Carranza blasts councilman tending to sick mom for being late to meeting
Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza angrily scolded a City Council member for being late to a virtual public hearing, ignoring the elected official’s explanation that he was tending to his ailing 96-year-old mother.
Carranza’s outburst, which came during a meeting of the advisory Panel for Educational Policy on Thursday, recalled the time he walked out of a Queens district meeting when parents complained their children were physically and sexually assaulted. He later accused the parents of “grandstanding.”
This time, Carranza blew up at Queens lawmaker Robert Holden, who was not logged in to the video meeting when called upon about 7:30 p.m.
“I had a number of issues to handle tonight including my mother in a nursing home fighting for her life and may have COVID,” Holden explained when he was finally called upon two hours later.
Holden then criticized the chancellor’s recent comment to school leaders — “Never waste a good crisis,” as reported in The Post.
That comment “was an insult to everyone fighting COVID,” Holden said. “That comment was disgraceful, and he should apologize for it.”
Holden also disagreed with the Department of Education’s new K-to-8 grading policy, which rates students only as “meeting standards” or “needs improvement.”
The councilman said the policy did not reward effort or excellence, and that many constituents have told him they want the DOE to keep numeric grading.
Carranza then burst in, saying he normally doesn’t speak during the public comment period, but wanted to “clarify the record.”
“Had he been present at the start of the meeting … ,” Carranza began.
“I was dealing with my mother’s situation,” Holden interjected. “Don’t insult me.”
Holden’s microphone was then muted.
“Had the councilman been present at the start of this meeting … ,” Carranza repeated, refusing to acknowledge Holden’s explanation.
Carranza said Holden missed his clarification about the “wasting a crisis” comment. He said the school system had fed a million people, “bridged the digital divide” by loaning out iPads, and built the capacity for remote learning.
“It’s unfortunate that politics are taking over,” Carranza said. “This council member consistently, consistently persists on politics. I will not stand for it.”
Yet again, Carranza chided Holden, a college professor and registered Democrat, for being “three hours late” to the meeting.
“Stop the ad hominen attacks and get on board and help us serve our community,” Carranza ended his rant.
“We will not have a back and forth and I will not respond again.”
Holden told The Post that when he was called on to speak earlier in the meeting, he was parked at a nursing home awaiting an ambulance bringing his mother from the hospital, where she had been treated for five days. His mom tested negative for COVID-19, but was suffering from a COVID-like fever and difficulty breathing.
When he learned the ambulance would be delayed, Holden returned home. But the nursing home called to ask a series of questions to prepare his mother for admittance. He was then finally able to log into the PEP meeting, after missing an hour, but was denied a chance to speak. He was finally called on about 9:30 p.m.
Holden sent a letter to Mayor de Blasio on Friday complaining about Carranza’s “unprofessional and disrespectful conduct,” and his lack of toughness necessary for surviving in New York City.
“Sadly, this outburst from the Chancellor is far from the first time he has disgracefully mishandled public criticism,” the letter says. It notes the time Carranza walked out of the public meeting when parents raised concerns about alleged assaults in schools, and when he publicly feuded with Rep. Grace Meng and state Sen. John Liu when they criticized his treatment of the Asian community.
“He also accused Meng of playing politics, which is one of his recurring excuses,” Holden said.
Carranza spokeswoman Miranda Barbot would not explain why Carranza ignored Holden’s explanation that he was late because his mother was sick.
“Our thoughts are with the council member and his family during this difficult time,” she said. “After he missed several calls for comment, we were happy to give him the floor. It’s unfortunate he chose to use that time to attack rather than offer constructive feedback. As the chancellor said, let’s put politics aside and focus on our students.
“Our grading policy was developed with feedback from parents and educators and holds students to high standards while taking into account the extraordinary challenges many are facing at home.”
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