Former New York City Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott has been appointed monitor for an unusual suburban school district where there's a bitter battle over control.
State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia named Walcott on Thursday to oversee the East Ramapo district in Rockland County.
The district has a board dominated by Orthodox Jews who don't use the public schools. Most public school pupils are black or Hispanic.
Many parents have complained that the board shortchanges the public schools while supporting Jewish yeshivas. The board blames state funding.
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