An associate professor at Hunter College has been suspended for allegedly making racist comments about black students during a virtual public school meeting, sparking widespread outrage and an official investigation.The incident occurred during the Feb. 10 Community Education Council (CEC) District 3 meeting, where parents, students and officials were discussing concerns about possible closures of Manhattan schools. Professor Allyson Friedman was attending the meeting as a parent and didn’t realize her microphone had been turned on when she made the controversial remarks.According to a recording of the meeting that later circulated online, Friedman said black students were “too stupid to know they were in a bad school.” She also made remarks about segregation, saying: “If you train black people well enough, they will know how to use their backs. You don’t have to tell them anymore.”
The comments came as an eighth-grader discussed concerns that her school could be closed. When attendees realized Friedman’s microphone was on line, the meeting fell silent and the moderator quickly apologized before continuing the meeting.Hunter College President Nancy Cantor said in a statement that the college has launched an investigation in accordance with its conduct and nondiscrimination policies.“The employee has been suspended pending the outcome of our investigation,” Cantor said, calling the comments “abhorrent.”The college, which is part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system, has not confirmed whether Friedman’s leave will be paid or whether further disciplinary action will be taken.Friedman later apologized for her remarks, saying they were taken out of context and that she had been trying to explain systemic racism to her children by invoking racist tropes. She said her views did not reflect remarks heard during the meeting.“Regardless of the context, my remarks were wrong and caused harm,” she said, adding that she took full responsibility for their impact.The comments drew sharp criticism from government officials and education leaders. Manhattan Borough President Brad Holman-Segal called the comments “outrageous,” while Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. questioned why stronger action hadn’t been taken yet.Education officials say racism has no place in schools and stress the need to support affected students and families.The controversy has intensified the debate over racial equity and accountability in educational institutions. Hunter College said it remains committed to an inclusive environment and will take appropriate action based on the findings.
