I am reposting this because the 10:00 am post was incomplete. That happens. My error.
Leonie Haimson, leader of Class Size Matters, reviews the NYC mayoral race. Last weekend, Mayor Eric Adams dropped out of the race (he was polling under 10%). Time will tell if Trump gives him an ambassadorship, which was dangled as an inducement to Adams to leave the race. Trump wants Cuomo to beat Mamdani, who is a progressive and a democratic Socialist. The top plutocrats in NYC have gotten behind Cuomo because they fear Mamdani.
Mamdani is a dynamic young socialist who frightens the 1%. He has made many bold promises but is unlikely to be able to implement higher taxes on the richest New Yorkers or free bus rides. Most of the big decisions are made in the State Capitol, not City Hall.
Mamdani is no admirer of mayoral control or closing schools or charter schools. He wants a better public school system.
There is going to be a mayoral election in a little more than a month. Since Eric Adams pulled out today, there are now three major candidates.
Andrew Cuomo, running as an Independent, has an education agenda focused on renewing Mayoral control, closing low-performing schools, expanding charter schools and gifted programs, and refusing to lower class size unless the state provides more funding specifically to implement the class size law. Here is a Power Point with more details on his positions on these and other education issues.
Curtis Sliwa, the Republican in the race, also wants to continue Mayoral control and expand charters, while continuing to co-locate charter schools in public school buildings. His website education page doesn’t mention class size.
The proposals of both men are extremely reminiscent of the education policies during the twelve years of the Bloomberg administration.
On many of these issues, they are diametrically opposed to Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee, who wants to amend Mayoral control to allow for more parent and community input, lower class size, and keep the number of charter schools as is, while auditing their practices to ensure more accountability. Here are his detailed responses on these and other education issues on the NYC Kids PAC survey.
Last Thursday, Cuomo answered questions via Zoom from NYC PLACE parent leaders, whose positions on most of these questions are aligned with his. There is a YouTube video of this forum here.
During the session, he seemed most passionate about the need to retain Mayoral control as is, several time saying it is “essential” and that “rolling back mayoral control is absurd”. He argued the union is the biggest opponent to continuing the system unchanged, and he would need parents fighting with him to ensure that there are no governance changes when this comes to a vote in Albany.
While expressing support to fund all the programs that PLACE supports, including more gifted programs and selective schools, he was insistent that he strongly opposes lowering class size, unless the state specifically provides more funding for that purpose.
No mention was made of the fact that the state is providing nearly $2 billion per year in additional Foundation Aid annually in part for this purpose, as a result of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity lawsuit, or that Cuomo himself refused to fund the CFE settlement and for years denied NYC schools full funding while he was Governor.
Though Alex Zimmerman of Chalkbeat reported that during the session Cuomo asserted that he would not cap enrollment at lower levels at “desirable” schools to reduce class size as a page on his website says — a special priority of PLACE — his answer to this question during the forum was actually somewhat different.
He repeated that he would exempt all schools from having to lower class size unless the city received more funding for that purpose and didn’t make any distinction for so-called “desirable” schools. Even after being pressed on this matter, he said, “Either they have to give you the money or they have to give you an exemption.”
Cuomo also said he would expand the police force and the number of School Safety Agents in schools. Strangely, he wrongly claimed School Safety Agents were currently under the control of DOE rather than police.
Perhaps the biggest news from the night was that he said he would consult with PLACE leaders before selecting a new Chancellor. For those who would rather not watch the entire video, a transcript of his remarks is here.
Leonie Haimson
Executive Director
phone: 917-435-9329
http://www.classsizematters.org/
Follow on twitter @leoniehaimson
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Dismal election.
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Really looking forward to voting for Mamdani and I think it’s possible, however unlikely, that he may be able to avoid being kneecapped by the NYT and the rest of the cowardly Trump-enabling NY establishment media, because even 4 years later, those news organizations are becoming more and more irrelevant among New York City residents. (Unfortunately, the NYT’s malignant influence nationally is still far too strong).
The election has 2 dismal candidates and one who could make a difference for all NYC residents, not just the favored ones.
I have watched Mamdani interviews and he is excellent and smart enough to pick good people to work in the administration like the ones who got the most massive universal pre-k program in the entire USA off the ground in one year and the ones who knew that ending stop and frisk was important and good.
Cuomo will simply appoint NYT-beloved naysayers – the ones who think the pablum Ezra Klein spews is a brilliant new idea (instead of exactly what the Dems have been doing since Carter). Cuomo will appoint the same putzes who informed us that universal pr-k and ending stopping frisk would ruin all of NYC.
Mamdani could be the best thing to happen to NYC.
And it mystifies why anyone who sees that NYC survived 4 years of Eric Adams would be afraid of Mamdani. I believe the 8 years of de Blasio were the best 8 years of any Mayoral administration since I lived here – which I sadly realize is now over 40 years. But even the most rabid de Blasio haters, of which there are many, have to admit that NYC didn’t go down the tubes during those 8 years (if anything, it got so expensive and unaffordable because so many people wanted to live here).
I find it hard to believe that anyone who knows that Trump is an unfit narcissist who spews nothing but bile, nonsense, and his authoritarian dreams would prefer one of the unfit leaders – Cuomo or the guy who still dresses as if he is a guardian angel – over a smart and thoughtful man who has the potential to make this city even better than it is.
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Well said. Wealthy New York will pay for an avalanche of ads misrepresenting Mamdani and his policies. I hope voters won’t be swayed by the smear campaign.
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For the “irrelevancy” of NYT, compare their editorial on the fed govtl shutdown to WaPo’s (both dated today 10/1). They are diametrically opposite.
I do not understand why you suggest Ezra Klein convo’s/ op-eds are anything remotely similar to “what Dems have been doing since Carter.”
All that aside, obviously (to me at least), Mamdani is so superior to yesteryear loser Andrew Cuomo. (Sliwa seems a dark horse who is not really in contention [?]) Mamdani has hit on the issues New Yorkers are concerned with, and hasn’t the baggage suggesting he will be another loser/ kisser-up to the usual deep-pockets lobbyists. Strike while the iron is hot. New Yorkers seem ready to try something completely different.
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What does it matter what a newspaper has in their “opinion” section? Editorials?? Does anyone care that the WSJ writes far right editorials every day? What matters is their NEWS coverage – because when something is presented in the WSJ as news and not opinion, it makes a difference.
The NYT is the opposite of the WSJ. Their editorials are obviously more liberal than the WSJ – except that the NYT also feature a lot of right wing voices in their editorial section, too.
But their news coverage is all about giving the right wing narrative legitimacy, regardless of whether there is any legitimacy to it!
From NYT “On Politics” newsletter written by absolutely fair and balanced NEWS reporter Jess Bidgood:
The Be-Careful-What-You-Wish-For Shutdown
…”Now that President Trump has a shutdown instigated by Democrats on his hands, his approach could be summed up this way: Be careful what you wish for.”
Remember, this is a FACT – not an opinion – and those NYT-certified “facts” infect all their political reporting.
Biden’s cognitive decline harmed him because the NYT made sure the narrative that Biden was too dementia-ridden to run the country was in every single NEWS story about him for a month. Did Biden make a speech? Did he meet with a foreign leader? The framing of whatever was reported was infected by the larger narrative: Was Biden showing cognitive impairment or not?
Contrast with Trump, who shows cognitive impairment in every public appearance, and no doubt someone mentioned that in a NYT editorial or opinion piece. Meanwhile, every story about Trump in the NYT covers what Trump wants to do and whatever the NYT reporters can find in his words that fits their narrative of Trump as authentic and strong.
If you keep reading Jess Bidgood’s article, you can find out exactly what strong, masterful Trump’s plans are. Even if you don’t agree, the NYT presents them as coming from a strong, determined President whose cognitive ability is never in doubt.
Every story about the Dems is about them being in disarray. Being weak.
Imagine a NYT reporter saying to a Republican leader: YOU have the majority of all 3 branches of government and the Supreme Court. Why are you blaming Dems? Is it because you know your voters would blame only Republicans for the cuts you are demanding that the Dems sign onto?
(Republicans could end the filibuster on this just like they voted for end the filibuster for every other issue that was important to them. Trump may yet make them to it to pass this.)
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Time to put Cuomo out to pasture.
BTW got the notice that Diane’s memoir is in the ‘pipeline” -soon to arrive. Something to look forward to. Going to save it for my birthday in about a month.
And, October arrrives, in a few hours. The leaves up here in the Catskills are already nearing peak.
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What a great birthday gift! Great, interesting writing for one of the greatest and most interesting of writers. I always love your posts, John!
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I would love to see the Catskills in fall. They are certainly pretty in late summer
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John, have you ever been to the Shakespeare outside at The Mount, Edith Wharton’s old home in Lenox, MA? Not far from you. What a treat?
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We’re on the other side of the Catskills, out towards the Pennsylvania border.
But I’ve spent many a ride cruising up the Taconic Parkway north of NYC with the Catkskills to the left, headed toward the Berkshires. Thanks for the recommendation, Bob. Looking at the map, I can see the spot you mention is not far off my usual route along the Mass. Turnpike. A good place for a stop.
When I was a kid taking a ride out to the Berkshires seemed like going across country to Ohio. It was probably two hours from us. We’d even pack a picnic lunch to drive just 20 miles to an amusement park -now long gone. Of course, this was all pre-fast food and when the interstate highway system was still a novelty.
Thanks for the trip down amnesia lane. A nice pit stop, so to speak. I got up early to work on my Democratic town committee organizing.
I spent a beautiful afternoon yesterday sitting out on a deck under the fall leaves getting a crash course: “NYS Campaign Finance 101” Thank God I’ve had some great mentors these past months, many who remind me of you and Diane.
Anyway, Bob, thanks for your vote of confidence. Hope you enjoy this first October day.
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“down amnesia lane”
rolling on floor laughing
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Today’s Robert Reich on Substack. https://robertreich.substack.com/p/what-the-democrats-need-least-a-new
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thanks. Interesting oped
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What Democrats need to do is to start educating the American people. My kids had gerbils who were smarter and better informed.
For example, Dems need to educate people about the actual effects of undocumented immigration on American workers and on the economy. The level of ignorance on this subject, even among professional journalists, is breathtaking. It verges on Trump-level ignorance. For another, they need to educate people about who actually pays the tariffs that we place on foreign goods.
They can only be fooled by the morons who conducted the successful coup to take over the Republican Party because they are so freaking ignorant.
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Bob ShepherdThat was your job Bob. I changed my major after Ed 101. There is a huge difference between what is good for the American people on aggregate and what is good for individuals and groups of workers… .
The most widely taught definition of Politics, taught to me in an intro level Foriegn Affairs course in 1972 and my son 30+ years later in Econ 101.
“Politics: Who Decides Who Gets What When and How” Laswell 1936
Try being me telling NYC Union Electricians many unemployed for 30-40 weeks a year for over a decade. That the Luxury Towers they see going up with large numbers of undocumented workers is not the cause. Try telling the 3-5 million workers many in the Mid West who lost their Job, or the 12-15 million in those devastated Communities who saw a total economic collapse that the freighter bringing in goods and parts was not the reason.
Our immigration policy could have been humane giving those desperate for refuge a fair hearing and protected American and immigrant workers at the same time. With higher Labor Standards by among other things making it easier to organize.
There was never “Free Trade” tariffs were never very high. Our trade agreements were negotiated to allow American Corporations to exploit cheaper foriegn Labor while protecting their investments over seas from changes in Host government Policy . Instead of standards for “Intellectual Property Rights” the standard could have been Labor Rights and environmental standards .
Reich would tell you there would not be so much anger if; those workers who were displaced had Universal Healthcare, Enhance Social Security , Free or low cost Public College education for their Children, Income maintenance and training for the New Economy . Of Course then we would be Denmark
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