No Cape for Cantor
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From: eduwonkette
To: Cantor David
Cc: Jacob Andrew
Sent: Sun Jul 27 22:18:22 2008
Subject: Requesting scale scores
Dear David,
I saw over at eduwonk that you are giving out the scale scores by race/ethnicity. Could you please send these scores to me (2003-2008), or provide a statement that I can post on the blog as to why you will not?
Thank you,
eduwonkette
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From: Cantor David
To: eduwonkette
Date: Sun, Jul 27, 2008 at 11:42 PM
Subject: Re: Requesting scale scores
mailed-byschools.nyc.gov
I've thought about it and decided i don't want to give out information to someone asking anonymously.
I'm sure you'll have no difficulty finding what you need.
Update: Matthew Tabor is my hero. Read his FOIL request here.
Comments
From a faceless bureaucrat. Sweet.
Posted by: Jonathan | July 28, 2008 1:49 AM
So, let's get this right: The New York City Department of Education releases public information only when they know the identity of the person who asks for it? Who gave them the power to decide who gets data? Bodes ill for the so-called Research Consortium, which Chancellor Klein will control.
Posted by: anon e. muss | July 28, 2008 12:39 PM
It is simply amazing that they refuse to release the data for analysis.
You should start an online petition:
Free the data.
Posted by: KDeRosa | July 28, 2008 1:19 PM
Mmmm.. I love passive aggressive e-mails from Depts. of Ed.
Matthew Tabor's FOIL is brilliant.
And who said you were asking anonymously? You signed it "eduwonkette" loud and clear. Doesn't seem very anonymous to me. :-)
Posted by: Cap | July 28, 2008 1:49 PM
Seems like public record law is pretty explicit about NOT requiring the identity of a person making a request. Now they might be able to tap dance around it if they haven't created a document that disaggregated the data (a database does not a record make). But if they are providing it to Matthew Tabor, they have in fact created a record, which can then be requested--identity or no.
Posted by: Margo/Mom | July 28, 2008 5:01 PM
Hey, Eduwonkette, this is weird and untrue. You know we've been giving this out, yet you write:
"Sadly, this is what it's come to in New York City - the Department of Education is denying all of us access to data that rightfully belong in the public domain."
The data does belong in the public domain, and we haven't denied anyone access, including you. I find it distasteful that you sell your anonymity as martyrdom.
David Cantor
Press Secretary
NYC Dept of Education
Posted by: David Cantor | July 28, 2008 9:51 PM
Hi David,
In my view, "in the public domain" means readily available such that citizens need not request the data from the press office. These are aggregate district-level data, and there is no reason they shouldn't be available in a spreadsheet on the DOE website.
You write, "You know we've been giving this out." Perhaps you could clarify to whom you have provided the data?
This whole fracas is easily resolvable, David. Post the data to the DOE website. The longer it takes for the DOE to do so, the more reason we all have to believe that there is a substantive reason that you are guarding the data.
Posted by: eduwonkette | July 28, 2008 10:55 PM
Someone must be using David Cantor's email to deny Eduwonkette the data. Impersonating a PR person at Tweed is a federal offense. Someone's going to end up at Guantanamo.
Posted by: Norm | July 28, 2008 11:42 PM