NYC Chancellor Samuels Praises Parent Leaders After Town Hall Jeers
Parents on the Citywide Council on High Schools told the education chief their communities were missing from last week's contentious integration forum.
By Carmen Wojcik ·
New York City Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels received praise from a group of volunteer parents on Monday, less than a week after being booed by integration advocates at a town hall meeting. The parents, who serve on the Citywide Council on High Schools, told Samuels that many families supporting selective admissions felt their voices were absent from the previous week's event.
Linda Quarles, a council member, told Samuels that she was shocked when the audience booed him for defending parent choice. She noted that fellow parents, particularly those who support selective admissions, asked her to pass along their thanks. Quarles emphasized that specific communities were not represented at the forum, and their families wanted the chancellor to know they were still engaged.
Deborah Alexander, another panel member, cited city surveys indicating that more than 40% of families who left the public school system did so because they wanted more rigorous academic instruction. This data supports the argument held by many council members that students deserve access to the rigorous programs provided by screened schools.
The debate over selective admissions has become a central issue in city education. Integration advocates seek to reduce or eliminate these screening processes, arguing that current policies result in schools that are disproportionately white, Asian, and affluent. Opponents of integration argue that high-achieving students should be rewarded for their effort and that integration should not reduce opportunities for the sharpest students.
Samuels has stated that he does not personally favor selective admissions screens but wants to remain responsive to community input. He is currently launching education working groups across the city to develop policies. At the Monday meeting, he defended his participation in the town hall where he faced criticism.
Samuels told the parents that anyone should be able to ask questions about the issues they prioritize. He stated that he has always committed to ensuring parent voice drives the education system. While he personally supports reducing selective admissions, he said policies must be driven by communities. He noted that he does not always agree with what parents are saying, but he believes it is critical to hear their voices.
The differing reactions to Samuels highlight the polarizing nature of the integration debate. Nikole Hannah-Jones, a journalist and integration advocate, recently published a personal article about her daughter's experience in public schools. She has described selective admissions as tools of segregation. Last week, she questioned Samuels about the Mamdani administration's plans, and crowd members jeered when he said he was committed to working with communities rather than offering specific policy details.
Former Schools Chancellor David Banks has also become a vocal supporter of improving diversity in specialized high schools. Banks said he wanted to change admissions at five of the city's eight specialized schools during his tenure but was told no by then-Mayor Eric Adams. Banks stated that Adams believed Black and Hispanic communities might get upset but would not take major action, while the Asian community was well organized on the issue.
Adams did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Banks acknowledged last month that promoting integration was not a priority during his time in office, noting he favored boosting academics across the board, such as overhauling literacy instruction. He said last spring's admissions numbers should motivate Black and Latino communities to activate on the issue.
Last spring, only three Black students scored high enough on the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test to get into Stuyvesant High School. Black and Latino students made up roughly 10% of offers to elite high schools, while Asian American students received 56.5% of offers and white students received 23.5%. When these numbers were released in July, Mayor Zohran Mamdani called for improvements to elementary and middle schools to increase the pipeline of strong applicants.
Mamdani, a graduate of Bronx High School of Science, stated that a single test does not reflect the aptitude of students across the city. He emphasized that Black and Latino students are excelling across the five boroughs and that the city must ensure it is delivering for those students at the earliest ages.
