A Fight for Mr. Fenty

The mayor should draw a bright line on the D.C. Council's meddling in the schools.

MAYOR Adrian M. Fenty has picked some needless fights with the D.C. Council. But there are some issues that, unlike baseball tickets, are worth fighting over. So it's important that Mr. Fenty not shy away from challenging the council's misguided decision to mess with school reform.

A behind-the-scenes debate is being waged by the mayor's advisers over whether he should try to overturn changes made to the authority of the elected State Board of Education. The 2010 spending plan approved by the council gives the board a bigger budget and staff, as well as enhanced autonomy and independence. Significantly, the school ombudsman's office -- which is supposed to be a neutral, problem-solving mechanism for parents, students and staff -- would now report to the board.

When the council two years ago gave control of the schools to the mayor, it wisely sketched out a discrete role for the elected school board that did not involve it in day-to-day operations. But by having responsibility for the ombudsman, the state board would effectively have license to meddle in school matters, thus becoming a potential adversary of the mayor. The current board has done an admirable job in adapting to its new role of setting broad educational policy, so why on earth risk a return to the bad old days when a balkanized school board could throw its weight around? Wasn't the whole point of mayoral control to give Mr. Fenty the authority to run the system? It's worrisome that these changes could be a harbinger of worse things to come, with some council members already talking about giving the board added power, such as the ability to hire and fire the state schools superintendent.

Mr. Fenty is said to be exploring the legal and political ramifications of line-item vetoes overturning the changes. No doubt he is wary of the council's unanimous vote of approval, and of further irritating an already-alienated council. Still, these changes are neither needed nor justified. He should veto them and let the public see which members are willing to stand with him for education reform.