Zohran Mamdani sparks outrage with plan to eliminate NYC’s Gifted and Talented program in elementary schools.NN

Mayoral front-runner Zohran Mamdani wants to phase out New York City’s Gifted and Talented program — the democratic socialist’s latest move to revert to ex-Mayor Bill de Blasio’s era.

Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for mayor, said Thursday he would eliminate the accelerated learning program at the kindergarten level, something that’s likely to anger parents, who have been passionately divided on the issue.

The gifted classes would remain active through the school year, but would no longer be available next fall, he said.

Critics have attacked the coveted learning model as racist due to the higher number of white and Asian students that gain entry through the exam.

But backers argue getting rid of the classes would eliminate opportunities for thousands of bright students from low-and-middle income families.

Mamdani’s proposal would be the first step in undoing the program across all elementary schools — a controversial change inside the Department of Education made by de Blasio on his way out the door in 2021, and reverted by Mayor Eric Adams when he took office.

“I will return to the previous policy,” Mamdani told the New York Times in a statement. “Ultimately, my administration would aim to make sure that every child receives a high-quality early education that nurtures their curiosity and learning.”

Danyela Souza, vice president of Community Education Council 2 in Manhattan, and a fellow at the Manhattan Institute think tank who tracks education, flunked the plan, saying it could spark an exodus from the city public school system.

“Mamdani is eliminating opportunities for low and middle income students to access an advanced education,” Souza, a public school parent, told The Post.

She noted that Mamdani’s wealthy parents sent him to the Bank Street school, whose tuition runs up to $66,000 a year.

“He’s taking away opportunities from families who are not as fortunate as his family,” Souza said.

“It’s going to accelerate families leaving the city public school system.”

A spokesperson for Mamdani’s campaign confirmed his plan to scrap G&T for 5-year-olds, first reported in the Times.

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“Zohran knows that five year-olds should not be subjected to a singular assessment that unfairly separates them right at the beginning of their public school education,” spokesperson Dora Pekec said in a statement.

“His agenda for our schools will ensure that every New York City public school student receives a high-quality early education that enables them to be challenged and fulfilled.”

When fully phased in, Mamdani would only allow gifted and talented classes starting at grade 3. It would be eliminated in grades K to 2nd, his campaign said.

Yiatin Chu, co-president of the group Parent Leaders for Accelerated Curriculum and Education, argued Mamdani was “going in the wrong direction” with his plan to scrap the “popular program.” 

“Mamdani wants to be de Blasio 2.0 –wanting to kill the gifted and talented program,” Chu said.

“It’s definitely going in the wrong direction … You’re removing a pathway for the brightest of our kids to be challenged,” she said. “We should be expanding these programs, not eliminating them.”

She noted that kindergarten enrollment has plummeted 15% in recent years, and eliminating the G&T program would discourage more families from enrolling in city public schools.

“Why do we think every kid is the same?” Chu asked.

“Parents are going to look to private schools or charter schools as an option or they’re going to move out of the city. You have one chance to educate your child.” 

Mamdani’s two general election opponents — independent candidate Andrew Cuomo and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, also slammed his plan.

“Eliminating opportunities for excellence doesn’t help underserved kids, it perpetuates the problem. It creates a false equality, by eliminating any opportunity to excel,” Cuomo said.

“The Democratic ideal has always been about providing more opportunities for historically marginalized students to access these programs—not eliminating academic excellence altogether.”

Sliwas, during a press event Thursday, said, “I would not only maintain the gifted and talented as I saw up close and personal, I would expand it.”

He noted that Mamdani did “outstandingly well” at Bronx HS of Science, where students need strong scores on a single-test exam to get in.

“So he benefited from all that, but he wants to deprive young children who need advanced courses,” Sliwa said.

— Additional reporting by Hannah Fierick