Mayor Eric Adams continues push to keep New York City public schools under his control
NEW YORK -- Mayor Eric Adams has stepped up his campaign to get the Legislature to extend mayoral control of the city school system, which expires next month.
As CBS2's Marcia Kramer reported Monday, the mayor is warning of a return to the bad old days of corruption, politics, and bureaucracy if Albany fails to act.
With dozens of union members standing behind him, Adams took to the steps of City Hall to make the argument that if ever there was a good case for extending mayoral control of the city's 1,700 schools, it's now, with him as mayor and David Banks as schools chancellor.
"Two men who grew up in the public school system with two different experiences. One dealing with a learning disability; another dealing with the Gifted and Talented Program. We grew up in this system and we know what's needed," Adams said.
Mayoral control expires at the end of June and there has been concern in the Legislature that there is not enough parental involvement in educational decisions, a perception the mayor and chancellor are trying to change.
"What he's about to roll out with superintendents is listen directly to the community and allow them to participate in the choosing of superintendents," Adams said.
The pair also made the case that if mayoral control is not extended, the city schools would revert to a patronage-heavy system that led to mismanagement of funds and heavy criticism of local school boards. CBS2 has done numerous stories about school board members taking fancy trips and buying expensive gifts with money that should have been spent in the classroom.
"I remember the system the way it was and it was a system that was wrought with political corruption. It is the reason why we went to mayoral accountability," Banks said.
A spokesperson for United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew says that while the union supports mayoral control, "We also have repeatedly called for more checks and balances and greater parental voice."
The mayor said he plans to personally visit Albany to lobby for the extension. But he better hurry. Lawmakers plan to end this year's session on June 2.
