Andrew Cuomo and other NYC mayoral candidates ‘teach’ for a day in UFT ‘stunt’ — while breaking school rules

NYC mayoral candidates apt violated long-standing rules forbidding nan usage of schoolhouse visits for governmental purposes to participate successful an endorsement “stunt” by nan powerful teachers’ union, The Post has learned.

With nan blessing of schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos, nan United Federation of Teachers announced successful March that candidates must walk a afloat time school successful a NYC nationalist schoolhouse to beryllium considered for its endorsement.

“To beryllium eligible for nan UFT endorsement, you will request to walk astatine slightest 7 (7) periods successful a public-school classroom, helping nan coach and paraprofessional pinch lessons, schoolroom management, and immoderate needs to beryllium done to support nan students engaged,” publication an invitation to candidates from Vanecia Wilson, head of nan UFT’s Political Action Department.

“If you take not to participate, we will not see you for mayor,” publication nan induce that went to 12 Democratic, GOP and independent candidates.

“Mayoral candidates person traditionally promised to perceive to educators and to guidelines their acquisition policies connected nan recommendations of nan group doing nan work,” UFT President Michael Mulgrew said successful a property release. “Then they get successful City Hall and each that goes retired nan model . . . If you want our endorsement you person to understand nan activity we do.”

The UFT picked nan schools wherever nan candidates would teach, and put a national staffer successful nan schoolroom “to facilitate” if necessary. Aviles-Ramos “signed off” connected nan plans, and nan property was banned.

The Post confirmed that astatine slightest 4 mayoral candidates — erstwhile Gov. Andrew Cuomo, authorities Sen. Jessica Ramos (D-Queens), Comptroller Brad Lander and erstwhile Comptroller Scott Stringer — each taught for a time past month. 

Lander said he taught third-graders what a comptroller does and served arsenic a judge connected a mock “Shark Tank” title astatine PS 96 successful East Harlem.

Ramos visited PS 224 successful East New York wherever she prepped students for authorities mathematics exams, participated successful an workout astir Earth Day and said pinch teachers astir chronic absenteeism.

Stringer went to PS/IS 30 successful Sunset Park and helped a people of English connection learners pinch mathematics drills.

State Sen. Zelnor Myrie (D-Brooklyn) is “scheduled to thatch soon, and [is] looking guardant to it,” a spokeswoman said.

In a “Good Day New York” question and reply Tuesday, Mulgrew said Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani (D-Queens) and City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams (D-Queens) besides taught successful schools for a day.

Mulgrew, who was seen Friday successful Lower Manhattan chanting alongside Cuomo astatine a rally for weapon safety, said nan UFT endorsement will travel successful June.

At slightest 1 campaigner refused nan connection because it appears to blatantly break Chancellor’s Regulation D-130, which restricts governmental activities successful schoolhouse buildings.

“While I deliberation I americium nan champion campaigner to support our courageous nationalist schoolhouse teachers, I cannot work together pinch nan UFT’s process for making its endorsement,” Jim Walden, a lawyer moving a longshot independent campaign, told The Post. 

“Chancellor’s Regulation D-130 makes clear that nationalist schools should not beryllium utilized for governmental purposes. The endorsement process is, by definition, political,” he said. “I dream nan UFT will assistance maine an exemption from this requirement. If not, I will not beryllium seeking its endorsement.”

The regulation, which applies to DOE employees, states that candidates tin sojourn schools if approved by nan principal, but that “schools must petition and activity to guarantee that specified visits are not to beryllium utilized arsenic vehicles for individual governmental purposes.”

The rules besides prohibit immoderate person, group, aliases committee to usage immoderate schoolhouse during schoolhouse aliases business hours “on behalf of, aliases for nan use of immoderate elected official, candidate, candidates, slate of candidates aliases governmental organization/committee.”

David Bloomfield, an acquisition rule professor astatine Brooklyn College and nan CUNY Graduate Center, said mayoral candidates should person done their owed diligence earlier agreeing to nan UFT’s “quid pro quo.”

“Woe betide nan mediocre principals who gave successful to this stunt, which appears to break 1 aliases much protocols of D-130,” Bloomfield said.

“Teachers, too, request to beware of actions that tin beryllium construed arsenic campaigning for their schoolroom visitor,” he added.

Investor Whitney Tilson, seeking nan Democratic nomination, said he would impermanent thatch but isn’t seeking nan UFT’s endorsement, according to Chalkbeat. Republican campaigner Curtis Sliwa said he would return part, though it’s not clear if he did aliases is scheduled to do so.

The DOE acknowledged that candidates are not permitted to sojourn schools arsenic a information for governmental endorsement by immoderate group, but said regulations carve retired “allowable conditions” for visits. Spokespersons for nan DOE and City Hall refused to specify nan conditions.

The UFT insisted nan regulations were followed.

“Providing anyone who wants to beryllium New York City’s adjacent politician an opportunity to spot what goes connected successful our classrooms is simply a nett use for our students, educators and for nationalist education,” Mulgrew said successful a connection provided to The Post.

A seasoned coach blasted nan move.

“I would not judge a politician connected schoolroom skills,” said Arthur Goldstein, a part-time ESL coach astatine Francis Lewis HS successful Queens who retired aft 39 years successful nan DOE.

“And I’m sorry, but 1 time successful a schoolroom pinch large shots opinionated astir does not make you understand what school entails.”