EDUCATION COUNCIL CONSORTIUM STATEMENT DENOUNCING REMOVAL OF CEC14 PRESIDENT BY THE CHANCELLOR

On Friday June 14, 2024, the Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education (DOE) released a statement (see below) which announced the removal of two Community Education Council (CEC) members, one of whom is the President of the CEC District 14. 

The Education Council Consortium denounces the removal of CEC 14 President by the Chancellor and demands that he restore her membership to her Council. 

The Chancellor’s Regulation D-210, cited in the statement, was created at the urging of CEC members, mostly women of color, who were experiencing verbal violence, doxxing and racist, misogynistic meeting environment created by other CEC members. Bad behaviors were in response to the work of many equity-driven CEC members, who were fighting to center the needs of historically marginalized students - Black, Brown and AAPI students, students with disabilities, English Language Learners, students living in poverty, in temporary housing or foster care, and LGBTQ students. The regulation was developed by equity-driven CEC members in collaboration with the DOE to institute a process by which CEC members who behave in harmful ways are held accountable. 

There is a very drastic and stark contrast between the two removed members. On one hand, one of the CEC members removed is a member of Moms for Liberty, who has made many racist comments publicly, is openly hostile toward our trans children, and has actively advocated to maintain a discriminatory and segregative school system. The D-210 regulation was intended to address these types of harmful and hateful behaviors. 

On the other hand, this very process is now being egregiously misused and weaponized against a woman leader of color. CEC14’s President is a well known and widely respected activist for intersectional social justice, an activist who has always elevated the voices of those who are silenced by the public school system and society at large. She has consistently demonstrated “high standards of ethics, integrity and decorum” as the Chancellor urged of all CEC members in his statement last Friday.  She has shown commitment to the very kind of “authentic and effective family and community engagement” the Chancellor promotes, and has been very intentional about creating a welcoming, inclusive and safe space for parents, particularly those who have been harmed or marginalized by the public school system. 

Those of us who have supported the CEC14 President are aware that her advocacy for the Palestinian people played a significant factor in the Chancellor’s decision. The DOE’s actions are complicit in a widespread MacCarthyite repression of those speaking out against an ongoing genocide.

We are deeply disturbed by how the Chancellor attempted to equate the actions of a genuine social justice activist to the actions of a person with a pattern of abject racism and transphobia, and applied D-210 as if whatever complaints were made against these members should be evaluated on equal footing. This type of action reeks of political expediency and manufactures a  “both sides” argument where none exists. 

The Chancellor’s statement cites violations of the Open Meetings Law (OML) as a cause for removal of the CEC14 President. We are deeply concerned that the Chancellor is relying on OML violations to remove CEC members and believe this is a dangerous abuse of his power.  Non-compliance with the OML should never be used as grounds for CEC member removal, particularly when such non-compliance stems from concern for the public’s safety. 

This action, taken by  this Chancellor, has taken mayoral control of NYC’s public schools to a new low. It is bad enough that this system has been dictatorial for the last two decades—this action has truly pushed the system even further away from any semblance of a democratic school system. 

We see the removal of  CEC14’s President as an abuse of power against a Black woman parent leader who has fought tirelessly to make the public education system equitable and just. In the name of “family engagement,” this administration has selectively engaged with affluent and privileged families who are intent on keeping and expanding the most discriminatory policies that lead to resource hoarding. Finally this administration has demonstrated that it is not only unwilling to engage with those who fight for what is right, but is willing to remove them altogether. 

It is indeed a “sad day” when New York City Public Schools discover a new way to further erode any confidence in this administration. 

Education Council Consortium Board of Directors

*************
NYC Public Schools Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 14, 2024


STATEMENT FROM CHANCELLOR DAVID C. BANKS ON THE REMOVAL OF COMMUNITY EDUCATION COUNCIL MEMBERS 
NEW YORK- Today, Schools Chancellor David C. Banks made the following statement addressing determinations he issued today regarding two CEC members: 
“Today in accordance with state law and Chancellor’s Regulations, I issued orders removing a member of Community Education Council 2 and a member of Community Education Council 14. These orders are rooted in my responsibility to ensure our families are represented by leaders who respect students and follow state law.  


We have consistently and repeatedly made it clear that parent leaders must observe high standards of ethics, integrity, and decorum. Those responsibilities include ensuring that applicable legal requirements are implemented and followed. Among these requirements is Chancellor’s Regulation D-210, which was advocated for and developed by parent leaders and approved by the Panel for Educational Policy after public review. Authentic and effective family and community engagement is a central pillar in all that we do, and that includes maintaining an inclusive, accessible environment for our school communities and acting when parent leaders fail to comply with the rules. Another requirement is New York State’s Open Meetings Law, which establishes clear and unconditional requirements for how public bodies must conduct their meetings. 


It is a sad day when New York City Public Schools is compelled to take the actions I have ordered today, but the violations committed by these two individuals have made them unfit to serve in these roles. The Office of Family and Community Engagement will continue supporting both councils, including with the prescribed process for filling vacancies and, in the case of CEC 14, holding monthly meetings in compliance with the law.”  


Chancellor’s Regulation D-210 was approved by the PEP in 2021. Under the regulation, the Equity Compliance Officer (ECO) investigates complaints of misconduct, including harassment and discrimination, in our CECs and citywide councils, in consultation with an Equity Council comprised of parent leaders.  For more information, see https://www.schools.nyc.gov/docs/default-source/default-document-library/d-210.pdf.