Tensions continue between NAACP, Elmsford School District over meeting request
Efforts by the Greater Hudson Valley NAACP to meet with the Elmsford School District are hitting a roadblock, as both sides remain at odds over how to address allegations raised by families and staff.
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Efforts by the Greater Hudson Valley NAACP to meet with the Elmsford School District are hitting a roadblock, as both sides remain at odds over how to address allegations raised by families and staff.
According to NAACP leaders Janice Griffith and Nicole Hines, the organization has received multiple complaints in recent months from families and school employees. Those concerns include allegations of improper handling of students and low morale among staff of color.
District officials, however, say the claims are unsubstantiated. Superintendent Susan Yom and the Elmsford School Board maintain that any concerns should be brought directly to the district. They also say they cannot discuss matters involving individual students or staff with outside organizations.
In an email shared with News 12, school board president David Hecht wrote that the district considers the matter closed.
That response is drawing frustration from the NAACP, which says it is still seeking a conversation focused on solutions.
“We still in good faith want to have a meeting,” said Nicole Hines, of the Greater Hudson Valley NAACP. “We shouldn’t be going back and forth about a meeting. It should be about how are we going to support the families in the district and how are we going to support the staff in the district of color.”
The dispute comes amid a broader history of concerns in the district. In 2019, the Elmsford School District was reviewed by the New York State Department of Education following allegations of systemic racism. No public report of findings was released from that review.
