Selection for N.Y.C. Schools Chief Knows City Government, District

Chancellor of New York City Public Schools Dennis Walcott addresses the media during a news conference at the Capitol in Albany, N.Y., on April 12.

—Mike Groll/AP

Chancellor Black ousted after three months on the job

By Christina A. Samuels

Late last year, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said that what the sprawling New York City school system needed was a hard-nosed business leader.

This month, three months after the mayor got a chance to try one out, he shifted gears, naming a political executive known for his diplomatic skills as the chancellor of the 1.1 million-student district.

Former publishing executive Cathleen P. Black’s removal from the top district post was almost as sudden as her ascension to it. ( "Media Leader Tapped to Head N.Y.C. Schools," ...