Charter advocates have taken to the airwaves, launching a multi-million dollar ad campaign blasting the mayor.
And this past week, thousands of charter school teachers, parents and students gathered in Albany, protesting the mayor's decision to charge charters rent and place a moratorium on future co-location.
Even Governor Cuomo stepped into the fray, voicing his support at the rally.
At another Albany rally, de Blasio dismissed the charter school demonstration as a sideshow.
Joining us are Danique Day Loving, the principal of Success Academy Harlem 1, her school not one of the three affected. But she is adamant in her fight to protect charters. And, Jeremiah Kittredge, Executive Director of Families for Excellent Schools, the group behind the ad campaign and responsible for organizing the rally in Albany.
Also with us is Deputy Mayor for Strategic Initiatives Richard Buery Jr.
As head of the Childrens Aid Society, he lobbied for the charter school run by his nonprofit to be co-located inside a public school in the South Bronx.
In his new job, he will be pushing for Mayor de Blasio's key issue, citywide pre-K, which may compete for space with charter schools.
Both Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio have talked about their history of working together and personal friendship.
But lately they are in a public tug of war over two big issues for families, funding for pre-K and charter schools.
Tensions between New York State governors and New York City mayors are not new, but how much do these public feuds affect political agendas and all of us?
We're joined by someone who knows very well the inner workings of state and city politics: former New York Governor David Paterson, the state's 55th governor, serving during some of the state's toughest economic times from 2008 to 2010.
Watch Up Close with Diana Williams every Sunday morning at 11:00 on Channel 7.