Schools Chancellor David Banks will step down from his post on Oct. 16, more than two months earlier than he originally planned — apparently at the request of the embattled Mayor Eric Adams.
City Hall announced Banks’ hastened departure on Wednesday night. In a statement to amNewYork Metro, City Hall praised Banks’ leadership, but indicated that “it became clear that our students will be best served by having the same leadership through as much of the school year as possible, rather than changing chancellors halfway through.”
“We have decided to accelerate the start date of Chancellor Aviles-Ramos to Oct. 16 so that she can immediately begin executing on her vision for New York City Public Schools,” the statement continued. “Chancellor Aviles-Ramos is a lifelong educator and public school veteran whose talent, experience, and compassion will lead the school system well through this next chapter. We thank Chancellor Banks for his service to the city and nearly one million public school children.”
Banks first announced his retirement in September, but said he would stay on through Dec. 31. According to multiple media reports, however, Adams asked Banks to leave this month instead. The Department of Education neither confirmed or denied the report.
A circulated statement from the outgoing chancellor, however, seems to confirm the reports. In the statement, apparently shared via a public relations firm, Banks said he was “ready, willing and able to stay in my post until Dec. 31,” but that “the mayor has decided to accelerate that timeline.”
The announcement came weeks after the FBI seized Banks’ and his partner, First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright’s, phones on Sept. 4 as part of a seemingly never-ending series of federal probes into Mayor Eric Adams and close members of his administration.
Banks’ retirement comes after Adams’ infamous indictment on bribery and other charges last month, as well as the resignations of several high-profile staffers at City Hall in recent weeks, including former Police Commissioner Edward Caban, Chief Counsel Lisa Zornberg and Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan.
Federal agents also executed a search warrant at the home of Banks’ brother, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks last month. The ongoing probe is reportedly looking into a third Banks brother, Terence Banks, over some of the clients of his consulting firm, The Pearl Alliance, which has won city contracts since 2022.
David Banks has been schools chancellor since the start of the Adams administration in 2022. Adams, as mayor-elect, announced Banks as the new head of the nation’s largest public schools system in December 2021.
Despite the September raid, Chancellor Banks has denied any wrongdoing and continues to maintain his innocence throughout the investigations.
On Wednesday, federal prosecutors said Mayor Adams, a long-time friend of Banks even before they both entered City Hall, may possibly face more criminal charges on top of existing bribery, soliciting foreign campaign donations and wire fraud charges.
