I believe Eric Adams wanted to do the right thing with the SHSAT exam.  He understands how detrimental it is, but ultimately didn’t think it was worth the fight.

we have to meet the demand of highly capable candidates who want a specialized high school seat by expanding seats overall. I am expanding on my existing call for new borough-based specialized high schools by recommending five such schools be created, one in each borough, with admissions considerations that include the SHSAT and academic portfolio standards such as class rank and state test scores. Evaluating the success of this new model at these new schools, as well as the models employed by other top-tier high schools in the city that screen applicants, would be valuable in informing our educational approach as a whole and our admissions process at the specialized high schools.

We know that expanding gifted and talented does not work for many minority communities.   These programs benefit the same students with motivated parents who push them and teachers to get them in.

http://amsterdamnews.com/news/2018/jul/02/bp-eric-adams-states-his-shsat-position/