NEW YORK — A former teacher, principal, and longtime advocate of early childhood education will be the next leader of the nation's largest public school system, New York City's incoming mayor announced Monday.
Carmen Farina, also a former deputy chancellor of city schools, will bring a wealth of insider's experience and fresh ideas to the job, Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio said. ''She knows it because she's lived it,'' he said.
''This is literally one of the most important decisions I'll ever make as mayor and one of the most personal,'' said de Blasio, whose two children have attended public schools. ''Taking on the lives of 1.2 million kids might be one of the most sacred missions in government anywhere in this country.''
Farina has been a longtime adviser to de Blasio and helped inform his education platform, including his signature proposal to offer universal pre-kindergarten and expanded after-school programs for middle school students.