The Brian Lehrer Show Brian Lehrer Weekend: Schools & the Mayor's Race; Nobel Prize; Rails to Trails
Oct 11, 2025
Alex Zimmerman, an education reporter, discusses the complexities of NYC public schools, including mayoral control and the controversy surrounding gifted programs. Gideon Rose, a foreign policy expert, sheds light on María Corina Machado's recent Nobel win, analyzing its implications for Venezuela and democracy. Finally, Peter Harnick, co-founder of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, shares the fascinating history of transforming abandoned railroads into public trails and the challenges these projects face, bringing communities closer to nature.
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Teacher Recounts Special-Ed Cuts
- Gail, a retired special-ed teacher, recalled Bloomberg-era cuts that she says harmed special education services.
- She supports Mamdani's plan to disperse mayoral power to increase parent and teacher input.
Act Fast On Governance Renewal
- Incoming mayors must decide quickly whether to seek renewal or reform of mayoral control from the state legislature.
- Engage Albany early and present clear governance alternatives before the authorization expires.
Insider On Selection In Both Systems
- A caller who worked as a principal and in charters described both lottery admissions and rampant selection in district middle school placements.
- He argued some district practices were more selective and unfair than charter lotteries.
