New York City Schools Chancellor announces retirement weeks after feds raided his home

WCBS

By Jesse Zanger

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    NEW YORK CITY (WCBS) — New York City Schools Chancellor David Banks is retiring.

Officials insisted his decision was made before federal agents raided his home and seized his phones, and that of his partner, First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, on Sept. 4.

Banks’ retirement will take effect on Dec. 31.

Sources tell CBS News New York’s Marcia Kramer one of Banks’ top deputies, Melissa Aviles-Ramos, is expected to be named the next chancellor on Wednesday. It’s unclear if she will serve on an interim or permanent basis.

Banks, 62, the head of the largest school system in the country, is just the latest top leader of Mayor Eric Adams’ administration to announce their departure. It came just one day after Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan announced his resignation for personal and family reasons.

In his resignation letter, Banks said he told Adams earlier this year that he planned to retire by the end of the year.

As he returned home Tuesday night, he teased a possible news conference for Wednesday.

“You’re gonna hear everything that’s going on tomorrow,” Banks said.

“I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished during my tenure and the opportunity to work alongside such dedicated professionals to shape the future of education in our great city is one that I will always cherish. We have faced many challenges and made significant strides in improving the educational landscape for our students, families and educators,” Banks wrote. “Together we laid the groundwork to ensure every child can read, expanded special education services and gifted & talented programs, improved school food, welcomed over 45,000 migrant students and, through a series of innovative partnerships ensured that all students will graduate on a pathway to a rewarding career and long-term economic security, equipped to be a positive force for change.”

“Serving as Chancellor has been a profound honor and a deeply fulfilling experience. Thank you for the opportunity to serve, and for your support throughout my tenure. Please know that I will do everything possible to ensure a smooth transition. I am confident that NYC Public Schools will continue to grow, innovate and excel under the next Chancellor,” he added.

“I am immensely grateful and proud of the work accomplished in New York City Public Schools under Chancellor David Banks. In less than three years, our city’s public schools have transformed — from ensuring schools were safe and open coming out of the pandemic to a space that has increased our students’ reading scores, math scores, and graduation rates,” Adams said. “We’ve implemented critical initiatives like ‘NYC Reads,’ ‘NYC Solves,’ and universal dyslexia screenings, while also ensuring a seamless and timely coordination with partners to welcome, enroll, and support thousands of newly-arriving students and their families on a citywide scale. We’ve done all this and more on behalf of nearly 1 million public school students, and Chancellor Banks was crucial to getting that done every day. On behalf of all New Yorkers, we thank Chancellor Banks for his service, and wish him well in his retirement at the end of the calendar year.”

During a recent appearance on “The Point with Marcia Kramer,” Banks talked about the raid, explaining what he would tell parents, teachers and students.

“In life, you may have challenges, but always hold your head high,” he said. “Live you life and walk with integrity… I’ve always done that, and I would encourage all our kids, all of our teachers, and anyone else to do the same.”

Banks did not cite the ongoing federal investigations into the Adams administration in his departure letter. But the home he shared with Wright was raided by federal authorities earlier this month.

Last week, Adams’ chief counsel Lisa Zornberg suddenly quit. She said she couldn’t do her job effectively amid the probe.

Days earlier, former NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban resigned after federal agents raided his home. And Interim NYPD Commissioner Tom Donlon, who took over the department after Caban, said federal agents raided his home, saying they were searching for documents that were in his possession for over 20 years and were unrelated to his work as police commissioner.

Laura Kavanagh, the FDNY’s first female commissioner, announced her departure in July.

Kramer asked Adams how he would fill all the posts.

“City government is a deep bench, and we have a reservoir of talent in this city. We are not going to have a problem filling any of these positions. People want to be in city government,” Adams said.

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