LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Joel I. Klein upon the occasion of his
designation by the United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg as the
recipient of the Public Service Award at its 5th Annual Legislative
Breakfast on March 29, 2009

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
commend those illustrious individuals of the State of New York who
distinguish themselves in their profession and in service to their
community; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and fully in accord with its long-
standing traditions, it is the intent of this Legislative Body to
commend Joel I. Klein upon the occasion of his designation for special
honor by the United Jewish Organizations (UJO) of Williamsburg as the
recipient of its 2009 Public Service Award; and
WHEREAS, Joel I. Klein, Chancellor of the New York City Department of
Education, will be honored at the UJO's 5th Annual Legislative Break-
fast, to be held at The Continental in Brooklyn, New York, on Sunday,
March 29, 2009; and
WHEREAS, Since 1966, the United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg
has provided social and housing services, as well as public health and
community development services for the Hassidic community in the greater
Williamsburg area; it serves and represents more than 70,000 community
residents and 148 civic, religious, educational and charitable organiza-
tions serving the Jewish communities of Williamsburg, Clinton Hill and
Bedford-Stuyvesant; and
WHEREAS, Its 5th Annual Legislative Breakfast provides an opportunity
to pay tribute to those who have supported the UJO and have helped to
further its efforts, as well as those who exemplify its mission of
improving the quality of life of the citizens it serves; and
WHEREAS, Born in New York City, Joel Klein attended the city's public
schools and graduated from William Cullen Bryant High School in 1963; he
earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia University in 1967, magna
cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, and his Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from
Harvard Law School in 1971, again graduating magna cum laude; and
WHEREAS, Joel Klein became New York City schools Chancellor, the first
Chancellor of the newly-reorganized Department of Education, in July
2002 after serving in the highest levels of government and business, and
in the public and private practice of law, bringing with him vast and
varied experience and expertise and a long-standing interest in educa-
tional issues as well as some experience teaching math to 6th Grade
students at a public school in Queens; as Chancellor, he oversees more
than 1,500 schools with 1.1 million students, 136,000 employees, and a
more than 21 billion dollar operating budget; and
WHEREAS, Joel Klein's comprehensive education reform program, Children
First, is transforming the nation's largest public school system into a
system of great schools; the first steps of the reform effort included
ending social promotion in 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 8th Grades; creating a
wide array of academic supports for struggling students; establishing
new supports for parents, including putting a Parent Coordinator in
nearly every school; and expanding small schools and charter schools to
provide more educational options for students; and
WHEREAS, The second phase of Children First has involved restructuring
the system, changing how schools are operated and supported, and giving
principals greater control over how they run their schools while holding
them accountable for results, initiatives which have made a real differ-
ence for New York City students -- achievement is up, students and fami-

lies have more and better choices, schools are safer, and principals are
more empowered; and
WHEREAS, Active in community service work in addition to his many
other responsibilities, Joel Klein has participated in Big Brothers,
served as Chairman of the Board of the Green Door, a pioneer community-
based treatment program for mentally ill residents of the District of
Columbia, and as Treasurer of the World Federation for Mental Health; he
has also served on the boards of several non-profit organizations,
including the National Symphony Orchestra Association and was a member
of a 1991 U.S. Department of State delegation which examined issues of
psychiatric abuse in the Soviet Union; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that when individ-
uals of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our atten-
tion, it is appropriate to publicly proclaim and commend them for the
edification and emulation of others; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Joel I. Klein upon the occasion of his designation as the recipi-
ent of the United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg's Public Service
Award at its 5th Annual Legislative Breakfast on March 29, 2009; and be
it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Joel I. Klein.