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More nominees sought for NYC school council after culture war controversies
By
Jessica Gould
Published Jan 13, 2025
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Jessica Gould
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Jessica Gould
Published Jan 13, 2025
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New York City’s education department is urging people to run for 430 open seats on public school boards that have recently become sites for culture war-related conflicts.
The city’s community education councils are mostly advisory, with some authority over determining school zones. But like school boards across the country, some councils have become mired in controversy after members took stances on trans kids in sports and Israel's war in Gaza.
Monday is the first day to apply to run for the councils.
“We want our families to bring new perspectives and innovations to our schools, so if you've never held a parent leadership role before, now is a great time to start,” Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos said last week.
Two members, Tajh Sutton from Brooklyn and Maud Maron from Manhattan, were removed from their seats last year. Sutton was removed from the council in Brooklyn’s District 14 after parents accused her of blocking them from meetings over their pro-Israel views, which she denied. Maron was removed from the council for Manhattan’s District 2 for what officials called “derogatory and offensive comments” she made to the New York Post about the anonymous author of a Stuyvesant High School newspaper op-ed that criticized Israel.
Maron, a lawyer, defended her comments, sued successfully to return to the council and is now running to unseat Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
City Comptroller Brad Lander has also called on the city’s education department to improve the election process following complaints from some parents that rules barring political endorsements weren’t applied fairly. He has called for clearer rules, and more outreach to increase participation in the elections.
According to Chalkbeat, only 2% of public school parents voted in community education council elections. Candidates endorsed by a group called Parent Leaders for Accelerated Curriculum and Education, or PLACE, won 40% of seats.
PLACE says its mission is to support academic rigor and screened admissions, notably use of the SHSAT standardized exam, but members have also weighed in on LGBTQ issues. Maron, a cofounder of PLACE, introduced a resolution last year calling on the education department to reconsider its policy of allowing students to play sports on teams that align with their gender identity, prompting months of protests. Education officials have said they are not revisiting the policy.
Aviles-Ramos told reporters that the education department would be working with community education councils to ensure “productive conversations.”
“It’s OK to disagree, but how do we disagree and still move an agenda forward?” she said.
Officials also promised to ensure that the election is carried out fairly.
Tagged
new york city
education
Jessica Gould
Jessica is the education reporter for WNYC and Gothamist. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Jessica reported on the shutdown and reopening of the nation’s largest school system, highlighting the unprecedented impacts on learning, health and mental health for students, staff and families. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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