Bloomberg campaign spokesman Howard Wolfson today issued the following statement:

�Bill Thompson’s recent attacks on Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s education accomplishments make an examination of the Comptroller’s own record that much more important.

�In fact, voters interested in how a Thompson administration would administer the schools need only look at Mr. Thompson’s record when he ran the City’s Board of Education for clues.

�So, here are the facts: When Mr. Thompson ran the old Board of Education most test scores declined or were flat. Dropout rates went up four points and graduation rates showed little improvement.� Pervasive violence in our schools prevented children from learning.� Billions in cost overruns were rampant and shoddy accounting even failed to accurately count the number of students in the system.

�Despite this poor record, Mr. Thompson insisted on politics as usual, opposing Mayoral Control and failing to end social promotion.� In short, Mr. Thompson had ample opportunity to improve and reform a dysfunctional system, and he failed to do so.

�Now, contrast Mr. Thompson’s record with Mayor Bloomberg’s.� Test scores are at an all time high as New York City students are making greater gains than students in the rest of the state.� Graduation rates are up fifteen points. The dropout rate is down almost seven points.� Violence is down and schools are safer. And the achievement gap between white students and African-Americans and Latinos is narrowing dramatically on test scores and graduation rates.

�The contrast couldn’t be clearer.� When Mr. Thompson ran the old Board of Education our schools were failing.� Under Mayor Bloomberg, schools are turning around and making real progress.� And those are the facts.�

Mr. Thompson served as President of the Board of Education from 1996 to 2001.

(YWN Desk – NYC)