Frightening Thought

Wait . . . what if . . . ? No, can’t be . . . but then there it is, looking remarkably like something he might actually want:

The scripted scene under the chandeliers of the Tweed Courthouse, the headquarters of the city’s Department of Education, was not the chaos Mr. Bloomberg had predicted if mayoral control of the schools lapsed. The meeting was marked by “ayes” and raised hands, free of any of the verbal fireworks and political grandstanding that marred the old board, which ruled for three decades.

The board was reborn after a political stalemate prevented the State Senate from voting on a bill that would have extended the mayor’s control of the school system past June 30, 2009. The expiration date was set seven years ago, so when July 1 arrived at midnight, the schools reverted to the control of a Board of Education that did not exist.

Under the old system, two of the seven board members were mayoral appointees, and the borough presidents chose the rest, so Mr. Bloomberg invited the borough leaders to Gracie Mansion on Wednesday to create the new board over breakfast. Four of the leaders agreed to appoint members who would not alter the current leadership or overturn any of its policies. The Bronx president said he wanted his appointee to express some independence.

Packed with three deputy mayors and other allies of Mr. Bloomberg, the board of seven met shortly before 1 p.m., whisking through the agenda in eight minutes. They voted unanimously to retain Joel I. Klein as the city’s schools chancellor and delegate all decision-making power to him, including the right to approve contracts.

The board also elected a president, Deputy Mayor Dennis M. Walcott, the Queens appointee, and passed a resolution calling on Albany to renew mayoral control. Then it adjourned until Sept. 10.

He’s not that . . . wait . . . no! Must not believe . . . must not believe . . .