What will the next four years under President Donald Trump mean for public education in New York City? UFT President Michael Mulgrew told the Delegate Assembly on Jan. 15 that many parents are fearful of the ramifications.

In his president’s report to the delegate body, Mulgrew said the Community Education Council parent leaders who met with him at union headquarters on Jan. 6 expressed their concerns. “They’re worried about book banning, they’re worried about what their children can and can’t be taught, and they’re worried about curriculum mandates,” he said.

But Mulgrew reminded the delegates — as he told the parents: “The state oversees the education system.”

Mulgrew said the union worries that federal money for title programs — particularly Title 1 — will be tied to guidelines aligned with the new administration’s education agenda. But the main fear of many, he said, is that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will charge into schools to remove students who are undocumented immigrants.

Mulgrew said the city Department of Education has told principals that it does not consent to nonlocal law enforcement accessing school facilities in any circumstances. He also affirmed that the UFT and its members will always fight for schools to remain safe zones.

“We’re not gonna let ICE drag kids out of schools,” he said. “That is what we do.”

Regarding the 2025 city elections, Mulgrew noted that, besides the mayoral race, there will be 12 open City Council seats due to term limits. Mulgrew reminded the delegates that union committees with rank-and-file members would be interviewing all the candidates and would make endorsement recommendations based on their findings.

Mulgrew also reported that thanks to the union’s help navigating the DOE’s complicated hiring process, 1,600 paraprofessionals were cleared and available to work in schools in December and January, but paraprofessional short-staffing remains an issue.

He said the main reason for high paraprofessional turnover is because paraprofessionals are not paid enough and because the DOE does not train them properly.

Mulgrew also noted that there is a shortage of substitutes and many schools don’t have a plan to get these substitutes.

“We have to do something about this as a union,” he said.

Mulgrew recommended that each school’s UFT consultation committee or special education committee call on the principal to create a plan. He noted that many schools have done a good job of developing a pool of substitutes they can call, proving it can be done.

“As long as we continue to say nothing about it, the DOE will continue to say there are no subs,” Mulgrew said. “And that’s unacceptable.”