Public advocate candidates blast mayor’s SHSAT plan
Several of the candidates running in the special election for New York City public advocate criticized Mayor Bill de Blasio’s controversial proposal to scrap the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT), charging that the mayor was going about the task of increasing racial diversity in elite schools the wrong way.
Jumaane Williams, Rafael Espinal, David Eisenbach, Jared Rich and Benjamin Yee all spoke out about the de Blasio proposal at a Feb. 13 candidates’ forum. The event was sponsored by the United Progressive Democratic Club and took place at the club at 29 Bay 25th St. in Bath Beach.
Assemblymember William Colton, who organized the forum, said the fate of the SHSAT was a major topic of discussion at the debate. Colton, a Democrat who represents Gravesend and parts of Bensonhurst, has been highly critical of the mayor over the SHSAT issue.