A controversial Manhattan parent who was ousted from her role on a community education council for describing a student’s anti-Israel essay as “antisemitic” returned to the board Wednesday, after a judge ruled her First Amendment rights were violated by the removal.
Maud Maron was once again at her seat on the borough’s District 2 Community Education Council, and quickly became a lightning rod again for protests from those opposed to her conservative opinions. However, she said she was glad for the ruling in her favor.
“It’s nice to be back and I’m particularly pleased that our judicial system does such a good job with a robust and healthy defense of First Amendment and free speech rights,” she told attendees at the meeting.
“It’s incredibly important for all of the people here, those that agree with me and those that don’t.”
The meeting quickly devolved into a show of anger from advocates for transgender rights, who oppose Maron and other board members for passing a resolution 8-3 that calls on the Department of Education to do a public review of its policy allowing trans girls to play in female sports.
Chancellor David Banks made it clear to fired-up parents in May that no such review would happen — but Maron and the board have not backed down from their stance.
A parent of a five year old trans girl called out the board on Wednesday night saying that the decision is “not about sports” and does not consider the protection of her daughter.
“This is an attempt to take away the protections,” she said holding up a picture of her five-year-old to the crowd.
One trans student from Stuyvesant High School, who was among the dozens of activists who spoke on the issue said the resolution left the community “feeling awful.”
“We just want to get along, and we want everyone to respect each other,” they said.
Maron said activists have created an environment that has muzzled those who oppose them — often using squeaking toys, humming or in some cases yelling from the audience as they speak.
“There were students — female athletes — who came to speak in favor of the resolution in June who were too scared to speak up because of the activists,” she said.
Trans activists at Wednesday’s meeting were less vocal in their protest and instead stood with their backs turned when speakers with differing views spoke.
CEC-2 council member Charles Love said rolling back the resolution is “childish, a waste of time and devoid of any focus or efforts on education or academic achievement for the children in D2.”
In a fiery exchange fellow council members Gavin Healy and Sonal Patel clapped back.
“We need to rescind this, and we will keep bringing this resolution to rescind it every month. It’s not childish to fight back against bullies, and we will fight back you,” said Healy.
“The reason this Council’s time is being wasted month, after month, after month, after month is that there are council members here who do not understand the concept of representation,” Patel said.
After a short vote the decision to rescind the resolution was denied. The council will meet back again next month.
