Why is Eric Adams being sued? Reason explored as New York City’s teachers union files lawsuit against the Mayor

New York City Mayor Eric Adams' administration is getting sued by New York City’s teachers union to roll back the planned budget cuts on education that are estimated to total a massive $550 million. Three school teachers and a speech therapist were presented as plaintiffs in the lawsuit against the mayor, which was filed on Thursday, December 21, in the Manhattan Supreme Court.

The lawsuit filed by the United Federation of Teachers alleges that the budget cuts violated a state education law that claimed that education budget cuts could only happen if overall state revenue fell.

However, the lawsuit argues that tax revenue rose in the previous year. Meanwhile, Eric Adams claimed that the cuts were necessary to combat the massive migrant influx the city was facing.

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Teachers Union Lawsuit claims that Eric Adams' budget cuts are against state law

New York City Mayor Eric Adams decided to impose a mid-year spending cut on the city's public school system, which amounted to a slash of $550 million from the education budget. The lawsuit pointed out that $14.5 billion was allocated to schools last year, and $14.1 billion was allocated this year. However, with the cuts, the lawsuit claims that this figure will drop to $13.9 billion.

Also, according to Adams, such a drastic measure had to be taken to combat the city's migrant influx crisis, which the administration claims will set back the city's $11 billion in the following two years.

The mayor also planned to impose further cuts in the first month of 2024 and the following spring, in two rounds, in case aid for the migrant crisis does not arrive from the federal government.

The lawsuit filed by the United Federation of Teachers alleged that the administration's $11 billion claim was simply an "unverified estimate." The lawsuit claimed that the cuts were in direct violation of a state law that prohibits the decrease in funds allocated to schools when the city is not facing a drop in overall revenue. It is alleged that tax revenue went up by $5 billion last year.

It was also alleged that the state was misusing a massive influx of state aid. The lawsuit argued that due to the budget cuts, the Department of Education would have to scoop from state funds to support initiatives, however, state law mandated that state funds could only supplement city spending and not supplant it. The suit alleged that Eric Adams was violating this stipulation.

The lawsuit pointed out that the budget cuts violated the right to "sound basic education" of many children, guaranteed by the Constitution. After the second round of cuts, the estimated loss to the education system amounts to over $2 billion. The November cuts deeply affected the city's free summer school program, universal pre-K and 3-K programs, and community schools initiative.

President of the United Federation of Teachers, Michael Mulgrew, stated that the Eric Adams administration should not go around preaching "tourism recovery" and pre-pandemic job returns before a fiscal crisis that cuts school funding due to "its own mismanagement of the asylum seeker problem." Mulgrew proclaimed:

"Our schools and our families deserve better."

Meanwhile, Eric Adams stated in a press conference:

"From time to time, friends disagree. Sometimes it ends up in a boardroom and sometimes it ends up in a courtroom."

Another significant aspect of the budget cuts is how they affect the District 75 programs. These programs, which are essential in helping students with significant challenges, were set to face a cut of $3 million, but a Chalkbeat finding reports that District 75 cuts could amount to $97 million. The lawsuit alleges that these cuts would affect over 26,000 students with disabilities.