Exclusive | Andrew Cuomo and other NYC mayoral candidates teach for a day in UFT stunt while breaking school rules

NYC mayoral candidates likely violated long-standing rules forbidding the use of school visits for political purposes to participate in an endorsement “stunt” by the powerful teachers’ union, The Post has learned.With the blessing of schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos, the United Federation of Teachers announced in March that candidates must spend a full day teaching in a NYC public school to be considered for its endorsement.“To be eligible for the UFT endorsement, you will need to spend at least seven (7) periods in a public-school classroom, helping the teacher and paraprofessional with lessons, classroom management, and whatever needs to be done to keep the students engaged,” read an invitation to candidates from Vanecia Wilson, director of the UFT’s Political Action Department.“If you choose not to participate, we will not consider you for mayor,” read the invite that went to 12 Democratic, GOP and independent candidates.“Mayoral candidates have traditionally promised to listen to educators and to base their education policies on the recommendations of the people doing the work,” UFT President Michael Mulgrew said in a press release.“Then they get in City Hall and all that goes out the window .

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If you want our endorsement you have to understand the work we do.”The UFT picked the schools where the candidates would teach, and put a union staffer in the classroom “to facilitate” if necessary. Aviles-Ramos “signed off” on the plans, and the press was banned.The Post confirmed that at least four mayoral candidates — former Gov.Andrew Cuomo, state Sen.

Jessica Ramos (D-Queens), Comptroller Brad Lander and former Comptroller Scott Stringer — all taught for a day last month. Lander said he taught third-graders what a comptroller does and served as a judge on a mock “Shark Tank” competition at PS 96 in East Harlem.Ramos visited PS 224 in East New York where she prepped students for state math exams, participated in an...