Penfield Superintendent Make Statement About Hatred At Board of Education Meeting

The Penfield Superintendent Dr. Tasha Potter confirmed that parents disrupted the Board of Education meeting Tuesday night. In response to the disruption, the school board President Dr. Emily Roberts ended the meeting and board members walked out. In a conversation with News 8, Dr. Potter made a statement about what she calls the hatred rooted in a disturbing display at the meeting Tuesday. “I want to make the community aware of the harm and hatred that was centered in the room last night when we had someone dressed in a full gorilla costume,” she explained, “if you think about the historical context of someone being dressed in that manner and having a black Superintendent and members of the board of education that are both black and brown I think was extremely harmful”.

Despite repeated requests that the public follow proper protocol, audience members were heard interrupting board members Tuesday night. Parents expressed concern about the book ‘The Rainbow Parade’ by Emily Neilson. The book includes illustrations of men and women at a pride parade wearing limited to no clothing. Dr. Potter says no official objections have been made and officials pointed out that one of the community members speaking on behalf of the group does not have a child who attends Penfield School District.

Source: Rochester First