NYC professor made racist remarks during virtual meeting, placed on leave

By Rob Redding

Editor & Publisher

NEW YORK, March 3, 2026, 6 p.m. — A Hunter College professor was placed on leave after a video clip captured her making racist comments during a virtual New York City Public Schools meeting. The incident occurred on Feb. 10, 2026, during a Zoom session of the NYC Public Schools District 3 Community Education Council, which serves the Upper West Side.

According to reports, Allyson Friedman, an associate professor at Hunter College, was heard speaking loudly over a student who was addressing the meeting. Unaware her microphone was active, Friedman made comments that included a racist reference to Black students. She was recorded saying, "They’re too dumb to know they’re in a bad school. Apparently, Martin Luther King said it, like, if you train a Black person well enough, they’ll know to use the back. You don’t have to tell them anymore."

Friedman did not respond to interview requests but issued a statement to media outlets, explaining that her comments were an attempt to explain systemic racism using a historical example. She stated, "My remarks were not directed at the student speaker and do not reflect my beliefs or values. I take full responsibility for their impact, and I am deeply sorry."

The clip was circulated on social media, prompting condemnation from city officials. Mayor Zohran Mamdani described the remarks as "abhorrent" and emphasized the importance of creating an inclusive public school system. NYC Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels also condemned the comments and noted that the district would work to repair any harm caused.

A spokesperson for Hunter College confirmed that Friedman attended the meeting as a private citizen and parent, and that the university was investigating her comments. On Wednesday evening, Hunter College announced that Friedman had been placed on leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

This incident has sparked renewed discussions about systemic bias and accountability within New York City's education system.

Rob Redding is the author of No. 1 best selling book Black Power in the Age of Artificial Supremacy Featuring Redding-Shim Kwet Yung . He is the bestselling author of 18 books. He is the host of Redding News Review Unrestricted and creator of ReddingNewsReview.com. He is also an emerging visual artist who lives and teaches at two colleges in New York City.