Hunter College Professor Allyson Friedman Under Fire After Racist Remarks Go Viral, Community Leaders Demand Firing
NEW YORK CITY — A Hunter College associate professor is at the center of a growing controversy after a video of her making racist remarks during a public school meeting went viral on social media, sparking widespread outrage, calls from community leaders for her dismissal, and more than a million views on platforms where it was first shared by the New York Gazette and other accounts.
What Happened at the Meeting
On Feb. 10, during a hybrid meeting of the Community Education Council District 3 — which was focused on the proposed closure or relocation of several Upper West Side schools — an adult participant attending by Zoom interjected while a Black eighth-grade student was speaking about her school. The comments, later traced to Hunter College associate professor Allyson Friedman, included phrases such as “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 remarks were met with audible shock and visible discomfort from participants, and a meeting organizer quickly told the speaker to stop. Video of the moment was later posted publicly and spread rapidly on social platforms, including Instagram and X, drawing intense condemnation.
Source: @GazetteNYC on Instagram and Tiktok
Outrage and Calls for Termination
In the days since the clip circulated, community leaders, parents, and activists have called for Harris’s dismissal from Hunter College. Critics describe the comments as racist and deeply harmful, particularly because they were made during a forum intended to amplify student voices; a petition demanding her termination has drawn hundreds of signatures.
Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal and other civic figures have publicly denounced the remarks, saying they have no place in educational or civic discourse. Many online commenters echoed that sentiment, arguing that a professor — especially one in a public institution — should not remain in a position of authority after such an incident.
Friedman’s Apology and Explanation
Friedman, an associate professor in Hunter College’s Department of Biological Sciences, later acknowledged she was the speaker in the recording and issued an apology. In statements to news outlets, she said she was attempting to explain the concept of systemic racism to her child in a side conversation and that an “inadvertent unmute” caused her words to be heard by the wider meeting.
She wrote that her remarks were not directed at the student and did not reflect her values, adding: “Regardless of context, my words were wrong and caused real harm… I take full responsibility for their impact and am deeply sorry to the students, families, educators, and community members who were hurt.” Friedman also said she sent written apologies to the school district superintendent, the Community Action School, and the council.
Hunter College and DOE Responses
Hunter College confirmed it is reviewing the situation under its conduct and nondiscrimination policies. A spokesperson described the remarks as “abhorrent” and reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to an inclusive educational environment.
The New York City Department of Education, along with district officials, condemned the comments as racially offensive. Interim Superintendent Reginald Higgins said the statements demeaned the school community and caused real harm, prompting changes in how virtual meetings will be managed and additional training to prevent similar incidents.
Social Media Spread and Public Reaction
The viral video’s dissemination — especially clips reposted by the New York Gazette on social platforms — has drawn millions of views and reactions, with many users calling out what they viewed as a blatant example of racism coming from an academic professional.
Community discussion continues to evolve as Hunter College’s review process unfolds and public meetings on the matter are scheduled in early March. The episode has ignited broader conversations about accountability for educators, systemic racism in schooling, and the impact of instantaneous social media amplification on public discourse.
Hunter College, like many public institutions within the City University of New York system, operates under collective bargaining agreements and tenure protections that can make terminating a faculty member a lengthy and complex process. Professors who are tenured are typically represented by a union and are entitled to due process protections, including formal investigations and hearings before disciplinary action can be finalized. Critics argue these safeguards can make accountability difficult in high-profile controversies, while faculty advocates maintain that such protections exist to preserve academic freedom and prevent politically motivated firings.