Schools
After Racial Slurs, Lakeland Teachers Urged To Show Support
The teachers federation said the racial epithets were directed toward the administration after a recent meeting.
SHRUB OAK, NY — The Lakeland Federation of Teachers is calling for its members to show support for administrators and the district trustees at Thursday's board meeting after racial slurs were shouted after a meeting Feb. 10.
In a letter posted on the federation's website, Michael Lillis, president of the federation, said when interim Superintendent Karen Gagliardi and acting Assistant Superintendent Tracy Norman were leaving the meeting "members of the audience outrageously abused them by hurling racial epithets."
He said in the letter that Norman was called "uncle Tom" and Gagliardi was called a "n***** lover."
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Lillis said that Gagliardi had to call the police on her way home because she was being followed.
Patch reached out to Gagliardi, Norman and board President Adam Kaufman seeking comment. Through a spokeswoman, they declined to comment.
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Lillis said in the letter he was sickened to hear about the racial slurs.
"As educators, we teach our students to speak up when something is wrong," he said. "Well, this is wrong, and it is our moment to stand for what is right."
Lillis said it's been 25 years since the federation asked its members to attend a school board meeting.
"I can think of no reason more important than to stand up for decency," he said. "Disagreements around education are more than fine, they are expected; this is why we have school boards in the first place."
No positions will be taken by the federation on any of the topics being discussed at the meeting, Lillis said.
"We need to speak in one voice to say that racial abuse will not be tolerated at Lakeland," he said. "We owe this to our students, as there is nothing less than the future civility we expect in our schools at stake."
During the Feb. 10 Lakeland Board of Education meeting, several people were escorted out by police for unruly behavior, The Examiner News reported.
At one point during a break, Gagliardi had to be shielded by police at the end of what was described as a tense encounter.
The Lakeland schools Board of Education will next meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 17. The agenda can be accessed through this link.
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