Community board members were expelled for simply having the courage to ask questions.
Craig Slutkin, who served on Community Board 5, is a gay single father and a passionate and vocal supporter of gay and transgender rights.
Like many parents, he believes that conversations about school policy should include the voices and perspectives of all parents.
So he voted “yes” on an Education Council resolution calling for a review — just a review — of gender guidelines in school sports.
Should transgender students be allowed to join women’s teams?
“The resolution was passed… Ask [to give] It is a safe forum for families to have respectful and difficult conversations about how school sports are organized,” Slutzkin said.
But asking that question was apparently too much for Manhattan Borough President Mark Levin, who said Slutkin would not be reappointed to Community Board 5, which covers much of Midtown.
Mr. Levine cannot tolerate anyone who does not disagree with his commitment to radical trans ideology and suggests that we need to have a necessary and important conversation about protecting girls’ rights.
There are currently more than a dozen lawsuits challenging President Biden’s Title IX rewrite that would allow men who “identify” as women to play on women’s teams at federally funded educational institutions.
Concerned residents like me believe there are other issues at play here. Mr. Levine often uses his power to punish community volunteers and favor real estate-friendly community officials.
“I just hate it.”
Slutzkin was a candidate for board chairman in the next election and was widely expected to win.
Sameer Lavingia, a registered lobbyist and member of Open New York, a group that works to increase housing density, is currently running unopposed.
Community Board 5 members are understandably furious at Mr. Levine’s heavy-handed intervention, and believe that Mr. Levine’s cozy relationship with real estate is behind this move.
Lou Manheim of Manhattanite wrote on X, “@MarkLevineNYC kicked Craig out because they wanted Open NY money. And they wanted their own people. Just disgusting.”
CB5 Nomination Committee sent a letter to Mr. Levine condemning the decision and requesting Mr. Slutzkin’s reappointment. Slutkin pointed out that he was “the third-longest serving member of CB5.”
Thirty-three members of CB5 joined the letter calling for Slutzkin’s reappointment.
It’s unclear whether Slutzkin’s firing was because Levine wanted to increase his war chest ahead of his almost certain run for mayor, or whether it was to punish him for “the wrong idea,” but for Levine, It’s clear they’re happy to eliminate annoying voices.
Community Board 5 and all New Yorkers deserve better.
Maud Maron is a past president and current member of the District 2 Community Education Council.
