Hunter College to review tenured professor Allyson Friedman after ‘blatantly racist’ remark at UWS meeting
allyson friedman, an associate professor of biology at Hunter College, is being reviewed by the university after a hot-mic incident in which she made blatantly racist remarks during a virtual Community Education Council meeting on Feb. 10. The comments, captured while a Black eighth-grade student was testifying about the possible closure of an Upper West Side school, have prompted institutional reviews, public condemnations and an emailed apology from Friedman.
What Allyson Friedman said and how the meeting reacted
During the Feb. 10 CEC3 meeting, Friedman was heard on an unmuted microphone saying, “They’re too dumb to know they’re in a bad school, ” and, “If you train a Black person well enough, they’ll know to use the back. You don’t have to tell them anymore. ” The remark interrupted an eighth-grade student from the Community Action School who was speaking about not wanting to lose her school.
Two other adults in the virtual meeting immediately called out the comment. One man snapped, “Allyson Friedman, what you’re saying is absolutely hearable here. You’ve got to stop, ” while others sat in shock with their hands over their mouths. The meeting fell silent for about 10 seconds before moderators apologized to the student and urged her to continue.
Friedman’s emailed apology and explanation sent Saturday
On Saturday, February 21, an update noted later that evening, and Friedman sent a statement by email at 6 p. m. that day acknowledging she made the remarks. In the message she said she was “deeply sorry to the students, families, educators, and community members who were hurt. ”
Friedman wrote that during the Feb. 10 CEC3 meeting there had been a discussion about systemic racism and educational equity with references to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the work of Carter G. Woodson, as well as school closures. She said that, separately and as a parent, she had been trying to explain the concept of systemic racism by referencing a historical example and that, “Due to an inadvertent unmute, part of that conversation was captured. ”
She added that her remarks “were not directed at the student speaker and they do not reflect my beliefs or values, ” but conceded that “Regardless of context, my words were wrong and caused real harm. ” Friedman said she took full responsibility, immediately sent written apologies to Dr. Higgins, the Community Action School, and the Community Education Council, and stated she was committed to accountability and repairing harm.
Hunter College review and local official condemnations
Hunter College confirmed it was aware of the “abhorrent remarks” and said it is reviewing the situation under the university’s applicable conduct and nondiscrimination policies. The college added that it expects community members’ actions and words to comport with its institutional identity, values, and policies, and that it is committed to sustaining an inclusive educational environment free of discrimination.
The university noted that the remarks were made in the individual’s role as a private citizen and that the district is conducting an investigation into the matter. It was also noted that Friedman's tenured status could make dismissal difficult, though it was unclear in the provided context how tenure would ultimately affect the review. Many local leaders expressed dismay that Friedman had not faced immediate consequences.
Councilwoman Rita Joseph said she was “deeply disturbed by the blatantly racist and harmful remarks made during the CEC3 [Community Education Council for School District 3] meeting, ” while Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman Sigal called the comments “outrageous” and added, “It is particularly despicable that these vile words were uttered while children were giving testimony at the meeting, exposing them to this hatred. ”
Meeting context: schools, hosts, video release and historical references
The Feb. 10 meeting was a hybrid session about the possible relocation or closure of three Upper West Side schools: The Center School, The Riverside School for Makers and Artists, and the Community Action School. Some participants attended in person at the Joan of Arc school building at 154 West 93rd Street and many others joined on Zoom; attendees included parents, students, and teachers of all three schools.
The session was hosted by the Community Education Council for School District 3 along with members of the Department of Education, including neighborhood Superintendent Reginald Higgins, who earlier in the meeting had spoken about scholar Carter G. Woodson, the father of Black history. Woodson’s 1933 line from The Mis-education of the Negro — “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” — was referenced in the discussion.
Officials of School District 3 later posted a video of the meeting on the Community Education Council’s site on Wednesday. The racist remark, captured on that recording and circulated online, prompted a response from the Department of Education and swift backlash from community members and elected officials.
