Sarah Jessica Sending Son to Public School

By Caroline Howard

06/09/2004 at 03:00 PM EDT

One day she's the toast of the fashion world, and the next – she's holding a tag sale.

Sarah Jessica Parker, who was Monday's night's high-profile Fashion Designers of America fashion icon award winner, turned out on Tuesday in a new role: chairwoman of a just-launched initiative to raise money for New York City public schools.

She also espoused the benefits of public education, saying that she and husband Matthew Broderick plan to send their 1 1/2-year-old son, James Wilkie, to public school.

"There is nothing more important or valuable or smart than in helping New York City public schools and, in turn, our children. I want very much to send my son to public school," she said.

Calling herself "a product of a public-school education," Parker said, "I'd like to believe they're every bit as good as educating our children as any private school."

And to help them out, the new fund-raising initiative will include a tag sale.

"I think this is a completely marvelous idea, and it suits this city perfectly," said Parker, 39, dressed in a bright turquoise print sun dress and a necklace of four strands of large turquoise beads.

The former Carrie Bradshaw of Sex and the City was joined for the announcement of the new initiative, called "Get Organized New York," by chief of the Fund for Public Schools Caroline Kennedy, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and city school chancellor Joel Klein, among others.

"I am donating a number of items, including some pieces of Carrie's wardrobe, which I think are more valuable than my own," said Parker, who also plans to unload some of her Jimmy Choo pumps.

"I'll be scrupulously combing through my closet ... for something that I think anybody might want to spend 10 cents to a dollar to $10. I'll give whatever anyone wants. But not the Carrie necklace," she declared, referring to the popular gold necklace bearing her character's name.

The event kicks off with a benefit auction Oct. 13, and the tag sale will run from Oct. 15-17.