Latest news with #JimOwlesLiberalDemocraticClub
New York Post
12 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
NYC socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani a fan of abolishing SHSAT
Socialist NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani once pushed to abolish the city's admissions test for Gotham's elite public high schools because he thought it was racist, The Post has learned. The Queens assemblyman – who is second only to ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo in most polls heading into Tuesday's Democratic mayoral primary – hasn't said much about the topic on the campaign beyond telling Chalkbeat last week he'd support an independent study of the Specialized High Schools Admission Test for signal out gender and racial bias. However, when asked by the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club in February 2022 to describe legislation and policy changes he supports to address 'the ongoing effect of slavery, racism, colonialism and discrimination' Mamdani – a former specialized test tutor – singled out spiking the SHSAT. Advertisement 'As a graduate of Bronx Science, I have personally witnessed just how segregated New York City public schools are, especially our specialized high school,' he said at the time. Socialist NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani once advocated for abolishing the city's controversial admissions test for Gotham's elite public high schools because he feels it's too racist. Paul Martinka 'I support measures to integrate our public schools and fully fund our education system, including the abolition of the SHSAT.' Advertisement The SHSAT under state law is the sole criteria for entry into the city's eight elite public high schools, including Bronx High School of Science, Stuyvesant and Brooklyn Tech. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the favorite to win the Democratic mayoral nomination, has long supported keeping the SHSAT. Erik Pendzich/Shutterstock Cuomo spokesman Rich Azzopardi said the ex-gov has been and 'continues to be in favor to keep the exam is.' Former far-left Mayor Bill de Blasio tried twice to change the law while Cuomo ran the state, failing both times. Advertisement His chosen chancellor, Richard Carranza, once called the elite high schools 'the epicenter of privilege,' citing a lack of black and Latino representation. Reps for Mamdani did not return messages.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Some LGBTQ clubs boycotting Mayor Adams' Pride Month event over ‘silence' on Trump agenda
Some of New York City's politically influential LGBTQ clubs are boycotting Mayor Adams' Pride Month celebration next week due to what they call his 'silence' on President Trump's efforts to marginalize queer communities, the Daily News has learned. The Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, led by longtime gay rights activist Allen Roskoff, spearheaded the call for a boycott Friday, sending out a message urging LGBTQ groups and individuals to stay away from the celebration scheduled for Tuesday at Gracie Mansion. In the message, the club argued Adams is 'in bed with Donald Trump' and displaying nothing but 'silence in the face of attacks on our community' from Trump's administration. Among various other actions, Trump has sought to roll back access to gender-affirming care for transgender people, issued an executive order seeking to establish it as a 'biological truth' that there are only two genders, ousted transgender service members from the U.S. military and tried to ban trans women from participating in sports according to the gender with which they identify. 'The Trump administration's intention is to erase us … Yet not a word of criticism from Eric Adams, who dines with Trump and tells staff not to criticize the president,' the Jim Owles message says. Adams has said he is publicly refraining from criticizing Trump in order to deal with him privately instead. Roskoff, who once counted Adams as a friend but has been one of his harshest critics since 2022, told The News the mayor's also putting 'immigrants and all New Yorkers at great risk' by voicing openness to participating in Trump's 'mass deportation' agenda. 'History will remember him as a pawn to Donald Trump,' Roskoff said, a reference to the Trump Department of Justice's controversial dismissal of Adams' federal corruption indictment. 'Mayor Adams is not our ally. He is our enemy.' Adams' office didn't immediately return requests for comment. After Roskoff's missive, Equality New York, another major local LGBTQ club, announced its members will also boycott Tuesday's event at Gracie. 'Adams has failed from the beginning of his tenure as mayor to invest in the LGBT community, including appointing leaders in his administration with homophobic and transphobic histories,' Equality New York Executive Director Amanda Babine said, a reference to the mayor's controversial 2022 decision to tap a trio of pastors with histories of anti-gay rhetoric to top jobs in his administration. 'He hasn't taken feedback about that and even more recently we see him aligning with Trump, making it clear where he stands.' A third major LGBTQ group, the Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn, said it doesn't consider itself part of any formal boycott. However, Lamda President Joseph Jourdan said his group will also shun Tuesday's event since Adams has 'abandoned' the Democratic Party and 'his queer constituents' amid his ties to Trump. The Stonewall Democrats, another major LGBTQ club in the city, has participated in boycotts of Adams' Pride Month events in past years. This year, Stonewall Democrats President Gabriel Lewenstein said his group won't participate in the boycott. He said he instead wants to let members make 'their own individual decisions,' though he affirmed his club remains adamantly anti-Adams. 'We've called on the mayor to resign several times, so any members going should not be construed as political support,' said Lewenstein, whose group has endorsed Council Speaker Adrienne Adams as its top pick for mayor this year.
