Hunter College Professor Identified, Apologizes After Racist Remark Goes Viral
Updated (2 articles)
Professor Allyson Friedman Confirmed as Voice in Racist Comment Allyson Friedman, a professor at Hunter College, was identified as the individual who said “They’re too dumb to know they’re in a bad school…” during a February 10 virtual meeting of New York City’s School District 3 Community Education Council [1]. The clip quickly spread on social media, prompting widespread condemnation [1]. The comment was captured on Zoom while participants watched the meeting from the Joan of Arc school building at 154 West 93rd Street [1].
Comment Occurred During Eighth‑Grade Student’s Discussion of School Closure An eighth‑grade student from the Community Action School voiced fears that her school might close, triggering the professor’s remark [1]. Zoom participants reacted with shock and disgust, and the meeting organizer demanded that the speaker stop [1]. The incident highlighted tensions around school closures and systemic racism in the district [1].
Hunter College Initiated Internal Review and Reaffirmed Inclusion Policies Hunter College announced an internal review of the incident under its conduct and nondiscrimination policies [1]. Senior Vice President of Communications Peter Englot emphasized the college’s awareness of the situation and its commitment to a discrimination‑free environment [1]. The review aims to determine whether policy violations occurred and to guide any necessary disciplinary action [1].
Friedman Issued Apology and Sent Written Regrets to Officials Friedman released a statement apologizing, claiming the remarks resulted from an inadvertent unmute during a side conversation about systemic racism [1]. She emailed written apologies to Superintendent Reginald Higgins, the Community Action School, and the council [1]. The apology sought to mitigate damage and reaffirm her personal commitment to equity [1].
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Timeline
2017‑2021 – The Trump administration intensifies the federal crackdown on campus antisemitism, threatening to withhold federal funds from institutions that fail to address harassment, thereby raising national scrutiny of university compliance [2].
2021‑present – The Biden administration launches a broader federal effort to combat campus antisemitism, expanding investigations and enforcement actions across higher‑education institutions [2].
2022‑2024 – The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights reviews roughly 140 discrimination complaints at the University of Washington, concluding the school “generally declined to take responsive action” and lacks a university‑wide tracking system [2].
Feb 6, 2026 – The University of Washington settles the federal probe, mandating online civil‑rights training for all students (deadline May 2026) and staff (deadline end of March 2026); it creates a Title VI Coordinator, consolidates a Civil Rights Compliance Office, and commissions a campus‑climate assessment, while students like sophomore Amayiah Roberts note the university never emailed her about the requirement [2].
Feb 10, 2026 – During a virtual NYC School District 3 Community Education Council meeting, an eighth‑grade student discusses fears of school closure when a participant says, “They’re too dumb to know they’re in a bad school…”, prompting shock, a demand to stop the speaker, and widespread viral sharing of the clip [1].
Feb 22, 2026 – Hunter College professor Allyson Friedman confirms she was the voice behind the racist remark, issues written apologies to Superintendent Reginald Higgins, the Community Action School, and the council, and the college launches an internal review under its conduct and nondiscrimination policies [1].
Feb 22, 2026 – Peter Englot, senior vice president of communications at Hunter College, states, “Hunter is aware of the incident, is reviewing it per policy, and reasserts the college’s dedication to a discrimination‑free environment,” underscoring the institution’s commitment to inclusion [1].