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In what may be a first for a big-city teachers union, the United Federation of Teachers is requiring New York City mayoral candidates to spend a day teaching to be considered for an endorsement.
“We want our mayor to actually have an understanding of what the school is trying to accomplish every day and what the challenges are,” union President Michael Mulgrew said. “That is the best way for them to make decisions.”
Mayoral candidates in the nation’s largest school district would have to spend at least seven periods in a school assisting teachers with lessons and classroom management. Mulgrew said candidates will also visit classrooms with special education students and English learners.
The union has invited mayoral candidates to classrooms before, but this is the first time it has been mandatory.
Invitations were sent out March 7. City Comptroller Brad Lander, former Assembly Member Michael Blake, Assembly member Zohran Mamdani, state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, state Sen. Jessica Ramos, former city Comptroller Scott Stringer, Teach for America founder Whitney Tilson and Curtis Sliwa told The 74 they are willing to participate. All are Democrats except for Sliwa, who is running as a Republican. Democratic City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams will also participate, according to Chalkbeat New York.
Mayor Eric Adams, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, both Democrats, and Independent Jim Walden did not respond to a request for comment.
UFT represents nearly 200,000 members, including teachers, paraprofessionals and counselors. In previous elections its endorsement has been highly sought after, partly due to the union’s size and because a large percentage of members vote, Mulgrew said.
A spokesman for the American Federation of Teachers, which used a similar endorsement tactic in the 2020 presidential election, said it is not aware of any other local union requiring candidates to spend a full day in a school. An online search found no large city union making this an endorsement requirement.
Several candidates have public school ties. Myrie is the son of a special education teacher and UFT member. Lander is the son of a guidance counselor.
The union will work with the New York State Education Department to schedule school visits in April.
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