Lost in Translation

A Hunter College professor's "racist" comments during a Manhattan education meeting echoed the school superintendent's earlier remarks quoting a Black historian.

What’s buried and lost in the furor over the “racist” comments by Hunter College professor Allyson Friedman on a hot mic during an Upper West Side education Zoom meeting is this:

Her comments echoed sentiments voiced earlier in the same meeting by Reginald Higgins, NYC school District 3’s acting superintendent, who cited Carter G. Woodson, an author known as the Father of Black History.

“’When you can control a man’s thinking, you do not have to send him to the back door. He will go without being told. In fact, if there is no back door, he will cut one out for himself. The benefit of his education makes it necessary,’” he quoted Woodson.

Reginald Higgins, interim acting superintendent, NYC school District 3.

The superintendent added, “These are probably very important words for what I feel and what I think about what’s happening in the black community right now. That this has never been just about physical walls, but the silent ones that are built through miseducation.”

Friedman, unaware her mic was unmuted, piped up later while a student was speaking in defense of her struggling school:

“They’re too dumb to know they’re in a bad school,” Friedman is heard saying. “If you train a Black person well enough, they’ll know to use the back. You don’t have to tell them anymore.”

Friedman is now vilified for making racist statements — called “reprehensible” by Mayor Mamdani — that, in fact, are based on the wisdom of a Black historian honored by the superintendent.

In a statement and apology issued the next day, Friedman said she was interpreting Woodson’s words for her child at home:

“As a parent, I was trying to explain the concept of systemic racism by referencing a historical example.”

I asked her about the “too dumb” comment. She replied:

“I want to be very clear that I was not speaking about the student speaker or students generally. In the meeting, there had just been discussion of systemic racism and educational equity, followed by student testimony. In my anger and frustration about the closure process, and what I perceived as a dismissive, paternalistic framing of the community’s concerns, I used a phrase that was wrong, insulting, and harmful.”

She added, “Regardless of what I was reacting to, that language disrespected students and families and distracted from testimony that deserved full attention. I take full responsibility for the impact, and I am deeply sorry.”

A growing chorus of elected officials have condemned Friedman amid a public demand that Hunter College, where she works as a biology professor, fire her. The college has suspended her pending an investigation.

Carter G. Woodson. the “Father of Black History.” ..

Here are Superintendent Higgins’ comments, in full, from a recording of the Feb. 10 meeting:

17:40

So, as we come together in the month of February, where we celebrate Black History Month, I am reminded of the powerful words of the architect of Black History Month. His name was Dr. Carter G. Woodson and he started with something called Black History Week, which we now know as Black History Month. And Carter G. Woodson said, “When you can control a man’s thinking, you do not have to send him to the back door. He will go without being told.

In fact, if there is no back door, he will cut one out for himself. The benefit of his education makes it necessary.”

These are probably very important words for what I feel and what I think about

what’s happening in the black community right now. That this has never been just about physical walls, but the silent ones that are built through miseducation.

And what I know about an effective educating for all children, but in particular for black children, that it will allow them to become the (unintelligible) themselves. It will allow them to fully realize the dreams of what it means to be an American.

I sit here tonight as an example of that legacy that Dr. Carter G. Woodson talked about.

And so my goal is not to allow others to erase the contributions or to distort the self-worth of black children.