Stefanik grills NYC schools chief on pro-Hamas teacher kept on payroll after antisemitic riot

House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., grilled New York City Public Schools Chancellor David Banks connected Wednesday astir a pro-Hamas teacher and the main of Hillcrest High School, wherever an antisemitic riot unfolded successful the hallways pursuing the Oct. 7 Hamas violent attacks successful confederate Israel, having truthful acold remained connected the payroll contempt promised consequences. 

During a enactment of questioning by Rep. Brandon Williams, R-N.Y., Banks testified earlier the House Education and the Workforce Committee that the erstwhile main of Hillcrest High School successful the Jamaica Hills vicinity of Queens, inactive draws a paycheck from New York City Public Schools months aft astir 400 students roved the halls connected Nov. 20, demanding the ouster of a Jewish pedagogue aft learning she attended a rally successful enactment of Israel. 

Stefanik doubled down connected Banks, who repeatedly said the main was "removed" from that relation but was not terminated by the department. Banks said helium could not corroborate whether the erstwhile Hillcrest High School main present serves arsenic manager of teacher improvement and evaluation, and Stefanik demanded clarification connected his caller relation by the extremity of the day. 

"That’s concerning to maine that you person him successful a elder position, and what’s precise concerning astir these hearings is that we’re getting articulator work but a deficiency of enforcement, a deficiency of accountability," Stefanik said. "And these rules and policies substance whether it’s teachers, administrators oregon students violating the rules."

Stefanik besides pointed to Origins High School successful Brooklyn, wherever reports claimed 40 to 50 students successful October marched done the hallways chanting "Death to Israel" and "Kill the Jews." 

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David Banks, chancellor of New York City Public schools, answers a question during a House subcommittee proceeding connected antisemitism successful K-12 nationalist schools connected May 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

The congresswoman said an "independent probe recovered that a teacher, who teaches planetary history, was told by a student, ‘I privation you were killed’" and "another pupil called her ‘a soiled Jew,’ and the pupil said helium wished Hitler could person deed much Jews, including her."

But Banks said a New York City Public Schools probe "found nary grounds that determination was immoderate question done the halls saying 'Death to the Jews.’"

"And I dainty that very, precise seriously. That was reported successful the papers," Banks said. "We person recovered nary grounds that that really happened. What we person recovered are a wide scope of profoundly troubling, antisemitic things that person happened astatine Origins High School. This is the 1 lawsuit that has troubled maine the most, Congresswoman, I volition archer you that."     

Banks said a "number of students" were suspended from Origins High School, but the lawsuit is "now is nether litigation." 

"I’m being advised not to talk to the circumstantial things that person happened there, but conscionable cognize that I person visited that schoolhouse aft these allegations person travel up," helium said. "I’ve met with parents, families, staff, students. I’m profoundly troubled by what is happening there, and we’re going to get to the bottommost of it. I can’t accidental much due to the fact that this is present nether litigation."

"You recognize our concern, though, arsenic policymakers," Stefanik said, "when we person witnesses testify, whether it’s Columbia University, Penn, Harvard oregon New York City … erstwhile there’s a deficiency of enforcement and accountability, that determination is simply a acceptable of rules but that individuals who interruption those rules are not held accountable."

Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., holds up a printout that she said was from a New York City nationalist schoolteacher's societal media relationship connected May 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

In the fiery exchange, Stefanik besides pressed for accusation connected "teacher-led walkouts," but Banks said helium was lone alert of pupil walkouts. 

Stefanik noted that a teacher astatine Gotham Tech High School successful Queens posted images of a Hamas paraglider connected his societal media and repeatedly referred to "so-called Israel.’" 

"This is highlighting a Hamas paraglider who slaughtered Jews – we each person seen the horrific footage – who cooked babies. These are terrorists. What disciplinary enactment has been taken against this teacher?" she asked.

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"First of all, I [just want] to accidental I deliberation what that worker did was perfectly disgusting, perfectly disgusting," Banks responded, but helium repeatedly declined to specify what enactment was taken against the teacher.

"I cannot springiness you, connected this circumstantial employee; we did successful information instrumentality action," helium said.

Stefanik retorted, "You tin springiness america an answer. You’re choosing not to. That’s unacceptable."

David Banks, chancellor of New York City Public schools, speaks during a House subcommittee proceeding connected antisemitism successful K-12 nationalist schools connected May 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

"We suspended a fig of students who were the leaders astatine Hillcrest High School, No. 1," Banks said earlier. "No. 2, we removed the main of that schoolhouse for deficiency of enactment and oversight. I don't cognize however to marque it overmuch clearer. I condemn intelligibly – what happened astatine Hillcrest was a implicit enactment of antisemitism. It volition not basal connected my watch. We responded. And I don't cognize however to marque it successful English."

The committee summoned schoolhouse administrators from New York, California and Maryland to attest astir however antisemitic protests and harassment person impacted K-12 education, beyond assemblage campuses alone.

Banks testified that since Oct. 7, New York City Public Schools has removed, disciplined oregon is successful the process of disciplining astatine slightest a twelve unit and schoolhouse leaders, including the removal of a main successful the mediate of a schoolhouse year. He said the schoolhouse strategy besides suspended astatine slightest 30 students and has progressive the NYPD erstwhile hatred crimes are committed. Banks testified that each 1,600 principals person been retrained connected the subject code.

"Keeping schools harmless is successful my DNA. When antisemitism rears its head, I judge we indispensable respond," Banks said, noting "New York City is location to the largest Jewish assemblage extracurricular of Israel."

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"Since Oct. 7, our students and unit — Jewish and Muslim, Israeli and Palestinian — person suffered immensely," Banks testified earlier Wednesday. "We've had 281 incidents since Oct. 7, astir 42% were antisemitic and 30% were Islamophobic. And truthful this is an contented that rages connected some sides. We instrumentality each azygous 1 of those very, precise seriously. We investigate, and past we initiate the due level of conduct."