An influential pro-charter group has announced its intention to launch a significant advertising campaign in the coming weeks. The campaign aims to exert pressure on state lawmakers, urging them to maintain Mayor Eric Adams’ leadership over the New York City public school system. The group plans to invest a substantial amount in this effort, with a seven-figure ad buy expected.
StudentsFirstNY, a prominent education advocacy organization, is set to release a powerful digital and streaming ad this week. The ad aims to shed light on the pervasive corruption that plagued the old school board structure. It is worth noting that StudentsFirstNY’s former executive director successfully raised an impressive $7 million for a pro-Adams political action committee (PAC) in 2021.
In an exclusive preview obtained by POLITICO, the advertisement criticizes Albany for meddling in city schools and potentially reinstating a corrupt system that was deeply flawed. It highlights the dysfunction, chaos, and corruption that plagued the education system.
“Mayoral control of our city’s public schools must be preserved,” warns a narrator, accompanied by a compelling soundtrack and striking visuals, including a decaying apple and attention-grabbing newspaper headlines. The narrator emphasizes the detrimental consequences of losing mayoral control, highlighting the prevalence of fraud, wasteful spending, and corruption. Urging viewers not to let their children bear the brunt of these issues once again, the narrator implores them to take action by voicing their support for mayoral control to the authorities in Albany.
StudentsFirst is running an advertisement campaign to support Adams’ efforts in extending mayoral control of the city school system.
According to state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, mayoral control will not be included in the final budget.
The charter school advocacy organization, backed by influential members, has devised a comprehensive strategy to garner support. Their plans include mobilizing parents across the city, engaging in direct conversations with elected officials until the end of the state legislative session in June, and organizing a press conference in Albany to present their arguments.
“We are committed to holding our legislators accountable and ensuring that we do not revert to a system that has already proven to be ineffective,” emphasized Crystal McQueen-Taylor, executive director. “While this issue should not be a matter of politics, unfortunately, it has become one. Nonetheless, our goal is to ensure that legislators understand the importance of not returning to the outdated system.”
The New York City mayoral control of the school system has been in place since 2002, when it was established by state law during the tenure of former Mayor Mike Bloomberg. Typically, mayors are given a two to three-year period of control, subject to the whims of state legislators. The current bill is set to expire on June 30.
In a recent interview, union president Mike Mulgrew expressed his concerns about the potential consequences if the law sunsets. He emphasized that simply reverting back to the old school boards would not be an automatic outcome. Mulgrew pointed out that the same individuals who have supported the privatization of public schools are also backing these organizations. As a result, he approached the situation with a skeptical mindset.
StudentsFirst’s push has garnered support from several influential figures who have backed the concept of mayoral control. This includes well-known civic and business leaders, as well as former officials who served under Bloomberg and former Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Bloomberg schools chancellor Joel Klein, together with Walmart heir Jim Walton, generously contributed $2 million to StudentsFirstNY’s political action committee. Another notable figure is Rich Buery, the CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation, an anti-poverty organization, and the former deputy mayor responsible for introducing de Blasio’s prekindergarten program. It is worth mentioning that Buery also has prior experience as the leader of a charter network.
Jim Whelan, the president of the Real Estate Board of New York, has thrown his support behind the cause. His decision to join the fight comes following Adams’ accusation that developers have not been adequately assisting him in his efforts to maintain control over schools. Adams made these remarks during his speech at REBNY’s annual gala.
Kathy Wylde, the president and CEO of the Partnership for New York City, and Steven Rubenstein, the chair of the Association for a Better New York, are among the other endorsers.
According to Wylde, the current governance model was not easy to achieve. It involved a lengthy and challenging process. The partnership collaborated with unions, education advocates, and legislative leaders to make it happen.
In an interview, she expressed that it took several years and a significant amount of goodwill among individuals with differing perspectives to achieve this. The campaign aims to serve as a reminder to everyone about the importance of this cause and the need for unity among all individuals.
The charter sector has been actively working to influence the outcome as the potential curtailment of a mayor’s control over schools could impact their priorities, including co-locating with traditional public schools. Schools Chancellor David Banks made a last-minute trip to Albany on Tuesday in an effort to convince lawmakers to include a four-year extension in the state budget. Although Governor Kathy Hochul is in favor of the move, legislative leaders have yet to make a commitment.
Skeptical Democratic lawmakers, supported by the city teachers union, are present within their conferences. The union has been advocating for modifications to the Department of Education’s oversight panel in order to restrict Adams’ authority.
The release of a report by state education officials, which was originally scheduled for this week, has been delayed until early next week. Consequently, a final agreement will not be reached until after the report is made available.
