July 27, 2005

Citing long-running frustration with the Department of Education, many of the most prominent members of the city's Community Education Councils, which were created last year to give parents a voice in running the schools, are refusing to file financial disclosure forms and say they expect to be forced out of their positions by Saturday. ''The parents haven't failed; the D.O.E. has failed their state mandate,'' said Carmen Colon, the president of the District 13 council and a founder and president of the citywide coalition of councils. ''Very little can be done to be as effective as we need to be for the children of this city. We will find other avenues to be effective.''

A Hall of Famer and a champion, a certified winner at every level, Larry Brown appears ready to add one more title to his considerable résumé: franchise savior. It could be the most daunting role he has accepted in a coaching career spanning three decades.

Manohla Dargis Critic's Notebook column, in light of opening of New York Video Festival, which has been renamed Scanners, on debate, now moot, over celluloid film versus high-definition video; notes professional critics rarely note in reviews whether movie was shot on film or on video and people do not care about format; photos (M)

Article on Chinese filmmaker Dai Sijie, who turned to writing fiction because his movie career was faltering; he has returned to directing movies as result of worldwide success of his first novel, Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, movie version of which is about to open in New York; photos (M)

Rep Christopher Cox, nominee to head Securities and Exchange Commission, pledges at his confirmation hearing that he will not undo regulations recently adopted by commission, but will rather 'build upon them'; tries to demonstrate that, contrary to assertions of his critics, he is not in pocket of special interests; lawmakers say full Senate is all but certain to approve Cox's nomination; photo (M)