After Conspicuous Absence, Fenty Notes Education Achievements

After not appearing at Monday night’s debate on education, Mayor Adrian Fenty spoke Tuesday at Payne Elementary School in Southeast on the educational achievements of the city’s public schools since he took office.

Fenty noted making progress in meeting court-ordered benchmarks in special education and a new teachers union contract, according to the Washington Post.

During the news conference, Fenty said he never confirmed that he would appear at Monday’s event at what was intended to be a debate between him and Vincent Gray, the chairman of the D.C. council and the mayor’s challenger in the Democratic primary. He added that he had attended nine out of 12 forums but could not appear at every forum before the Sept. 14 vote.

Fenty’s absence at the education debate raised several eyebrows, especially since the struggling school system has been a focus of his administration.

However, Fenty said he had other obligations, such as attending a vigil for Steven Mahogany, who was shot and killed Saturday. However, council member Harry Thomas Jr. said the mayor arrived at the vigil around 8:30 p.m. when it began at 8 p.m. and the debate was scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Gray answered questions Monday concerning how he could do a better job than Fenty in the area of education. He continued to promote educating the city’s youth from birth through age 24. Gray said this distinguishes him from Fenty, since the mayor focuses only on kindergarten through 12th grade.

Read the Washington Post article here.