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Manhattan mom Maud Maron was booted from the parent council of the city’s largest school district because she spoke out against hate in a February New York Post article about an anti-Israel op-ed published anonymously in Stuyvesant High School’s student newspaper. The city Department of Education determined her criticism was “derogatory and offensive.” Maron has also been publicly bashed for private remarks she’s made about transgender students. She was expelled from the Community Education Council for District 2 — which covers most of lower and midtown Manhattan and the Upper East Side — as was the president of Brooklyn’s CEC 14, Tajh Sutton, who banned Jewish parents from meetings and organized pro-Palestine student walkouts. Maron, 53, is one of three plaintiffs in a lawsuit charging CEC 14 and Chancellor David Banks with violating First Amendment rights to free speech. On Saturday, she tells The Post she refuses to be silenced.
Late Friday, the chancellor removed me from my elected position as a member of CEC 2 and informed me that it was because of my quote in the New York Post about antisemitism at my daughter’s high school.
He also removed the CEC 14 president for what appears to be a laundry list of violations, including violating the state’s Open Meetings Law.
My official infraction was my quote in February about the anonymous op-ed in The Spectator, which dripped with inaccuracies and rank antisemitism. The author proudly noted that they rejected calls to condemn the terrorism against Israel on Oct. 7th and instead called it “resistance;” falsely asserted that Hamas militants did not hide under hospitals or use inhabitants as human shields; perpetuated the myth that Israelis sterilized Ethiopians; and claimed that Israel “kidnaps” children and is committing an ongoing “genocide” of Palestinians.
“The byline should read coward instead of anonymous,” I told The Post.
I did not know who wrote it — a student, faculty, parent or alum.
“If you are going to repeat revolting Hamas propaganda and transcribe your ignorance and Jew hatred, put your name to it,” I added.
The student editors later issued corrections but Jewish students had to wait weeks. Meanwhile, they have endured a rising tide of antisemitism at school, which the chancellor has struggled mightily to address.
But the real reason the chancellor wants to remove me is because the Democratic establishment in New York City is furious because I know the difference between male and female and am willing to say so in polite company.
I wrote a resolution which passed my council (8-3) asking for a review of the 2019 NYC Public School gender guidelines, which let males play female sports based on “gender identity.”
The Trans Cult can not withstand a committee that asks questions and examines evidence. Congressman Jerrold Nadler and 17 other Democratic politicians wrote a letter labeling our resolution “hateful, discriminatory and actively harmful.” Merely for asking for a committee!
I will not be silenced in defending students’ right to say the most vile things about any country, but there is a difference worth highlighting between the bravery of public comment and debate and the perfidy of anonymous accusations.
Gov. Hochul is supporting a law that bans masks in public precisely because hiding one’s identity brings out the worst in people and poses safety hazards — especially around heated topics.
And Chancellor Banks’ boss, Mayor Adams, agrees. Speaking of the anti-Israel protesters, many of whom are students, Adams said, “Cowards hide their faces. Dr. King did not hide his face.”
Well said.
I knew in late 2021 that the proposed Chancellor’s Regulation D-210 — a flagrantly unconstitutional speech code — would be used to punish wrong speak, but I could not have guessed that I would be a plaintiff in federal court suing the other CEC member being removed, along with Chancellor David Banks and the Orwellian-titled Equity Compliance Officer Nina Mickens.
But here we are.
Our lawsuit is a First Amendment case and we will be in court on Tuesday seeking a preliminary injunction to stop the chancellor and the equity apparatus from removing elected members whose words, ideas and advocacy offends the powers that be.
Make no mistake, that is what is happening.
Show your face, say your name and say whatever you want to say.
And know that other Americans will too.