Key facts
- Hannah-Jones challenged Samuels on the implementation of diversity group recommendations.
- The town hall was sponsored by The Bell and New York Appleseed.
Investigative journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones and a crowd of students criticized New York City Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels on Tuesday night for his perceived failure to present a clear plan for integrating public schools. Hannah-Jones, a Pulitzer Prize winner, questioned Samuels about the delayed implementation of key recommendations from the city's 2019 School Diversity Advisory Group, such as removing admissions screens that advocates argue contribute to segregation. The town hall, held in Manhattan and attended by approximately 800 students and advocates, was sponsored by The Bell and New York Appleseed. Samuels, who has previously worked on school mergers to advance integration, identified it as a priority upon his appointment by Mayor Zohran Mamdani.