Mamdani torched over 'destructive' plan to axe NYC gifted program for kindergartners

Zohran Mamdani's New York City mayoral opponents ridiculed his plan to phase out the city's gifted program for public school kindergartners.

Mamdani, the New York City Democratic mayoral nominee, would embrace former Mayor Bill de Blasio's 2021 plan to phase out the gifted program for elementary schools if elected this November, according to The New York Times. 

Mamdani said he would halt the gifted program for incoming kindergartners next fall, while former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa said they would keep it. 

"Zohran Mamdani's latest proposal to eliminate New York City's Gifted & Talented program is not just another political stunt - it's destructive and emblematic of a deeper problem in today's Democratic Party - the surface level appearance of a solution is sufficient," Cuomo, who is trailing Mamdani by 18 points in the latest Fox News survey of New York City registered voters, said in a statement Thursday. 

But Sliwa said Mamdani and Cuomo are "two peas in a pod," arguing that Cuomo is a "chameleon trying to fool New Yorkers." Sliwa accused the former governor of staying silent while de Blasio initially tried to phase out the gifted program in 2021. 

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Sliwa only garnered support from 11% of New York City registered voters in the latest Fox News survey. Among registered voters, Mamdani earned 45% support, while Cuomo picked up 27%, Sliwa maintained 11% and Mayor Eric Adams had 8%. 

Adams, who like Cuomo was running as an independent, dropped out of the race last week, heating up an already contentious mayoral election. 

"Why take away from our kids the very opportunities that helped shape your own future?" Adams asked in response to Mamdani's plan to slash the gifted program. 

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Adams has expanded the elementary Gifted & Talented program during his tenure, a reversal of de Blasio's plan to phase out the program and stop testing 4-year-olds. 

"The era of judging 4-year-olds based on a single test is over," de Blasio proclaimed at the time, likening the gifted program to "the segregation of students if they're labeled as 'gifted.'"

But Adams rejected that notion in a statement on Thursday, arguing it "gave thousands of Black and Brown kids a real shot to excel."

"That's progress we should be building on, not tearing down. Expand it to more children, not fewer. And let's be real, you went to a specialized high school," Adams wrote to Mamdani on X on Friday. 

Mamdani attended the Bronx High School of Science, a specialized high school in the Bronx. His campaign did not respond to Fox News Digital's comment request. 

When asked to clarify his position on the program during a press conference on Friday, Mamdani clarified that kindergartners, specifically, should not be separated by a test. 

"For kindergartners, we should not have a Gifted & Talented program that is separating them on the basis of that assessment," Mamdani said, without elaborating on his stance on the Gifted & Talented entry point for third-graders.

Adams' plan includes two entry points into the Gifted & Talented program: kindergarten and third grade. 

"My commitment is solely on the question of kindergartners," Mamdani said. 

But Mamdani told The New York Times that he would renew de Blasio's plan, which eliminated the Gifted & Talented test, opting for a universal test in second grade. 

"I will return to the previous policy. Ultimately, my administration would aim to make sure that every child receives a high-quality early education that nurtures their curiosity and learning," Mamdani said. 

In a statement released Thursday, Cuomo said, "Our kids deserve clarity, not chaos, when it comes to their education."

"If there are tens of thousands of applications for limited G&T spots, parents are telling you something: They want more of it, not less. The answer isn't to say good riddance to those families. If there are issues with how young children are selected, then fix that and expand opportunities - give more at the start of education and more on-ramps later. Don't eliminate the program," Cuomo said. 

The former governor said "eliminating opportunities for excellence doesn't help underserved kids, it perpetuates the problem," adding that the Democratic Party has a tradition of providing "more opportunities for historically marginalized students to access these programs."

Cuomo said, if elected mayor, he wants to double the number of specialized high schools in New York City, expand prep programs for underserved neighborhoods and preserve the Specialized High Schools Admissions Test.