Richard Carranza Popular Amid Calls For Ouster, Survey Shows

NEW YORK — Call them a silent majority. A new survey shows New York City Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza is popular with parents amid calls for his firing, a new survey shows.

Some 76 percent of parents said they were satisfied or very satisfied with Carranza's performance when it comes to curriculum, student achievement, resources and oversight, according to the Department of Education's annual NYC School Survey released Thursday.

Just 6 percent of parents said they were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with Carranza's performance, while 18 percent didn't know how to answer, the results show.

The findings suggest the critics who have accused Carranza of sowing racial division and demanded his ouster may be part of a vociferous minority.

Carranza's high approval rating is "no surprise" given the city's record-high graduation rate, universal pre-kindergarten program and increased college enrollment, Education Department spokesperson Will Mantell said.

"New Yorkers respect the Chancellor because he’s committed to doing what’s best for all kids, and he doesn’t waver because of politics or headlines," Mantell said in a statement.

Carranza has made racial integration one of his hallmark issues as chancellor. But he has faced protests in recent months over his push for culturally responsive education and Mayor Bill de Blasio's plan to overhaul admissions to the city's specialized high schools.

A group of Asian-American parents opposed to the latter proposal swarmed his car in Brooklyn on Tuesday, and protesters held up signs that read "Fire Carranza" at a Panel for Educational Policy meeting last week where the former was adopted, according to news reports.

Seven City Council members and two state Assembly members wrote de Blasio a letter in June accusing Carranza of creating division in the education system with his hiring and firing choices, "divisive statements" toward parents and students and policy changes based on ethnicity.

"(I)f Chancellor Carranza continues to divide this city, then someone who can unite this city and provide a quality education for all should replace him," the lawmakers wrote.

But de Blasio has stood by his chancellor. And Carranza's latest satisfaction rating is on par with last year's survey, which was largely conducted under his predecessor, Carmen Fariña, according to the DOE. This year's score is also about even with Fariña's ratings from 2016 and 2017.

Carranza is less popular with teachers than with parents, the survey shows — 51 percent say they're satisfied with the chancellor's performance, down from 55 percent last year. Some 17 percent say they're dissatisfied and 31 percent didn't know how to answer, according to the results.

A total of 1,026,220 students, families and teachers responded to the annual school survey, which was available online and in print between Feb. 11 and April 25, according to the DOE.

This story has been updated to clarify that last year's school survey was conducted largely under the previous chancellor, Carmen Fariña.