The Board of Education called a special meeting on Feb. 20 at the high school to discuss offensive comments allegedly made by a board member after the adjournment of the Feb. 10 meeting.
By Ed Birch, Special Writer
MONROE — The Board of Education called a special meeting on Feb. 20 at the high school to discuss offensive comments allegedly made by a board member after the adjournment of the Feb. 10 meeting.
According to a report by former Board Vice President Ira Tessler, some anti-Semitic remarks were made by Board Member Anthony Prezioso.
The incident stemmed from the manner in which Mr. Tessler supposedly raised and withdrew his hand gesture during the public comments section of the meeting.
According to Mr. Prezioso, the hand gesture was interpreted as a Nazi hand gesture.
Following the meeting, Mr. Prezioso approached Mr. Tessler and said “You are Jewish, you should not raise your hand in that way during a public forum.”
According to Mr. Tessler, who had lost his bid for re-election to the same board during the most recent election, he “made no such gesture, and was just withdrawing his attempt to ask the board a question, allowing for another member of the public to raise their question.
Mr. Tessler said he was offended by the remark, wrote a letter to the board president regarding the incident.
The board responded with the scheduling of a special meeting.
After almost two hours of closed session, Board Secretary Michael Gorski read a statement on behalf of the Board “to adjourn any decision until March 17, in order to provide Mr. Prezioso the time to consult with an attorney regarding the allegations.”
The decision was passed by the board members with a vote of 6-2, with Board President Kathy Kolupanowich and member Amy Antelis voting against the majority.
Ms. Antelis said, however, that “it was a terrible thing to say. It is no joke.”
In a statement made by Mr. Tessler, he reminded the audience that the district has an affirmative action officer and had any staff member made this type of remark, the employee would be terminated.
He also reminded everyone that if the remark was made by a member of Congress, the issue would be “all over the papers.”
Finally, he reminded everyone that a student in this situation “would be disciplined based on the current student Code of Conduct.”
Mr. Prezioso has refused to provide further comments in regard to the issue.