Zephyr Teachout, Fordham Law professor and former gubernatorial candidate, is no stranger to standing up for what she believes in. Though Governor Andrew Cuomo secured the nomination under political pressure, Teachout’s campaign left a lasting impression—and she isn’t done yet.
Rooted in her belief in democracy free from corporate influence, Teachout champions public education as a cornerstone of a just society. With community support, she’s ready to challenge Cuomo again, this time with a renewed focus on the future of public schools in New York.
Her Journey into Education: A Story That Still Inspires
Teachout’s understanding of the education system isn’t theoretical—it’s personal. Her first job after college was as a third-grade special education assistant in a small rural Vermont school. It was there that she met a student who changed her life—and helped define her stance on education policy.
The boy she worked with had been through multiple foster homes. He struggled with academics and emotional regulation, often calling himself “stupid” and refusing to write. But with patience and creative support from his teacher and Teachout, he found a way in.
Together, they created stories using scribbles—first hers, then his. Eventually, his stories about trolls and shipwrecks emerged. His imagination bloomed, and his confidence followed. That progress led to better performance in math, too. The trolls, he said, lived in his knuckles and whispered the answers when he cracked them.
That book of troll stories, stapled together in the classroom, remains one of Teachout’s proudest achievements. And it reminds her why rigid testing and one-size-fits-all approaches often fail the very students they’re meant to help.
High-Stakes Testing Misses the Point
Teachout worries about today’s education climate, where test scores often overshadow human potential. In her view, a child like the one she worked with would likely be labeled a failure under current standards—and that’s a failure of the system itself.
Teachers, she says, need trust, not scripts. Schools need stable funding, not constant budget cuts. Students need time, space, and creativity—not pressure to perform on high-stakes tests. Especially for children with emotional and learning challenges, rigid testing environments can cause more harm than good.
Teaching Is a Long Game—And So Is Learning
One semester doesn’t change a life—but 12 years of educators who care can. Teachout believes in a public school system that gives teachers the resources and respect they deserve. She envisions schools where children are seen for who they are, not how they test.
She draws a sharp contrast between this vision and Governor Cuomo’s track record. Cuomo, she points out, has spent more time courting donors than visiting schools. That disconnect, she says, has left public education underfunded and undervalued.
If She Runs—She’ll Fight for Public Schools
Should Teachout run again for Governor, she promises education will remain at the heart of her campaign. She’ll visit schools regularly. She’ll think of students—not just spreadsheets—when crafting education policy.
For her, schools are not budget lines to be trimmed. They are the soul of the state. Strong schools mean a strong future. That requires more than standards and tests—it requires vision, imagination, and the belief that every child has a story worth telling.
Why Zephyr Teachout Still Matters
Teachout challenges New Yorkers to ask: Why have we stopped believing in bold, well-funded public schools? Why settle for test prep when we could invest in music, art, special education, and a curriculum that inspires?
The child who once believed he had no imagination proved otherwise with support and patience. Teachout believes New York can do the same. It’s time to stop listening to voices that say we can’t—and start dreaming big again.
