Parents at Newburgh BOE meeting demand accountability over offensive social media comments

Parents demanded accountability at a Newburgh Board of Education meeting Tuesday after a group of employees were involved in a racially discriminatory post and comments on social media.

News 12 Staff

Jun 15, 2022, 2:14 AM

Updated 845 days ago

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Parents demanded accountability at a Newburgh Board of Education meeting Tuesday after a group of employees were involved in a racially discriminatory post and comments on social media.
The Newburgh Enlarged City School District is investigating art teacher Nicole Mischo, who is white and posted a picture of a braided hair extension on her classroom floor while comparing it to a snake.
Then viewers of the post, including other Newburgh school employees, commented and added similar racially insensitive responses, according to the school district.
A source within the district tells News 12 that the teachers involved were told not to return to school Monday and Mischo intends to retire as a result.
The source adds that the hair was left behind after a fight in which one student's hair was ripped from her head.
Parents say district employees made their kids feel unaccepted in school.
The school district said in a statement it doesn't condone the behavior and will take necessary actions to demonstrate respect for its diverse community.
The comments were not just from the meeting but also on News 12's social media pages.