Mayor Adams’ Priorities Are Misaligned – New York’s Children Deserve Better

NEW YORK, N.Y. (December 4, 2024) – In response to New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ recent comments aligning himself with billionaires like Elon Musk, public education advocacy organization the Alliance for Quality Education released the following statement:

“As Mayor Adams flaunts his Bitcoin wealth and aligns himself with billionaires like Elon Musk, he continues to neglect the very system he’s responsible for—the public schools of New York City. Despite his rhetoric, Adams has failed to act decisively to fix a system that he himself acknowledges is failing low-income, Black and brown children. Entering the fourth year of his administration, his track record speaks volumes: funding cuts and the gutting of programs that benefit the children who need them most. Instead of taking meaningful action as mayor, Adams seems more focused on advancing his own interests, leaving behind the children who rely on him.

“Worse yet, Adams’ push to roll back New York City’s sanctuary city policies is putting thousands of vulnerable children—many of whom are in public schools—at risk. By undermining these protections, he jeopardizes their safety, access to education, and basic rights. Instead of standing up for our children and urging state leaders to ensure their safety and well-being, Adams has chosen to perpetuate harmful rhetoric. His actions betray the values of compassion and justice that New York City has long stood for.

“The people of New York, both in the city and across the state, deserve leadership that prioritizes the future of our children. This means funding public schools equitably, protecting every child—regardless of race, income, or immigration status—and ensuring that all have access to a quality education.

“It is time to put justice over self interest, people over profit, and action over excuses. The mayor must lead with a commitment to the people. New York’s children, especially those most vulnerable, deserve better,” said Marina Marcou-O’Malley and Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari, Co-Executive Directors, Alliance for Quality Education.