Mamdani’s War on Charter Schools: Oh, the Hypocrisy

So here we are again—another progressive politician decides the great evil of our time isn’t crime, inflation, or the fact that the F train still smells like a biology experiment gone wrong—it’s charter schools. Yes, Zohran Mamdani, proud alumnus of Bronx Science, one of the most selective and highest-performing public schools in the country, has decided the rest of us don’t deserve even a fighting chance at a decent education unless it’s run exclusively by the Department of Bureaucratic Stagnation, otherwise known as the NYC Department of Education.

Let me repeat that: a guy who got into Bronx Science, a school so competitive that kids have to score higher on entrance exams than some college applicants, is now railing against charter schools for being “unfair.” That’s like winning the lottery and then trying to ban scratch-offs.

And here’s where the hypocrisy really hits home: the data isn’t murky, it isn’t debatable, it isn’t even close. Charter school kids—especially in New York—consistently outscore their peers in government-run schools. We’re not talking about “a few points here and there.” No, we’re talking 20-point swings or more in math and reading. That’s the difference between “I might get into college” and “I might not even finish high school.” But somehow, Mamdani thinks closing that gap is bad, because it offends his socialist sensibilities.

A Tale of Two Systems

Let’s put this in perspective. Imagine two supermarkets. One is the city-run “People’s Grocery.” The milk is always two weeks expired, the bread is stale, and half the time the doors are locked because the union went on strike. Across the street is FreshMart, privately managed, where the apples are crisp, the shelves are stocked, and the checkout line actually moves. You’d think customers should be allowed to choose where they buy their food. But Mamdani? He’d close FreshMart and tell you to smile while you pay full price for moldy Wonder Bread.

Now replace apples with algebra scores, and you’ll understand what he’s doing to charter schools.

I say this as someone who’s lived it. I, Jacob Silver, am a product of a Manhattan STEM charter school. My school didn’t have gold-plated hallways or Hogwarts magic—what it had was teachers who weren’t hamstrung by endless bureaucratic nonsense, parents who had a stake in what went on, and kids who actually learned. I got into Georgetown because of that system, not in spite of it. Meanwhile, friends who were trapped in “regular” government schools are still trying to pass remedial math at community college. But hey, at least the playing field was “equal.”

The Bronx Science Irony

And here’s the real kicker: Mamdani’s alma mater, Bronx Science, is itself selective. You don’t just walk in because you live in the right ZIP code. You test in. You prove you can handle the rigor. It’s basically a public charter school with Ivy League branding. But instead of recognizing that expanding high-performing alternatives is a win for students, Mamdani wants to slam the door shut.

It’s like he climbed the ladder, got into Bronx Science, then decided to yank the ladder away so nobody else could follow. That’s not progressive—it’s just petty.

Government Groceries, Government Schools, Government Everything

And don’t think this ends with schools. Mamdani’s utopia doesn’t just include government-run education—it dreams bigger. Why stop there? He’s already floated the idea of government-run grocery stores. Yes, really. Because when I think of efficient food distribution, my first thought is “the same people who can’t fix the pothole in front of my apartment.”

Picture it: rows of sad bananas, a government-issued cheese block, and a line so long it makes the DMV look like Disney World. You want that system for food? Mamdani does. And now he wants it for schools too.

The Bottom Line

The debate about charter schools isn’t complicated. Parents want options. Kids want results. Charter schools deliver both. Government-run schools deliver excuses. The numbers prove it—20 points in math, 20 points in reading, sometimes more. That’s the difference between thriving and falling through the cracks.

But Mamdani, from the comfort of his Bronx Science diploma, says we should shut it all down. His argument isn’t about fairness—it’s about control. He doesn’t want kids succeeding outside the state’s grip, even if it means condemning thousands to failure.

So here’s my advice: if Mamdani really believes in government-only solutions, let him give up his Bronx Science bragging rights first. Until then, spare us the lectures.

Because some of us would like our schools to be FreshMart, not People’s Grocery.

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Jacob Silver is a contributor for Direct Line News. He can be reached at Jacob.Silver@mcgopclub.com

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