The debate over who should run New York City’s schools has become a defining issue in the mayoral race, with Zohran Mamdani calling for an end to the city’s undemocratic system of mayoral control in favor of greater community and educator voice. His stance, backed by teachers and progressive families, reflects growing frustration with decades of top-down management that has excluded parents and students from shaping policy. By contrast, Andrew Cuomo’s defense of strong mayoral authority underscores a return to centralized power that risks repeating the same mistakes of past administrations.