NYC Schools Chancellor David Banks To Resign In Latest Adams Admin Turmoil

The head of New York City schools, facing increasing challenges, is anticipated to resign as Mayor Eric Adams’ administration grapples with internal shifts amidst ongoing federal probes.

David Banks is set to step down from his role as schools chancellor by the conclusion of this year, according to insiders.

Reports indicate that Banks met with Adams at Gracie Mansion and informed him of his decision to retire, a move later confirmed through a retirement letter obtained by The New York Post.

“During our meeting earlier this year, I advised you that I intend to retire at the end of this calendar year after ensuring the school year got off to a good start,” Banks wrote.

“I have decided to retire effective December 31, 2024, after dedicating nearly 40 years of service to New York City’s public schools.”

This resignation is one of several high-profile exits from the Adams administration. Earlier this week, City Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan also announced his upcoming departure at the end of the year.

Banks became entangled in a dramatic federal investigation that culminated in a series of FBI raids on September 4, which targeted several senior officials at City Hall.

Federal agents searched the Harlem residence that Banks shares with his longtime partner, First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, seizing their cell phones in the process.

Authorities also confiscated the devices of Banks’ brother, Terence Banks, a former MTA official now working as a consultant, as well as those of Philip Banks, another brother who holds the position of deputy mayor for public safety under Adams.

The Banks brothers have a longstanding relationship with Adams, having grown up as family friends. Their father also served in the NYPD alongside Adams.

Following the raids, David Banks stated that federal agents assured him he wasn’t a primary target. He brushed off questions from The Post about the investigation a week after the raids, maintaining silence on the matter.

Shortly after, during his second State of the School address, Banks made a cryptic reference to his situation by reading the poem “Invictus,” famously recited by Nelson Mandela during his imprisonment.

“It’s the greatest poem that I know of because everybody can relate to it, because everybody goes through something,” Banks remarked.

{Matzav.com}