a comprehensive community public school district in Teaneck, New Jersey, United States, serving students in kindergarten through twelfth grade....
, where he oversaw the implementation of a voluntary school integration program. Described as an "answer man to any question anybody's got about the city's school system", Anker didn't know that his salary as Acting Superintendent of Schools would be $48,000, and increase of almost $14,000 from his previous post as assistant superintendent. Anker's title was renamed to Chancellor as of July 1, 1970, the same day that the 32 local school boards were to take office. Anker expressed concern that "decentralization is going to be a time-consuming and touchy job" and expressed fears that it could lead to all-white and all-black schools.
After being selected as Chancellor and as desired by the board of education, Scribner chose Anker to fill the newly created position of deputy chancellor at an annual salary of $48,000, to give Scribner a senior aide and second-in-command with experience in the New York City system. Scribner's post in Vermont did not expire until September 1, 1970, and Anker remained as Acting Chancellor until that date.
Citing what he called a "confidence gap" with the Board of Education, Scribner announced in December 1972 that he would leave his post as Chancellor when his three-year contract ended on June 30, 1973. Before going on a terminal vacation starting on April 1, 1973, Chancellor Scribner named Anker to serve as Acting Chancellor until Scribner's contract expired on June 30. While the New York City Board of Education
New York City Board of Education
The New York City Board of Education is the governing body of the New York City Department of Education. The members of the board are appointed by the mayor and by the five borough presidents.-Rise, fall and return of Mayoral Control:...
had not decided on a replacement, Anker was seen as the most likely person to fill the spot on a permanent basis if the board's choice was an "insider".
Chancellor
As had been widely expected, Anker was named as School Chancellor in June 1973, with Samuel Polatnick as executive director of the Office of High Schools, Dr. Edythe J. Gaines atop the Office of Educational Planning and Support and Alfredo Mathew, Jr., as chief of the Office of School District Affairs.As School Chancellor, Anker oversaw the decentralization program that began in 1969 in which staffing choices in elementary and middle schools were made by a network of 32 community school boards. Often viewed as a steppingstone to political office or as an opportunity for patronage, Anker was often at odds with the local boards, ultimately investigating charges of corruption or mismanagement in seven of the 32 local boards and using his powers to suspend board members or to override their actions. In one of his first confrontations, after dismissing the school board of District 9 in the Bronx and replacing it with a trustee he appointed, Anker faced a sit-in by parents who viewed Anker's actions as a racially motivated effort to undermine local control.
In December 1974, Anker submitted a proposed $2.78 billion budget for the 1975-76 school year that would add more than $500 million in spending over the previous budget, which would be used to expand services for handicapped and non-English-speaking students. Anker resisted efforts by Mayor of New York Abe Beame to cut services during the depths of New York City's fiscal crisis, saying that he was only requesting "enough money to make the schools as good as possible - not nearly enough to make them as good as they ought to be". In a time of belt tightening citywide, Anker said that "we cannot write off the children of New York City without calling into question every value we live by". City budget officials forced Anker to make $230 million in cuts, including the termination of 21,000 positions in the system, increasing class sizes and reducing much of the art, music and after-school programs that had previously been offered. The increased burdens on the remaining teachers led to a five-day strike in September 1975 by the United Federation of Teachers
United Federation of Teachers
The United Federation of Teachers is the labor union that represents most educators in New York City public schools. , there were about 118,000 in-service educators and 17,000 paraprofessionals in the union, as well as about 54,000 retired members...
, which ended when Anker agreed with UFT head Albert Shanker
Albert Shanker
Albert Shanker was President of the United Federation of Teachers from 1964 to 1984 as well as President of the American Federation of Teachers from 1974 to 1997.-Early life:...
to cut 90 minutes from the school day.
In an effort to more thoroughly integrate the city's high schools, Anker had the attendance zones of high schools in Brooklyn modified to achieve a greater balance between white students and the increasing numbers of African American and Hispanic students, which resulted in further white flight
White flight
White flight has been a term that originated in the United States, starting in the mid-20th century, and applied to the large-scale migration of whites of various European ancestries from racially mixed urban regions to more racially homogeneous suburban or exurban regions. It was first seen as...
from the city and its schools. The Board of Education was charged in 1977 by the federal government, which claimed that the city's schools discriminated in the hiring of African American and Hispanic teachers and had improperly concentrated minority teachers in majority minority schools. Anker implemented changes to expand hiring of minority teachers and to achieve a more even distribution of staffing around the school system.
After taking office in January 1978 as Mayor of New York, Ed Koch
Ed Koch
Edward Irving "Ed" Koch is an American lawyer, politician, and political commentator. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1977 and three terms as mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989...
forced out Anker as Chancellor in favor of Frank Macchiarola
Frank Macchiarola
Frank J. Macchiarola , grew up in Flatbush, Brooklyn, has interests and expertise that span the legal, academic, executive management and public service areas. Since 2008, Dr. Macchiarola has been the Chancellor of St. Francis College after having been the colleges president in from 1996 to...
, a key Koch advisor who had been a vice president of the CUNY Graduate Center
CUNY Graduate Center
The Graduate Center of the City University of New York brings together graduate education, advanced research, and public programming to midtown Manhattan hosting 4,600 students, 33 doctoral programs, 7 master's programs, and 30 research centers and institutes...
and deputy director of the New York State Emergency Financial Control Board for New York City; Anker would serve until his contract ended on June 30, 1978.
Personal
After departing the city schools, Anker became an educational consultant, in addition to teaching at a Florida community college and at the Graduate School of Education of Long Island UniversityLong Island University
Long Island University is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian institution of higher education in the U.S. state of New York.-History:...
.
A resident of Jamaica, Queens
Jamaica, Queens
Jamaica is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York, United States. It was settled under Dutch rule in 1656 in New Netherland as Rustdorp. Under British rule, the Village of Jamaica became the center of the "Town of Jamaica"...
, Anker died at his home there at age 88 on June 12, 2000, of natural causes. He was survived by his wife, three daughters, a son and seven grandchildren. A product of the city school system himself, all three of his children attended city public schools.