Carl and the Icons

Odds are that Carl Icahn and his wife Gail don't watch very much step dancing, but they seemed to like what they saw of the Carl Icahn C. Icons -- the step team representing the Bronx's third charter school bearing Icahn's name.

The Icahn Icons performed yesterday afternoon to celebrate the official dedication of the Carl C. Icahn Charter Middle School, home to 324 students.

Carl, clad in khakis and a sport coat, made the trek up to 1506 Brook Avenue in the South Bronx this afternoon to participate in some good old-fashioned ribbon cutting and time capsule burying. Icahn also took the podium to say a few words in front of a small group of teachers, administrators, students, and parents.

"The reason these schools work is that they don't micromanaged," said Icahn. "It's like a company. You need to get a good man in, and then just let 'em run,"

Icahn knows a thing or two about New York public schools, having risen through the school system in Far Rockaway, Queens, before going on to Princeton. At yesterday's ceremony, he bemoaned the approach taken by New York's city government to education (while praising the work of Chancellor of schools Joel S. Klein, who was also present), criticizing the money being wasted on inefficient systems.

A word to the wise for Klein? The Board of Education is one board you don't want Icahn on, unless you're prepared for the public education equivalent of a corporate boardroom battle.

Liz Gunnison