Investigation Uncovers Improper Contract by NYC Schools Superintendent

New York City Schools Superintendent Comer Samuels allegedly signed an improper no-bid contract worth $180,000 with a vendor not approved by the Department of Education (DOE) while serving as the head of the Upper West Side School District. This discovery follows a report from the Special Commissioner of Inquiry into City Schools, which seems to leave Samuels unscathed, while former Ward 3 deputy Mariela Graham has been removed from her position.

The independent watchdog’s investigation revealed that Graham and Shawn Kreiling, a vendor providing temporary foreign language teachers to city schools, “conspired” to bypass the DOE’s procurement procedures. It’s interesting that Samuels isn’t mentioned at all in the report, raising some eyebrows as to whether that was intentional.

The Post gained access to emails between Samuels, Graham, and Kreiling, alongside the contract Samuels signed. It appears that Samuels established a contract for the upcoming school year while splitting payments between two of Kreiling’s companies, likely to avoid city financial oversight.

On September 5, 2023, Samuels seemingly acknowledged in an email to Kreiling that his company wouldn’t be able to exceed a $25,000 limit, subsequently keeping the total under scrutiny.

The contract, which surpasses $25,000, was meant to attract bids from three different contractors and undergo checks from the city auditor. By keeping payments lower, the contract caught the city’s attention.

In January 2025, a complaint involving Kreiling about temporary teachers was submitted to SCI. This prompted investigations that unearthed a contract signed by Graham for the following school year, which involved a teacher previously forced to resign due to sexual misconduct allegations.

Graham faced criticism for approving the original contract and the subsequent renewal, which she signed for another $180,000. Despite calls for her firing, she was merely suspended for two weeks without pay.

Surprisingly, after this incident, Samuels, appointed by Mayor Mamdani, later gave Graham a high-paying role as senior executive director of strategy at Tweed Corp., offering her a salary of $225,571 yearly.

In an exclusive interview, Kreiling defended his actions, claiming ignorance of the procurement rules. He insisted he relied on Samuels and Graham for guidance through the contracting process and expressed disbelief that Samuels was not named in the report. He suggested that this omission indicated a cover-up, implying that Samuels was perhaps manipulating the situation for future ambitions.

Daniel Schlache, SCI’s First Deputy Director, refuted any claims of a cover-up, stating that the investigation remained focused on the most recent contract involving the troubled teacher. He maintained that there was no evidence that SCI was trying to shield Samuels from scrutiny.

Both contracts with Kreiling’s Language Learning Network required a substantial down payment and structured payments. Reports indicate that the payments were divided intentionally to keep them under the scrutiny threshold set by the DOE.

During the investigation, it was noted that many individuals likely played roles in this contract, with no one person having the authority to sign it alone. Kreiling suggested his services were needed due to a shortage of qualified language teachers who could secure a grant.

In March 2025, Samuels terminated the second contract signed by Graham before it was fully paid, leading Kreiling to consider legal action for the outstanding amount. There are questions surrounding how grant funds were allocated, especially since payments weren’t fulfilled as expected.

The SCI report highlighted ongoing procurement issues, noting that previous violations led to considerable financial losses for the DOE, totaling $386 million last year. This revelation prompted calls from various officials for a thorough review of DOE’s procurement practices.

Graham told investigators that the district had prior dealings with Kreiling when she took her position but claimed ignorance regarding who signed the original contract. She also admitted understanding that her actions may have violated DOE rules, asserting that the arrangement was largely her idea.

City Council member Phil Wong deemed the findings troubling and urged immediate investigations. He emphasized the necessity for an independent audit of DOE contracting practices to restore public confidence and ensure resources are utilized appropriately.