Mayor Mamdani’s Chancellor Kamar Samuels spent Tuesday defending mayoral control of New York City’s public schools‚ a system the mayor campaigned against but now largely supports.
During a closely watched City Council hearing, Samuels praised the system despite disagreement with some Mamdani political allies who remain against the policy as it exists today. The dynamic may be put to the test this spring as state lawmakers weigh an extension of mayoral control.
“One person is great if that person is very good,” said Jumaane Williams, the city’s public advocate. “If that person is not, it is a high risk and high reward.”
“This is not about any one mayor, one chancellor. I’m excited to see what the chancellor is going to do, and obviously I’m excited about this mayor. But it’s a longstanding criticism of the way the systems are set up.”
Under mayoral control, the mayor appoints a chancellor and the majority of members to a citywide education panel. Most school districts across the country are governed by elected school boards.
The United Federation of Teachers, which endorsed Mamdani in the general election, also separated the current mayor from the long-term policy, which he said was in need of more checks and balances.
“It’s not about any one person,” said Michael Mulgrew, president of the teachers union. “It’s not. It’s just a bad policy. It’s a bad policy.”
“We don’t want another Band-Aid or political fig leaf coming out of Albany.”
While the City Council does not have direct say over school governance, Mamdani is expected to travel to Albany on Wednesday to ask the Legislature for money and approval for key programs, such as mayoral control — a ritual known as “Tin Cup Day.”
Gerardo Romo / NYC Council Media Unit
UFT President Michael Mulgrew testifies at a City Council budget hearing on Dec. 11, 2023. (Gerardo Romo / NYC Council Media Unit)
During Tuesday’s Council hearing, Samuels tried to strike a balance between defending mayoral control while also acknowledging a need to “do better.” The first stop of the chancellor’s five-borough tour is scheduled for Tuesday night to hear from students, parents and teachers on Staten Island, including feedback on the policy.
“I am keenly aware that there is still much more to do,” Samuels said. “We can talk about improvements all day, but if families are not feeling these improvements, if they’re not feeling involved in decision-making, then we need to do better.”
Most recently, state lawmakers have tweaked mayoral control by adding members elected by parent leaders to the city’s Panel for Educational Policy, which votes on large contracts, systemwide policies, and school closures and mergers. That’s led to “some significant changes on how the PEP operates,” the chancellor said.
“Over the last several years, we’ve seen some significant changes on how the PEP operates. The PEP now is a bigger body. It’s up to 23,” Samuels said. “That is something that I believe is making the PEP a more deliberative body — and a stronger body.”
The state also made it harder for mayors to remove panel members without “good cause” before their terms have expired, which in practice means that some of Mamdani’s representatives were appointed by Mayor Adams.
“As we’re experiencing now, the terms will be served out no matter who the mayor is,” Samuels said. “So you have folks on the PEP now who are [Adams’] mayoral appointees. We can’t now remove them just because you have a new mayor. They’ll serve out their term.”
The Daily News reported Monday that PEP member Joe Borelli, Adams’ eleventh-hour appointee and a Republican, sparked controversy over his use of the word “retarded” to describe a Democrat’s response to Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show. Borelli has since apologized and deleted the social media post.
The mom of a son with a disability said she could not support mayoral control, pointing to Borelli’s post as one of her reasons why.
“Recently, an appointee to the PEP, Mr. Joseph Borelli, used the word ‘retarded’ in his posting. Obviously he felt very comfortable using it, and obviously he felt that it wouldn’t be an insult,” said Ellen McHugh, a special education advocate who became visibly emotional.
She said she didn’t see how the current system could support students with developmental disabilities: “I don’t see how he as an individual on the PEP, making decisions that will affect them, can be considered either — I suppose I shouldn’t say this — worthwhile or honest.”
