Dr. Gagliardi Called a “n***r lover”, Dr. Norman Called “Uncle Tom” by Parents at end of meeting of Lakeland School District, Westchester County NY
By Dan Murphy
An unruly mob of parents returned to a Lakeland School Board budget meeting on Feb. 10, upset about what they called Critical Race Theory being taught in the school district, and that taxpayers had to pay for illegal immigrants crossing the border and ending up in the Lakeland schools.
Repeated efforts to calm the crowd, or at least maintain some sense of order failed, because several speakers refused to stay on topic, or ran over their time, or began shouting at members of the Lakeland School Board, Superintendent Karen Gagliardi and acting Assistant Superintendent Tracy Norman.
Several speakers would not give up the microphone until school security removed them. And more than one speaker required a police escort from Yorktown Police.
According to Lakeland Federation of Teachers President Michael Lillis, at the end of the meeting, as Superintendent Gagliardi was leaving the auditorium, she was called a “n****r lover.” Assistant Superintendent Tracy Norman was called an “Uncle Tom,” on the way out. Gagliardi required a police escort to get home safely.
Parents who attended the meeting and watched the video, which can be found online at
wrote, “Find the video link below and start in at minute 15 for the public comment period.
Comments were shouted from the audience like:“How very German of you”, at Jewish board president Adam Kaufman for attempting to control the meeting. “We don’t want to live in Harlem”,at Paul for talking about race and racism and DEI. “Get rid of racism by stop talking about racism”, at Paul again. And one speaker got up to the microphone demanding to know, “who is paying for all the illegals”. During Gagliardi’s equity presentation, she said “we want equity for our kids” and an audience member shouted, “no we don’t!” Several people were escorted out by police for bad behavior but not nearly enough. The board had to take a recess to recalibrate. People shouted at Dr. Gagliardi as she was exiting, with a police escort for her protection. It was an absolutely horrifying display of the worst parts of humanity, a breakdown of decorum and civility, and an assault on the very fabric of what makes a community. And people are proud of it.
A woman who identified herself as Heather Conway of Cortlandt Manor, talked about having to pay for illegals. “Who’s paying for the illegals? Where are we getting the money for the illegal students, or is there no money and we have to absorb that? We are absorbing everything. Who pays for the long-term damage to our students? We are.”
Paul Edwards, a resident, who had three children in the school district, asked “Where is diversity in the budget? What are the plans to teach people who don’t know?” Edwards comments resulted in several members of the audience shouting out about Harlem and we don’t want diversity taught as mentioned above.
LFT President Lillis wrote after the meeting to his membership, “I am writing to you as the President of the LFT, as well as an educator who has taught thousands of Lakeland’s students for over 28 years.
“We are all aware of the difficulties presented during the public comment period at the school board meetings in recent months. At last Thursday’s meeting, things escalated to an entirely new level that, quite simply, cannot be tolerated.
“At the end of the meeting – when Dr. Norman and Dr. Gagliardi were leaving – members of the audience outrageously abused them by hurling racial epithets. It pains me to write this, but sunlight is the best antiseptic. Dr. Norman was called “uncle Tom” and Dr. Gagliardi was called a “n****r lover.” In addition to these despicable comments, Dr. Gagliardi had to call the police on her way home as she was being followed to her home.
“I am sure that you, like me, are sickened to hear this. As educators, we teach our students to speak up when something is wrong. Well, this is wrong, and it is our moment to stand for what is right. This Thursday, February 17, at 7 PM, there is a school board meeting at Lakeland High School. I am asking you to join me at the meeting in a show of support for Dr. Norman, Dr. Gagliardi, and the entire Board of Education.
“It has been 25 years since the LFT asked its members to attend a school board meeting. I can think of no reason more important than to stand up for decency. Disagreements around education are more than fine, they are expected; this is why we have school boards in the first place. Please note that we will not be taking a position at Thursday’s meeting concerning any of the policies being discussed, but will be standing in defense of civility. We need to speak in one voice to say that racial abuse will not be tolerated at Lakeland. We owe this to our students, as there is nothing less than the future civility we expect in our schools at stake,” wrote Lillis.
Members of the Yorktown Democratic Committee issued a statement, “we stand in solidarity with the Lakeland Board of Education, their teachers, staff, and students in denouncing the hatred and bigotry that were on display at the recent February 10th BOE meeting where a small minority of people hurled racial and ethnic epithets at interim Superintendent of Schools Dr. Karen Gagliardi and a local parent.”
“We call on everyone, including the Yorktown Republican Town Committee, to join us in urging residents to turn down the heat at these meetings, and embrace civility, decency, and respect. We owe this to the BOE, our community and the students,” said YDC Co-Chair Marni Rabin Marron.
“The YDC welcomes an informed discussion around the role of diversity, equity, and inclusion in our local school systems, which could lead to a consensus around priorities that advance the needs of our schools and enrich our entire community. But that didn’t happen, and we must stand united against the kind of hatred, ignorance, and bigotry that was on display last week,” said YDC Co-Chair Mark Lieberman.
The next meeting of the Lakeland School Board is on Feb. 17.
Dr. Gagliardi is the interim Superintendent. That is because the prior Superintendent, Dr. Brendan Lyons, resigned after serving a 1 1/2 years, reportedly under duress from board members who were critical of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, DEI, educational programs. Lyons left on Sept. 30, 2021.
Now, less than five months later, the mob is back, and as one parent at the meeting told us, “do they think that they are getting anywhere with these comments? Do they think it enhances the view of living here and sending your children to school here? Who is going to want to move here after listening to that? I think a lot of famiies are moving out, not moving in.”
