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Hunter College has placed an associate biology professor on leave after she managed to drop some truly vile comments during a virtual Community Education Council meeting. The backlash was swift and entirely deserved.
As of this writing, she has not been fired.
This all went down on February 10 when Allyson Friedman, who moonlights as a parent at a public school, was attending the meeting virtually. A Black eighth-grade student was voicing concerns about her Upper West Side school potentially shutting down. That's when Friedman's hot mic betrayed her.
"They’re too dumb to know they’re in a bad school," she was heard saying.
She kept going: "If you train a black person well enough, they’ll know to use the back. You don’t have to tell them anymore."
This all went down on February 10 when Allyson Friedman, who moonlights as a parent at a public school, was attending the meeting virtually. A Black eighth-grade student was voicing concerns about her Upper West Side school potentially shutting down. That's when Friedman's hot mic betrayed her.
"They’re too dumb to know they’re in a bad school," she was heard saying.
She kept going: "If you train a black person well enough, they’ll know to use the back. You don’t have to tell them anymore."
Disgusting.
The remarks appeared to riff on a quote from Carter G. Woodson in his 1933 book "The Mis-Education of the Negro," which the district's interim acting superintendent had referenced earlier. Woodson wrote: "If you make a man think that he is justly an outcast, you do not have to order him to the back door. He will go without being told."
The meeting went dead silent for about 10 seconds. Two other adults immediately called her out, while others sat there in shock, hands over mouths. The moderators apologized to the student and moved on.
Hunter College President Nancy Cantor issued a statement Wednesday addressing the mess."I write to share an update about actions that Hunter College is taking as a result of the incident during a recent virtual meeting of the New York City School District 3 Community Education Council in which abhorrent remarks were heard coming from a district parent who also is a Hunter employee," Cantor wrote.
"As I shared earlier, we are investigating this matter under the university's applicable conduct and nondiscrimination policies. Pending the outcome of our investigation, the employee has been placed on leave."
The statement did not clarify whether Friedman is still getting paid. Earlier, the CUNY school had said it was "reviewing" her conduct after the audio spread online and ignited widespread outrage.
Friedman tried to clean it up later, claiming she was explaining systemic racism to her own child "by referencing an example of an obviously racist trope." She added that her full remarks were not completely audible due to the microphone mishap.
"My complete comments make clear these abhorrent views are not my own, nor were they directed at any student or group," Friedman told the New York Times.
Public officials were having none of it and demanded action.
Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman Sigal called the comments "outrageous."
The remarks appeared to riff on a quote from Carter G. Woodson in his 1933 book "The Mis-Education of the Negro," which the district's interim acting superintendent had referenced earlier. Woodson wrote: "If you make a man think that he is justly an outcast, you do not have to order him to the back door. He will go without being told."
The meeting went dead silent for about 10 seconds. Two other adults immediately called her out, while others sat there in shock, hands over mouths. The moderators apologized to the student and moved on.
Hunter College President Nancy Cantor issued a statement Wednesday addressing the mess."I write to share an update about actions that Hunter College is taking as a result of the incident during a recent virtual meeting of the New York City School District 3 Community Education Council in which abhorrent remarks were heard coming from a district parent who also is a Hunter employee," Cantor wrote.
"As I shared earlier, we are investigating this matter under the university's applicable conduct and nondiscrimination policies. Pending the outcome of our investigation, the employee has been placed on leave."
The statement did not clarify whether Friedman is still getting paid. Earlier, the CUNY school had said it was "reviewing" her conduct after the audio spread online and ignited widespread outrage.
Friedman tried to clean it up later, claiming she was explaining systemic racism to her own child "by referencing an example of an obviously racist trope." She added that her full remarks were not completely audible due to the microphone mishap.
"My complete comments make clear these abhorrent views are not my own, nor were they directed at any student or group," Friedman told the New York Times.
Public officials were having none of it and demanded action.
Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman Sigal called the comments "outrageous."
"It is particularly despicable that these vile words were uttered while children were giving testimony at the meeting, exposing them to this hatred," he said.
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. posted on X: "She still isn't fired???"
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. posted on X: "She still isn't fired???"
United Jewish Teachers president Moshe Spern wrote: "She shouldn't be near any child at all. Her words are abhorrent and racist. I feel awful for all those children who witnessed this. Hunter shouldn’t allow her to continue in her role until a full investigation is complete."
Cantor noted in her statement that counseling services and an employee assistance program are available for anyone in the school community needing support.
"This painful incident unfolded at a meeting where Black History Month was being celebrated, and the pernicious and enduring effects of anti-Black systemic racism were being discussed, especially with regard to the role of educational institutions in addressing them," Cantor wrote.
"Hunter has long embraced such a role, which requires constant vigilance to remain attentive and responsive to the ways in which we continually draw and redraw discriminatory social lines."
The professor is tenured, so this could drag on, but the hot mic moment has left her exposed and the school scrambling. In a world where educators are supposed to model better behavior, this one set the bar somewhere below basement level.
Cantor noted in her statement that counseling services and an employee assistance program are available for anyone in the school community needing support.
"This painful incident unfolded at a meeting where Black History Month was being celebrated, and the pernicious and enduring effects of anti-Black systemic racism were being discussed, especially with regard to the role of educational institutions in addressing them," Cantor wrote.
"Hunter has long embraced such a role, which requires constant vigilance to remain attentive and responsive to the ways in which we continually draw and redraw discriminatory social lines."
The professor is tenured, so this could drag on, but the hot mic moment has left her exposed and the school scrambling. In a world where educators are supposed to model better behavior, this one set the bar somewhere below basement level.
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