Recent reports indicate that NYC mayoral candidates may be breaking established rules that ban the use of school visits for political purposes, all for approval “stunts” orchestrated by the influential teachers’ union.
With the endorsement of school chancellor Melissa Aviles Ramos, the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) announced in March a requirement for candidates to spend a day teaching in NYC public schools to get their backing.
“To gain UFT support, you’ll need to spend at least seven periods in public school classrooms, assisting teachers and paraprofessionals with lessons and whatever else they need to engage students,” they stated.
The UFT decided which schools would host the candidates for this teaching day, ensuring that union staff could be present where needed. Aviles-Ramos approved this plan, while the media was kept at bay.
Confirmed reports show that at least four candidates—former governor Andrew Cuomo, state Senator Jessica Ramos, director Brad Lander, and former director Scott Stringer—took part last month.
Lander mentioned he taught third graders and judged a mock “shark” competition at PS 96 in East Harlem. Meanwhile, Ramos worked with students at PS 224 to help prepare them for the state math exam and discussed the teacher’s frequent absences.
Stringer, at PS/IS Sunset Park, assisted English learners with math tasks.
Some candidates have expressed skepticism about this new requirement. For example, independent candidate Jim Walden has voiced concerns regarding the political implications of using schools in this way. “I believe I’m the ideal candidate to advocate for dedicated public school teachers, but the UFT’s procedure for attaining their support is problematic,” he remarked.
He referenced the city’s Rule D-130, which prohibits using public schools for political advantage, and asserted that he would not seek UFT’s backing if they enforced this requirement.
Brooklyn College law professor David Bloomfield emphasized that candidates need to be cautious when agreeing to such arrangements, suggesting the situation violates multiple guidelines.
Investor Whitney Tilson, pursuing a Democratic nomination, indicated he’d teach at a school but hasn’t sought UFT support. Republican Curtis Swawawa also mentioned intent to participate, though specifics remain uncertain.
The Department of Education acknowledged that schools shouldn’t be used as a platform for political endorsement but stated there could be acceptable terms for candidates’ visits—details of which were not disclosed.
UFT leaders defended their actions, arguing that this initiative allows prospective mayors to truly understand the classroom environment. However, some educators, like veteran teacher Arthur Goldstein, criticized the approach. “I don’t evaluate mayors based on their teaching skills. One day in a classroom doesn’t encompass the full reality of teaching,” he asserted.
