New York City Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, who announced his candidacy in the race for New York City Mayor over a week ago, spoke with WOR's John Gambling on today's morning show to shed some light on where he stands on some of the city's most important issues.

As a "public school parent" residing in Brooklyn, de Blasio expressed that he is passionate about working to keep inner city schools open, suggesting that closings should act solely as a worst-case scenario.

"I think there are times when you do need to participate in closing a school where it isn't working, but I don't think it's a policy," Bill de Blasio commented. "I don't think the thing you try to do is close a school - I think the thing you do is try and save a school, and as a last resort you would turn to a closure and restructuring."

John reminded de Blasio that a reason behind the potential closings is due to the the difficulty in removing teachers who, according to the numbers, are not succeeding in helping students to reach the state's goals.

"Our focus needs to be on the vast majority of teachers who are doing their job but need help to develop into better teachers, not the small percentage who aren't working out," he said. "I bluntly believe that this mayor in the last couple of years has become fixated - or a little obsessed - on the small number of teachers who are not so good."

Listen to more of John Gambling's discussion with mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio about stop and frisk, NYC public schools, and housing affordability below:

 John Gambling Bill Deblasio 2/4/13