What to Know
A Hunter College employee is in hot water after a comment she made on a Zoom call is going viral online. Associate professor Allyson Friedman was caught making a racist remark while an eighth grade student was speaking about their educational concerns in a meeting, and she’s already trying to defend herself against what she said.
The moment unfolded at a school district meeting.
@nypost Education officials were left profoundly disturbed and students on the Zoom call were left stunned by Allyson Friedman’s comments. Learn more about what happened at the link in bio.
♬ original sound – New York Post | News
As the New York Times reported, the Community Education Council meeting was held on February 10 to address a proposal that would close certain schools, and a Black student was present to speak out in favor of her school and teachers amid concerns that it would be one of the schools closing its doors
The meeting also included Allyson — who was on the meeting as a parent, not as a professor — whose camera was off but her mic was clearly on.
In recordings of the meeting, she can be heard saying of Black students, “They’re too dumb to know they’re in a bad school. If you train a Black person well enough, they’ll know to use the back. You don’t have to tell them anymore.”
She was talking about comments that had been made earlier in the meeting by superintendent Reginald Higgins, who was quoting scholar Carter G. Woodson.
Another person on the meeting immediately cut in, saying, “What you’re saying is absolutely hearable here. You’ve got to stop.”
A spokesperson for Hunter College has already responded to the incident.
In a statement, the college said, “We expect our community members’ actions and words to comport with our institutional identity, values and policies. We stand firm in our enduring commitment to sustain an inclusive educational environment.”
City council leader Rita Joseph said that this is more proof of “systemic racism” in education, adding, “We cannot talk about school closures, equity or educational opportunity without confronting the culture and systems that devalue Black students and communities.”
The professor has already tried to explain herself.
The New York Times reported that Allyson has said that her words didn’t reflect her own views — instead, she was trying to explain “the concept of systemic racism” to her child, who was in the room and listening to the meeting with her.
“My complete comments make clear these abhorrent views are not my own, nor were they directed at any student or group,” she 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.”
