NYC Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels on thin ice after no-bid contract grilling
New York City Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels faces mounting calls to resign over a $180,000 no-bid contracting scandal from 2023 that allegedly circumvented mandatory city oversight.
Kamar Samuels, who heads the Department of Education as Schools Chancellor, endured a tumultuous week following revelations about a questionable $180,000 contract he approved in 2023 while serving as superintendent of Manhattan’s Upper West Side District 3, according to New York Post.
The contract went to Sean Kreyling, a vendor not approved by the Department of Education. Documents reviewed by New York Post show Samuels structured the payments across two of Kreyling’s companies to keep individual amounts below $25,000, thereby avoiding mandatory city financial oversight mechanisms designed to prevent such arrangements.
New York City Councilman Phil Wong, a Queens Democrat, became the first elected official to publicly demand Samuels’ removal. Chancellor Kamar Samuels has lost the confidence of public school parents, educators, and school administrators. He should step down, Wong told New York Post.
Sources within City Hall and the education department paint a bleak picture of Samuels’ standing. As New York Post reports, the DOE is preparing for what would be its fourth chancellor in five years, with one insider bluntly stating Samuels is a dead man walking.
Grilling at City Council Exposes Policy Failures
Samuels faced aggressive questioning during a Monday City Council budget hearing about the contracting irregularities. Before DOE General Counsel Liz Vladeck intervened to halt further inquiries, Samuels acknowledged regret over policy lapses that occurred under his watch as superintendent, claiming the actions were intended to advance educational opportunities.
The situation deteriorated further when Kreyling himself appeared at a Wednesday hearing and pointed directly at Samuels as responsible for the improper contracting decisions.
Allegations of Rigged Investigation Surface
Kreyling also leveled serious accusations against the Special Commissioner of Investigation, the independent body tasked with examining DOE misconduct. He claimed the SCI conducted a predetermined investigation designed to shield certain officials while making him and his organization scapegoats for Samuels’ poor judgment.
A June 2025 SCI report assigned blame to Kreyling and Mariela Graham, Samuels’ former deputy superintendent who signed a nearly identical contract with Kreyling in 2024. The report made no reference to Samuels’ involvement in the contracting scheme.
Following Kreyling’s testimony, City Councilman Frank Morano, a Staten Island Republican, called for accountability. Morano expressed concern not just about the allegations themselves but about the possibility of a double standard protecting senior leadership while rank-and-file employees face consequences for similar conduct.
Internal Doubts About Chancellor’s Capabilities
Beyond the contracting controversy, Samuels faces internal skepticism about his competence. A well-positioned source within the DOE told New York Post that many believe the chancellor is overwhelmed by the demands of his position.
Neither Samuels nor the Department of Education provided responses to inquiries about the scandal or the chancellor’s future.
With information from New York Post
