Ninfa Segarra

Last updated
Ninfa Segarra
President of the New York City Board of Education
In office
2000–2002
OccupationLawyer

Ninfa Segarra (born June 4, 1950) is the last President of the New York City Board of Education. She served as President of the Board from 2000 [1] to 2002 when the Board was abolished by the State of New York and power of the city schools was transferred to Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Contents

Early life and education

Ninfa Segarra was born on June 4, 1950, to working-class Puerto Rican parents and grew up in the LaGuardia Houses on the Lower East Side. She attended Our Lady of Sorrows parochial school and Cathedral High School. [1] In the ninth grade, she began joining protests championing Latino rights. [2] While attending New York University (NYU) for undergrad, she worked for the ASPIRA Association, a left leaning group that works to empower Latino youth. She received her bachelor's in 1973 and attended New York Law School, graduating in 1982. [1]

Career

Following her graduation from law school, Segarra was appointed by Mayor Ed Koch to the Mayor's Office of the Handicapped and to the Voter Assistance Commission as executive director. [1]

In 1990, then Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer appointed Segarra to the Board of Education having promised to appoint a Latina with children in the school system during his election campaign. [1] [2] On the Board, Segarra became a voice for conservative social values, most notably her role in ousting Schools Chancellor Joseph A. Fernandez. Segarra voted with the conservative bloc of the Board of Education on Resolution 33, which required that the AIDS education curriculum focus on abstinence. She opposed the Children of the Rainbow First Grade Curriculum that Fernandez supported because she claimed it allowed teaching explicit descriptions of sex. [2] She also later noted that she regretted voting against a parental opt-out provision for condom access in schools. [2] [3] Segarra's vote shifted the balance of power on the Board of Education. As a result, the Children of the Rainbow curriculum was never enacted. Segarra's voting record led Fernandez to call her a "political prostitute". She again voted with the conservatives to cancel Fernandez's contract in 1993. [2] She later ran afoul of Ferrer, who asked her to resign. She dismissed the calls for her resignation and endorsed Rudy Giuliani for mayor in 1993. [4]

After being elected mayor in 1993, Giuliani's first appointment was of Segarra as a Deputy Mayor for Education and Human Services of New York City. [5] As deputy mayor, Segarra oversaw education, health, and youth issues for the mayor, along with community outreach. [3] Critics took issue with her appointment citing her lack of experience in the diverse fields and experience running only a small city agency. [2] Giuliani also appointed Segarra as one of his two appointees to the Board of Education in 1993. Serving in two government roles placed Segarra in a political spotlight. Critics cited a conflict of interest, saying that deputy mayors are beholden to the mayoral administration and by holding that role, Segarra wouldn't effectively advocate for children of the city. [3] In 2000, she became President of the Board and supported its abolition by Giuliani in 2001. [1] In total, Ms. Segarra served on the Board of Education from July 1990 to June 2002.

Segarra stepped down as deputy mayor in 2000 to assume a position at the City University of New York (CUNY) as vice president for intercampus collaboration. [5] [1] She became the executive director of the New York City Police Museum in 2002 after being unable to provide her work schedules at CUNY in response to a request filed by the faculty union. [6] [ better source needed ]

Personal life

Segarra met her husband, Jose Segarra while attending NYU. [2] The couple later had two children, Pablo (born 1983) and Alynda (born 1987). [3] The couple separated in 1989. Alynda later formed and fronted the band Hurray for the Riff Raff.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City University of New York</span> Public university system in New York City

The City University of New York is the public university system of New York City. It is the largest urban university system in the United States, comprising 25 campuses: eleven senior colleges, seven community colleges, and seven professional institutions. In 1960, John R. Everett became the first chancellor of the Municipal College System of New York City, later known as the City University of New York (CUNY). CUNY, established by New York State legislation in 1961 and signed into law by Governor Nelson Rockefeller, was an amalgamation of existing institutions and a new graduate school.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayor of New York City</span> Head of the executive branch of the government of New York City

The mayor of New York City, officially Mayor of the City of New York, is head of the executive branch of the government of New York City and the chief executive of New York City. The mayor's office administers all city services, public property, police and fire protection, most public agencies, and enforces all city and state laws within New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2005 New York City mayoral election</span> Election

The 2005 New York City mayoral election occurred on Tuesday, November 8, 2005, with incumbent Republican mayor Michael Bloomberg soundly defeating former Bronx borough president Fernando Ferrer, the Democratic nominee. Several third-party candidates also ran for mayor. Bloomberg won four of the five boroughs, the exception being the Bronx.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Antonia Pantoja</span> Puerto Rican educator

Antonia Pantoja, was a Puerto Rican educator, social worker, feminist, civil rights leader and the founder of ASPIRA, the Puerto Rican Forum, Boricua College and Producir. In 1996, she was the first Puerto Rican woman to receive the American Presidential Medal of Freedom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herman Badillo</span> Puerto Rican politician

Herman Badillo was an American lawyer and politician who served as borough president of The Bronx and United States Representative, and ran for Mayor of New York City. He was the first Puerto Rican elected to these posts, and the first Puerto Rican mayoral candidate in a major city in the continental United States.

Benno Charles Schmidt Jr. was an American academic and education executive. From 1986 to 1992, he was 20th president of Yale University. Prior, Schmidt was Dean of the Columbia Law School, Harlan Fiske Stone Professor of Constitutional Law, and chairman of Edison Schools. He lastly served as the chairman of Avenues: The World School, a for-profit, private K-12 school, and as the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York (CUNY) from 2003 to 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruth Messinger</span> American politician

Ruth Wyler Messinger is a former American political leader in New York City and a member of the Democratic Party. She was the Democratic nominee for Mayor of New York City in 1997, losing to incumbent mayor Rudy Giuliani.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2001 New York City mayoral election</span> Election

The New York City mayoral election of 2001 was held on November 6, 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York City Schools Chancellor</span> Head of the New York City Department of Education

The New York City Schools Chancellor is the head of the New York City Department of Education. The Chancellor is appointed by the Mayor, and serves at the Mayor's pleasure. The Chancellor is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the department as well as responsible of all New York City Public Schools. The Chancellor is also a member of the New York City Panel for Educational Policy. The current Chancellor is David C. Banks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iris Weinshall</span> American politician (born 1953)

Iris Weinshall is the chief operating officer of The New York Public Library, former vice chancellor at the City University of New York and a former commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation. Weinshall was appointed Chief Operating Officer by the Library in July 2014, and she began her tenure on September 1, 2014. She is the wife of U.S. Senator and Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regina Peruggi</span> American educator

Regina S. Peruggi is an American educator, who was the President of Kingsborough Community College from 2005 to 2014, the first woman to hold that position in the college's 40-year history. Prior to that, she was president of Marymount Manhattan College and led the Central Park Conservancy. For 14 years, she was married to her second cousin, Rudy Giuliani.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jennifer Raab</span>

Jennifer J. Raab was the 13th president of Hunter College of the City University of New York holding this position between June 2001 and June 2023. She was responsible for overseeing the functions of CUNY's college and its affiliates such as the Hunter College High School.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1997 New York City mayoral election</span> Election

The New York City mayoral election of 1997 occurred on Tuesday November 4, 1997, with incumbent Republican mayor Rudy Giuliani soundly defeating Democratic Manhattan Borough President Ruth Messinger and several third-party candidates. This was the first time Brooklyn voted for a Republican since 1941.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cathedral High School (New York City)</span> Catholic school in New York City

Cathedral High School is an American all-girls', private, Roman Catholic high school in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Thompson (New York politician)</span> American politician

William Colridge Thompson Jr. is an American politician who served as the 42nd Comptroller of New York City; sworn into office on January 1, 2002, he was reelected to serve a second term that began on January 1, 2006. He did not seek re-election in 2009. Instead he ran for mayor, and he was succeeded as comptroller by John Liu. On June 15, 2016, Thompson was appointed by New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo as chairman of the board of trustees of The City University of New York; his term ended in June 2022.

Victor B. Tosi is a New York politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merryl Tisch</span> American educator

Merryl H. Tisch is the former Chancellor of the New York State Board of Regents and wife of James S. Tisch, an heir to the Loews Corporation. In November 2015, she stepped down from her role after nearly 20 years on the board.

Argie K. Johnson is an American educator and biochemist who served as superintendent of Chicago Public Schools and deputy chancellor of New York Public Schools.

Luis Antonio Miranda Concepción is a Puerto Rican political strategist, philanthropist, and advocacy consultant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Children of the Rainbow curriculum</span>

The Children of the Rainbow Curriculum, created in 1991 by the New York City Department of Education was introduced to first-grade teachers to "assist with teaching about multicultural social issues". Its creation was prompted by a number of hate crime incidents that happened in New York City in the late 1980s through early 1990s, such as the murder of Yusef Kirriem Hawkins, Julio Rivera and Jimmy Zappalorti. The lesson plans offered readings, activities, and other lectures that include diverse minority groups.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Wyatt, Edward (2001-04-05). "Woman in the News; Ideological Wanderer -- Ninfa Segarra". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2019-10-04.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Dubner, Stephen J. (1994-01-17). "The Education of Ninfa". New York Magazine. pp. 26–30. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Myers, Steven Lee (1994-05-31). "Segarra: A Democratic Enigma in a Republican City Hall". The New York Times. Retrieved 2023-11-04.
  4. ↑ "Ninfa Segarra". The New York Times. 2001-04-04. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2019-10-04.
  5. 1 2 "Press Release Archives - MAYOR GIULIANI ANNOUNCES DEPUTY MAYOR FOR EDUCATION AND HUMAN SERVICES NINFA SEGARRA HAS ACCEPTED A POSITION AT CUNY". www.nyc.gov. Retrieved 2019-10-04.
  6. ↑ Seifman, David (2001-12-27). "EMBATTLED RUDY CRONY LANDS COP-MUSEUM GIG". New York Post. Retrieved 2019-10-04.
Preceded by President of the New York City Board of Education
2000 – 2002		Succeeded by
Office Abolished
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.