Michael Elsen-Rooney

Michael Elsen-Rooney

Reporter, Chalkbeat New York

Mike Elsen-Rooney writes about New York City public schools. Before joining Chalkbeat, he covered education for the New York Daily News, Columbia Journalism School’s Teacher Project and The Hechinger Report. His writing has appeared in The Atlantic, USA Today, and The Boston Globe Magazine. Mike started his career as a high school Spanish teacher and afterschool program coordinator in the Washington DC area.

In his first public statement since being detained by immigration authorities last month, Bronx high schooler Dylan Lopez Contreras expressed anger over his detention but also gratitude for the outpouring of support.

New York City schools receive more than $2 billion a year in federal funds. How would the next mayor respond if President Donald Trump threatens to withhold it?

New York City’s mayor has an unusual level of authority over public schools. But mayoral control is up for renewal once again midway through 2026.

The number of school safety agents has fallen nearly 30% over the past five years, causing concern among principals. Here’s how the mayoral candidates would approach school security.

In a friend-of-the-court brief, city lawyers argued that arresting immigrants after court hearings would prevent them from using the court system.

In a new “habeas corpus” filing, the lawyers for Dylan, a Bronx high school student detained by ICE, demanded his immediate release.

El arresto —el primer caso conocido de detención por parte de ICE de un estudiante en curso de una escuela pública de Nueva York durante el segundo mandato de Trump— sacudió a la comunidad estrechamente unida de su high school en el Bronx.

Dylan’s arrest has sparked outrage among local elected officials. Torres is the first federal elected official to publicly intervene on his behalf.

Teenagers representing dozens of high schools made the case that pushing back on President Donald Trump’s administration is a matter of standing up for constitutional rights.