The incoming chancellor of the New York City public schools believes America was “built on lies” and is currently entrenched in lawsuits that allege she discriminated against white school administrators.
New York City’s Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio tapped Bronx superintendent Meisha Ross Porter to become the city’s public school chancellor following Chancellor Richard Carranza’s sudden resignation. Porter was the superintendent of the Bronx District 11 and will be the first black woman to oversee the nation’s largest school district.
In a tweet obtained by the Washington Free Beacon, Porter “quote-tweeted” the thoughts of a New York University professor who advocates for critical race theory, the theory that claims America is inherently and irredeemably racist.
“Critical Race Theory is the audacity to tell the truth in places built on lies,” Professor David Kirkland tweeted. “This truth will make us free, though there are some who don’t want us free and are willing to sever a nation to ensure that we stay chained.”
Porter elevated the tweet and said, “Speak the truth brother!”
Porter’s tenure as superintendent of the Bronx District 11 was marred by conflict. According to the New York Post, Porter made comments during a 2018 panel at Fordham University in which she admitted to selecting school teachers and administrators based on race and gender.
“When I am selecting principals, teachers, or leaders — after we make the list, we look at it and we count: how many women, how many people of color, and why. Who we chose, and why,” Porter said.
During the same panel, Porter said that her chief goal is to “disrupt and dismantle” systemic racism in schools.
“I say almost every day that one of my jobs is to disrupt and dismantle systemic racism,” Porter said at Fordham.
At the time of publication, there are two ongoing lawsuits that accuse Porter of creating an environment where discrimination against Jewish and white teachers was tolerated.
Karen Ames, a former Bronx superintendent, alleges in a lawsuit that the school demoted and pressured her to leave her position because she was white. According to a report from the New York Post, Ames claims that Porter once “humiliated” her by saying that she could not participate in discussions about rezoning schools because she is white.
Ames also claims that she was grilled about her “ethnic background” and berated by a colleague at a training session after she shared the hardship that her Polish-Jewish grandparents endured during the Holocaust. In her lawsuit, Ames also claims she was reprimanded for refusing to do the “black power” or “Wakanda Forever” salute from the movie “The Black Panther” — a salute that Porter often used to conclude meetings.
According to the New York Post, Porter made $209,479 in 2020 and is under investigation for a $45,000 gala held to celebrate her birthday and promotion to superintendent. Employees allegedly paid $111 per person to attend the event where Porter donned a tiara and glittery white dress. The incoming chancellor also reportedly used a glass elevator that rose onto the ballroom floor to make her grand entrance, which cost an additional $500.
Porter will become the NYC public school chancellor on March 15.