Free Speech Groups Urge NYU to Halt Professor’s Investigation

Free speech advocates are urging New York University to end its investigation of a professor involved in a “blatantly racist” incident caught on a hot mic. This comes in response to angry parents demanding her dismissal.

Allison Friedman, an associate professor at Hunter College, has faced severe backlash since her arrest following remarks made during a February 10 Regional Education Council meeting. At this meeting, black students voiced concerns about potential school closures.

During the meeting, Friedman reportedly said, “They’re too stupid to know they’re going to a bad school,” which elicited shocked reactions from those listening in.

In a statement, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) came to Friedman’s defense shortly after the University of California announced it was reviewing her remarks. Zack Greenberg, an attorney for FIRE, expressed concern over Hunter College’s investigation, stating, “Discussions about systemic racism fall directly within the scope of the First Amendment rights that this public university is legally required to uphold.” He emphasized that faculty should be able to engage in political discussion during their own time, particularly regarding matters related to their children’s education and the community.

Meanwhile, at a meeting on Tuesday, parents, activists, and officials echoed their outrage, calling for Friedman to lose her position at Hunter. One council member, Wendy Liz Martinez, did not hold back, calling the comments “unacceptable” and claiming they indicated that Friedman was unfit to be an educator. She stated, “She has no interest in being an educator or shaping people’s minds in any environment.”