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With New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani set to take office Jan. 1, he still hasn’t announced whether he plans to make a change atop the largest school district in America.
But if Mamdani does decide to replace New York City Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos, there’s at least one Rhode Islander to keep an eye on, according to Chalkbeat New York, which covers education closely in the Big Apple:
Rhode Island Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green.
Infante-Green was included on Chalkbeat’s shortlist of potential contenders list earlier this month, and she has so far declined to comment on whether she has had any conversations with the mayor-elect’s team.
The bigger picture: Infante-Green was born and raised in New York, and rose through the ranks in the State Department of Education before taking the top job in Rhode Island. She knows New York inside and out, and there’s no guarantee that she’ll be retained as education commissioner if Rhode Island elects a new governor next year.
✏️ You pursue the job because it’s the education equivalent of playing shortstop for the New York Yankees. It’s a chance to make a difference in your home city, which happens to have almost as many students as the entire population of the state of Rhode Island. It would also be a fresh start after nearly seven years leading Rhode Island’s schools.
✏️ You run away from the job because it’s the education equivalent of playing shortstop for the New York Yankees. Every decision comes with intense public scrutiny. And Infante-Green hasn’t always had the best relationship with American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, who has plenty of influence in New York.
What’s next: Infante-Green’s contract in Rhode Island runs through April 2028, so she has plenty of job security. If Governor Dan McKee is reelected, it wouldn’t be surprising to see her stay on through the end of his term. If McKee loses, she’s likely to get a significant buyout.
The most likely scenario in New York would be for Infante-Green to play a behind-the-scenes advisory role for Mamdani because she knows all the players involved. She could also pursue the job down the line.
🤔 So you think you're a Rhode Islander...
Can you name the US senator from Rhode Island who pushed to publish verbatim transcripts of congressional proceedings in the congressional record?
(Answer at the bottom.)
Do you have the perfect question for Rhode Map readers? Don't forget to send the answer, too. Send me an email today.
The Globe in Rhode Island
⚓ Campus security at Brown University is under federal investigation and the vice president of public safety was placed on leave Monday following the mass shooting last week that killed two students and injured nine others. Read more.
⚓ More than a week after the shooting that shattered the sense of safety around Brown, Providence is inching back toward normal, cautiously, unevenly. A frantic manhunt for the killer lasted days. Even with it over, fear lingers inside restaurants, churches, storefronts, and residences, with many people still on edge. Read more.
⚓ A Brown University custodian says he saw the alleged mass shooter, who opened fire in a classroom on Dec. 13, nearly a dozen times several weeks before the attack and shared suspicions about the man with an on-campus security guard. Read more.
⚓ Citing national security concerns, the Trump administration suspended five federal leases for offshore wind projects on Monday — the latest salvo in the White House’s fight against renewable energy. Two New England projects, Vineyard Wind and Revolution Wind, were among those caught in the crosshairs. Read more.
⚓ A former candidate for mayor of Cranston, who is now the chairwoman of the city’s Democratic Committee was arrested and charged with driving under the influence after she twice asked an officer, “You know who I am, right?” during a traffic stop. Read here.
⚓ The Frog & Toad gift shops are now selling hoodies and T-shirts emblazoned with the words “Hope, Power, Friendship, Providence,” and donating all proceeds to the Student Emergency Support Fund at Brown University. Read more.
⚓ In an opinion piece for Globe Rhode Island, former Rhode Island Department of Health director Dr. Michael Fine outlines a federal health care truce worth trying. Read more.
You can check out all of our coverage at Globe.com/RI
Also in the Globe
⚓ Over a decade of political and cultural upheaval, America’s most powerful university grew vulnerable to attack. There were warning signs. Read more.
⚓ My colleague James Pindell writes that the Republican Party is fracturing, and JD Vance’s 2028 hopes are caught in the middle. Read more.
⚓ With their trade for first baseman Willson Contreras in exchange for three pitchers on Sunday night, the Red Sox took an important first step in reshaping their lineup. But there’s more to do. Read more.
⚓ Rhode Map readers, if you want the birthday of a friend or family member to be recognized Wednesday, send me an email with their first and last name, and their age.
⚓ The Middletown Town Council is holding a special meeting at 3 p.m. to create a Joint Academic Integration Advisory Committee for the purposes of exploring a school regionalization pact with Newport.
⚓ Need something to do tonight? The Holiday Lights Spectacular at Roger Williams Park Zoo continues through Jan. 4.
⚓ Don't forget that you can still buy tickets to "A Christmas Carol" at Trinity Rep.
🏆 Pop quiz answer
Senator Henry B. Anthony chaired the Committee on Printing for more than 20 years and helped to establish the Official Reporters of Debates.
RHODE ISLAND REPORT PODCAST Edward Fitzpatrick talks to Providence Mayor Brett Smiley about the shooting at Brown University. Listen to all of our podcasts here.
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