New York City may soon fire a local school board member who has faced public backlash for his involvement in educational divisions, from transgender student-athletes to the school's response to the war in Gaza.
Education authorities on Wednesday began disciplinary proceedings after receiving formal complaints against three members of the regional education council, according to findings obtained by the Daily News.
They include Maud Maron, the lead sponsor of last month's anti-trans sports resolution, and Taj Sutton, who helped organize November's pro-Palestinian student strike.
The decision marks the first time the city has moved to suspend or expel a CEC member, and comes amid what appears to be a recent uptick in parental tensions, with Superintendent David Banks recently addressing the situation. “It's unfortunate,” he said.
“What I regret most about this role as prime minister is the poor behavior of adults,” Banks said at a press conference in March. “I don't know if anyone buys into this nonsense coming from adults, but it's very frustrating.”
There are 32 CECs in the five boroughs, as well as citywide councils focused on special education, English language learners, and more. Parents are chosen in elections that often involve low turnout for policy advisory bodies that review district programs and hold public hearings.
Spokesman Nathaniel Stair warned that the decision was not a done deal and parents could challenge the findings within days.
“The next steps outlined in this decision follow our due process procedures and the offer to arbitrate will give respondents an opportunity to be heard before final action is taken,” he said in a statement. “It's an intentional part of providing that.”
The grievance procedure, known as “D-210” after the Prime Minister's regulatory code that created it, was launched in late 2021, during the Omicron wave of the pandemic and just as the Adams administration was about to take office. Approved for the first time. It will be more than two years before the city staffs up for the recent review.
Ms. Maron, a member of CEC2 and Moms for Liberty, a right-wing parental rights group active from much of Lower Manhattan to the Upper East Side, sent a personal email last year that read: was leaked and criticized. Transgender kids. ” Last month, she sponsored a resolution calling for a review committee on gender policy in public school sports.
While an investigation by the school system is ongoing, students at Stuyvesant High School, where Maron holds a leadership position, began an effort in February to have her removed from her position. A petition with nearly 800 signatures calling for Maron's removal comes a day after he called the student newspaper's article about Israel “cowardly” in the New York Post and spread “hateful rhetoric” about students. Mr. Maron was accused of
Mallon said education officials have not provided her with details of the award, which provides “a minimum amount of due process.”
“There's no way I can follow orders to stop doing something when that 'something' has never been communicated to me,” Maron says.
“I have never mentioned any student by name or addressed the student directly in any way other than in a polite, friendly, and professional manner,” she continued. “This bizarre, chilling, punitive Kafkaesque procedure is embarrassing.”
Last month, she and two other parents filed a federal lawsuit alleging that the D-210 process violates their free speech rights.
Taj Sutton, president of CEC14 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, was found to have distributed materials “containing harassing and discriminatory material” in connection with the Nov. 9 Gaza ceasefire strike. This toolkit includes statements such as “When people are occupied, resistance is justified,” “Say it loud that you don't want Zionists here,” and “Palestine will be free from the river to the sea.” I was suggesting Cole.
The decision does not specify what materials or slogans violate the school system's rules. Separately from the charges, Sutton was ordered to resume District 14 board meetings after skipping the past two months and holding several previous meetings remotely.
Sutton said he had not been informed of some of the allegations and declined to answer questions about the findings. But she accused the education authorities of harassment over the past six months.
“It’s actually quite uncomfortable,” she said.
He previously said that after passing the cease-fire resolution, the board moved to remote meetings due to concerns about security threats. Parents of council members have reported receiving death threats and even boxes of feces at the elementary school's office.
Further disciplinary action against the parents may be considered. Education news source Chalkbeat reported last month that a total of 36 complaints had been filed against CEC members this year. Some are not connected to divisive education issues and receive little media attention.
“All members of our school community should be respected and given a fair opportunity to share their ideas in the public forums provided by local school boards and other parent governance structures. ” said Steyer, the public schools spokesperson.
“When we receive a D-210 complaint against a parent leader, we take those complaints seriously. We have a clear process for investigating these complaints, and we ensure that there is an inclusive and respectful process for all.” We maintain integrity in our processes and genuine family and community engagement is at the heart of everything we do. We maintain it as a pillar of our business.
