The academic world has been stirred by a New York City professor whose controversial remarks about black students have triggered widespread outrage. The comments, inadvertently caught on a hot mic, have sparked a heated debate around racial sensitivity and educational equity.
Earlier this month, Associate Professor Allyson Friedman of Hunter College participated in a virtual Community Education Council Meeting. The discussion centered around Zohran Mamdani’s proposal to either close or relocate several public schools, a plan that has already been a source of contention among local families.
During the meeting, a black eighth-grade student expressed her admiration for her teachers and the distress she felt at the thought of her school possibly shutting down. As the student shared her thoughts, Friedman accidentally interjected, according to a report by the New York Times.
Her comments, “They’re too dumb to know they’re in a bad school,” followed by, “If you train a black person well enough, they’ll know to use the back. You don’t have to tell them anymore,” have been condemned as deeply offensive. The mention of “the back” appeared to reference a historical quote by African American historian Carter G. Woodson. Woodson famously stated, “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.”
These potential school closures have raised concerns about unnecessary disruption in the community, particularly affecting three schools on the Upper West Side. Families have come together to voice their opinions and advocate for their children’s educational stability, amidst a backdrop of growing tension over the proposed changes.
The pending closures could affect three Upper West Side schools, prompting concerns over unnecessary disruptions, which families gathered to debate.
In video footage of the virtual meet-up, which the council uploaded this week, meeting attendees looked visibly shocked by Friedman’s commentary.
‘What you’re saying is absolutely hearable here,’ one person said. ‘You’ve got to stop.’
In a statement obtained by the Daily Mail, a Hunter College spokesperson called Friedman’s remarks ‘abhorrent.’
Allyson Friedman is a tenured professor at Hunter College who works in the Department of Biological Sciences
Hunter College called Friedman’s remarks during the meeting ‘abhorrant’
‘In service to Hunter College, we expect our community members’ actions and words to comport with our institutional identity, values, and policies,’ they said.
‘We stand firm in our enduring commitment to sustain an inclusive educational environment that is free of discrimination of any kind, in which people of all identities will feel welcome and can thrive.’
The Upper East Side university said they would be ‘reviewing the situation under the university’s applicable conduct and nondiscrimination policies.’
After Friedman’s shocking commentary, the school district’s interim superintendent, Reginald Higgins, emailed district parents blasting her ‘demeaning assumptions’ without naming her.
The video was posted that week by the Community Education Council for District Three, sparking further, infuriated discussion throughout the city.
Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman Sigal posted his reaction to Friedman’s remarks on Friday.
‘The anti-black comments made at the February 10 meeting of CEC3 are outrageous and have no place anywhere, especially in civic discourse,’ he said.
‘It is particularly despicable that these vile words were uttered while children were giving testimony at the meeting, exposing them to this hatred.’
Meeting attendees were visibly shocked and confused by Friedman’s remarks
Families gathered to discuss a proposal from Zohran Mamdani which would close or relocated some New York City public schools
City Council Education Chair Rita Joseph called the comments ‘unacceptable.’
‘I am deeply disturbed by the blatantly racist and harmful remarks made during the CEC3 meeting…,’ she said. ‘…There is absolutely no place for this type of language in any space and certainly not in a forum centered on our children and their education.’
City Council member Rita Joseph said the incident spoke to a ‘deeper and enduring issue within our New York City public school system: systemic racism that continues to show up in policies, practices and as we saw, in rhetoric.’
According to the New York City Public Schools website, just under 20 percent of students identify as black.
Many districts impacted by pending mergers, closures or relocations frequently educate a majority of students of color.
Friedman, a tenured employee of the Department of Biological Sciences, claimed that she was addressing her child and did not realize her microphone was still on at the time.
In an email obtained by the Times, Friedman said she was ‘trying to explain the concept of systemic racism by referencing an example of an obviously racist trope.’
The larger context of her commentary was reportedly not picked up by her microphone. She seemed to reference something Higgins said earlier in the meeting.
The meeting was held to discuss proposed policies that would relocate and even close some New York City public schools
Higgins quoted black historian and author Carter G. Woodson, reported the West Side Rag.
‘If you make a man think that he is justly an outcast, you do not have to order him to the back door,’ Woodson said, in part. ‘He will go without being told.’
‘My complete comments make clear these abhorrent views are not my own, nor were they directed at any student or group,’ Friedman said.
‘I fully support these courageous students in their efforts to stop school closures. However, I recognize these comments caused harm and pain, while that was not my intent, I do truly apologize.’
Friedman sent personal apologies to the superintendent, the school and the education council in the fallout of her alarming remarks.
The Daily Mail contacted Friedman and the Community Education Council for District Three for comment.
