New York Schools Chancellor Banks to Leave Amid Federal Probe

(Bloomberg) — New York Schools Chancellor David Banks said he will retire on Dec. 31, becoming the latest member of Mayor Eric Adams’ administration to announce plans to leave amid at least four federal corruption probes that have rocked City Hall.

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In a letter to Adams dated Tuesday, Banks said leading New York City’s public schools has been “a profound honor and a deeply fulfilling experience.”

On Wednesday, Adams tapped Deputy Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos to replace Banks after he retires. A longtime public school official, she was appointed to her post in July after briefly becoming a private college administrator in February and serving as Banks’ chief of staff prior to that, according to her LinkedIn profile.

Banks’ retirement announcement shook up the biggest US school system in the middle of the school year and came a day after reports that city Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan intends to leave at year-end. That was just weeks after former Police Commissioner Edward Caban and Adams’ chief counsel, Lisa Zornberg, both abruptly quit.

Banks’ home, which he shares with First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, his romantic partner, was searched by federal agents this month in a sweep that also led to the seizure of the phones from multiple senior City Hall officials, including Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Philip Banks, David’s younger brother.

The New York Times said authorities are looking into a potential bribery scheme involving the Pearl Alliance, a government-relations consulting business run by Terence Banks, the brother of David and Philip. No one has been charged with any wrongdoing.

The probes come at a precarious time for the 64-year-old mayor. Quinnipiac University surveys have shown his approval ratings at the lowest since the school began polling New York City’s registered voters almost 30 years ago. A June poll conducted by Slingshot Strategies found just 36% of voters had a favorable opinion of Adams, while 52% viewed him unfavorably. Voters have faulted Adams for his handling of the arrival of thousands of migrants since spring of 2022 and questioned his stewardship of the city’s budget.

In a statement on Tuesday, Adams said he was “immensely grateful and proud of the work accomplished in New York City Public Schools under Chancellor David Banks” and thanked Banks for his service, wishing him well “in his retirement at the end of the calendar year.”

His replacement, Aviles-Ramos, has been a “pivotal figure” in developing the public school system’s response to the influx of migrant families seeking asylum, according to a city government biography. She began as a teacher in 2007 and moved up the ranks, serving as a principal and acting superintendent. She’s the highest-ranking Latina and Spanish-speaking leader in the 900,000-student public school system, Adams said.

“I want you to see me as a symbol of stability and commitment,” Aviles-Ramos said a news briefing Wednesday. “My charge is to make sure we carry through,” on the programs Banks and Adams started.

(Updates with Banks’ replacement in third and final paragraphs.)