NYC Mayoral Candidates Will Have to Teach for a Day to Get Union Endorsement

In what may be a first for a big-city teachers union, the United Federation of Teachers is requiring New York City mayoral candidates to spend a day teaching to be considered for an endorsement.

鈥淲e want our mayor to actually have an understanding of what the school is trying to accomplish every day and what the challenges are,鈥� union President Michael Mulgrew said. 鈥淭hat is the best way for them to make decisions.鈥�

in the nation’s largest school district would have to spend at least seven periods in a school assisting teachers with lessons and classroom management. Mulgrew said candidates will also visit classrooms with special education students and English learners.

The union has invited mayoral candidates to classrooms before, but this is the first time it has been mandatory.

Invitations were sent out March 7. City Comptroller Brad Lander, former Assembly Member Michael Blake, Assembly member Zohran Mamdani, state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, state Sen. Jessica Ramos, former city Comptroller Scott Stringer, Teach for America founder Whitney Tilson and Curtis Sliwa told 麻豆精品 they are willing to participate. All are Democrats except for Sliwa, who is running as a Republican. Democratic City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams will also participate, according to .

Mayor Eric Adams, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, both Democrats, and Independent Jim Walden did not respond to a request for comment.

UFT represents nearly 200,000 members, including teachers, paraprofessionals and counselors. In previous elections its endorsement has been , partly due to the union鈥檚 size and because a large percentage of members vote, Mulgrew said.

A spokesman for the American Federation of Teachers, which used a in the 2020 presidential election, said it is not aware of any other local union requiring candidates to spend a full day in a school. An online search found no large city union making this an endorsement requirement.

Several candidates have public school ties. Myrie is the son of a special education teacher and UFT member. Lander is the son of a guidance counselor.

The union will work with the New York State Education Department to schedule school visits in April.

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Lauren Wagner is a Nebraska-based staff writer at 麻豆精品.

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                <h2>NYC Mayoral Candidates Will Have to Teach for a Day to Get Union Endorsement</h2>

                <h2>Teachers union requires candidates in the nation's largest district to spend 7 periods in school, visit English learner and special ed classrooms.</h2>

                <p class="sans">By <a rel="author" href="/contributor/lauren-wagner/">Lauren Wagner</a></p>

                <img src="/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/michael-mulgrew-new-york-city-union.jpg">

                <p>This story first appeared at <a href="/">麻豆精品</a>, a nonprofit news site covering education. <a href="/about/newsletters/?utm_source=republish-button&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=republish">Sign up for free newsletters from 麻豆精品</a> to get more like this in your inbox.</p>
                
<p>In what may be a first for a big-city teachers union, the United Federation of Teachers is requiring New York City mayoral candidates to spend a day teaching to be considered for an endorsement.</p>



<p>鈥淲e want our mayor to actually have an understanding of what the school is trying to accomplish every day and what the challenges are,鈥� union President Michael Mulgrew said. 鈥淭hat is the best way for them to make decisions.鈥�</p>







<p> in the nation’s largest school district would have to spend at least seven periods in a school assisting teachers with lessons and classroom management. Mulgrew said candidates will also visit classrooms with special education students and English learners.</p>



<p>The union has invited mayoral candidates to classrooms before, but this is the first time it has been mandatory.</p>



<p>Invitations were sent out March 7. City Comptroller Brad Lander, former Assembly Member Michael Blake, Assembly member Zohran Mamdani, state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, state Sen. Jessica Ramos, former city Comptroller Scott Stringer, Teach for America founder Whitney Tilson and Curtis Sliwa told 麻豆精品 they are willing to participate. All are Democrats except for Sliwa, who is running as a Republican. Democratic City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams will also participate, according to .</p>



<p>Mayor Eric Adams, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, both Democrats, and Independent Jim Walden did not respond to a request for comment. </p>



<aside class="inline_story shortcode simple"><a href="/article/could-new-york-become-the-first-major-city-to-offer-universal-child-care/"><figure style="background-image: url(/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Courtesy-of-New-Yorkers-United-for-Child-Care.jpg);"></figure><div><span class="sans related_tag">Related</span><h4 class="sans">Could New York Become the First Major City to Offer Universal Child Care?</h4></div></a></aside>



<p>UFT represents nearly 200,000 members, including teachers, paraprofessionals and counselors. In previous elections its endorsement has been , partly due to the union鈥檚 size and because a large percentage of members vote, Mulgrew said. </p>



<p>A spokesman for the American Federation of Teachers, which used a  in the 2020 presidential election, said it is not aware of any other local union requiring candidates to spend a full day in a school. An online search found no large city union making this an endorsement requirement.</p>



<p>Several candidates have public school ties. Myrie is the son of a special education teacher and UFT member. Lander is the son of a guidance counselor. </p>



<p>The union will work with the New York State Education Department to schedule school visits in April.</p>



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