NEW YORK—Independent mayoral candidate Adolfo Carrion Jr. has not had much luck gaining traction in his bid to replace outgoing Mayor Michael Bloomberg this election cycle. The former Bronx Borough president has been left out of the mayoral debates due to low polling and fundraising. The press rarely covers his events, choosing instead to cover the front-running candidates, Democrat Bill de Blasio and Republican Joe Lhota.
But it has not stopped Carrion from continuing to press his points home to potential voters.
On Wednesday he penned a lengthy letter to UFT President Michael Mulgrew, which was posted to his website. Carrion, who is a former teacher, laid out a detailed plan in the letter of how he would address education if elected.
His plan offered counters to de Blasio’s tax hike to pay for pre-kindergarten, arguing hiring more well qualified teachers would help fix the city’s underperforming schools. He also came out in support of expanding charter schools, and co-locations.
The letter offered many solutions, but perhaps the boldest was his promise to get back in the classroom once a week.
“As mayor I will take the lead. I will co-teach in an inner-city school one morning or afternoon each week. My deputies and commissioners will do the same,” Carrion wrote. “We will assume shared accountability to feel the pain and fix the problems at the frontlines. This will represent the new norm: an entire city committed and energized to bring disruptive change to the education of New York’s children.”
Carrion was not specific as to what or where he would teach or for how long in the letter.
A UFT representative said Mulgrew was reviewing the letter and did not have any comments as of press time. After endorsing Bill Thompson during the Democratic primary, the UFT backed de Blasio for the general election.
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