New York City Schools' embattled Chancellor David Banks plans to step down from his position in the coming weeks, the Post reports, months earlier than previously planned.
Banks announced his retirement from his top post at the Department of Education on September 25, just weeks after federal authorities raided the home he shares with Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright.
“Over the past few days, it has become clear to the mayor and his team that New York City Schools at the time was best led by Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos,” a person familiar with the decision said Wednesday.
“This is not the prime minister's decision,” the official said, adding that it was the mayor's decision.
A City Hall spokesperson announced that Aviles-Ramos will take office on October 16th.
“President Aviles-Ramos is a lifelong educator and public school veteran whose talent, experience and compassion will help guide our school system through its next chapter,” the spokesperson said.
“We appreciate Chancellor Banks’ contributions to our city and nearly 1 million public school children.”
Mr. Banks' early send-off came after sources told the Post that Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has the power to remove Mr. Adams, told Mr. Hizzoner that he needed to clean house.
It is unclear whether the outgoing school principal was among the officials Hochul alluded to.
Mr. Adams was indicted last week by the Manhattan U.S. Attorney's Office on charges of bribery and a straw donation scheme.
Mr. Banks had originally planned to retire at the end of the calendar year, but in his resignation letter to Mr. Adams last week, he claimed that he intended to leave around that time “after confirming that the academic year has gotten off to a good start.” was.
The educator is the most recent top Adams administration official to resign.
Earlier this week, controversial aide Tim Pearson informed Adams that he would be resigning from his role at the end of this Friday.
Banks and Wright's cellphones were seized by federal authorities during a major raid on Sept. 4 that targeted multiple city leaders.
After the raid, Banks insisted he was not a target of the escalating investigation.
Investigators also seized the cellphones of Banks' brother, Terrence Banks, a former MTA employee turned consultant, and another brother, Phillip Banks, Adams' deputy mayor for public safety.
The Banks brothers are longtime friends of Adams, who worked with their father in the New York City Police Department.
Mr. Banks' early departure came after he married Mr. Wright on Martha's Vineyard on Saturday, asserting legal “spousal privilege” – the right of married couples to refuse to testify against each other. There are whispers that the two may have gotten married.
But Banks said he and his new wife had been “planning to get married for some time” and that the wedding was prompted by “both of my parents being elderly and having health issues.” .
“We made the right decision to do it. Any other proposal is ridiculous on its face,” he said.
