Outgoing NYC Faculties Chancellor David Banks upset after being pushed out months early

Outgoing Chancellor David Banks’ shock early exit even got here as a shock to the faculties boss himself.

Banks was blindsided to study from Mayor Eric Adams late Wednesday that he’d be pushed out of his job months sooner than deliberate, insiders informed The Put up.

Hizzoner barely gave Banks a heads-up as metropolis officers introduced almost concurrently that Melissa Aviles-Ramos would take over as chancellor Oct. 16, moderately than on the 12 months’s finish as initially deliberate, sources stated.

The sudden ouster left Banks upset, a supply near his staff stated Thursday.

“He hates that he didn’t get an opportunity to talk together with his senior management staff earlier than the choice was made,” the supply stated. “He wasn’t consulted on the change of plans.

“Additionally, by eradicating him earlier than Dec. 31, this can have an effect on his pension quantity.”

The brutal backroom maneuvering comes because the indicted Adams, besieged by federal investigations aimed toward himself and his high officers, seems to be working to keep up the belief of Gov. Kathy Hochul and hold his job, in accordance with sources.

Hochul, who has the ability to take away Adams from workplace, informed the mayor he wants to wash home of drawback workers — however has shied away from publicly saying who must be proven the door.

One supply with data of the choice informed The Put up it “dovetails” with the governor’s request to oust “these individuals who may very well be problematic.”

Banks and his now-wife, First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, had been amongst a number of high Metropolis Corridor officers who had their telephones seized in a spate of federal raids a month in the past.

The raids each compounded current friction between Banks and Adams, sources stated — including that new strife adopted when Adams himself was indicted final week.

Adams was ticked off by Banks confiding to metropolis superintendents that he doubted the mayor might keep in energy whereas dealing with federal prison fees, sources stated.

The mayor and Metropolis Corridor officers additionally believed the blabbermouth Banks botched and created confusion amongst mother and father about a number of initiatives, notably a possible cellphone ban and an growth of early schooling seats, a supply with data stated.

“When it got here time for him to reply to the (federal) investigation, he once more didn’t seek the advice of with anybody and simply made statements on his personal and leaked particulars to the press seemingly that had been extra about supporting his personal narrative than the precise, precise narrative,” the supply stated.

“Though he did a very good job, it was time for him to go.”

With Banks on his means out, the mayor’s longtime girlfriend Tracey Collins has ascended the ranks to turn out to be Aviles-Ramos’ senior adviser, a supply stated. Collins, a high-level Division of Schooling official, was not too long ago accused of no-showing her $221,597-a-year job.

Collins, although not accused of wrongdoing, options prominently within the mayor’s indictment. She joined Adams on $45,000 value of luxurious worldwide journeys that prosecutors stated counted as unlawful international bribes to the then-Brooklyn borough president.

Metropolis Corridor officers, when reached for touch upon Banks’ exit, rehashed an announcement contending they accelerated the departure to keep away from a mid-year management change.

The mayor — who faces intense stress to resign for the sake of a practical New York Metropolis authorities — stated Thursday that metropolis principals and academics needed a change on the high of the Division of Schooling for stability.

“To have each Melissa and David there on the similar time didn’t convey the soundness we needed,” he stated earlier than a Rosh Hashanah at a Manhattan synagogue.

Banks didn’t return The Put up’s requests for remark, however despatched an announcement via a public relations agency that was later tweeted by a New York Occasions reporter.

“Final week, I introduced my deliberate retirement, and I used to be prepared, keen and in a position to keep in my publish till December thirty first to conduct a accountable transition for our workers,” the assertion reads. “The Mayor has determined to speed up that timeline…”

When requested why a PR agency was talking on behalf of the chancellor, who stays in his publish until Oct. 16, spokesperson Nathaniel Styer stated “he had his personal individual launch it,” elevating questions on whether or not the Metropolis and DOE nonetheless communicate on behalf of the outgoing chancellor.

Banks over the previous weekend married Wright, his longtime companion.

When a reporter requested if rumors that Wright too would quickly depart the administration had been true, Adams dodged the query.

“Once we make personnel bulletins, we make them, and we’ll make them as they arrive alongside,” he stated.

An irritated Wright lashed out at a Put up reporter and photographer Thursday after they reached her on a Harlem sidewalk — and even grabbed the snapper’s digicam in a caught-on-video encounter.

“No message, no remark,” she stated earlier than she lunged on the digicam.

The photographer identified he was on a public sidewalk, whereas Wright — a high aide to Adams who makes $250,000 a 12 months and had the raids raid her house — held up her hand and proclaimed, “That is my privateness.”

“That is harassment whenever you’re following me down the road,” she informed the duo, the video reveals.

“It’s very aggressive. And it simply feels pointless. I’m not going to present you an announcement.”

— Further reporting by Carl Campanile, Khristina Narizhnaya and Jack Morphet