State Ed Commissioner Denies Petition to Remove Wise as Trustee
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New York State Education Department Commissioner Betty Rosa has denied a petition calling for Carmel School Trustee Jim Wise to be removed for remarks he made at a July board meeting that some view as being inherently antisemitic.
In a Nov. 25 decision, Rosa ruled Kimberly Zamparelli, an independent educational consultant from Patterson, “failed to demonstrate that removal is warranted based on respondent’s statements in public and at the July 2024 board meeting.”
“There is no evidence that respondent, by demonstrating in his capacity as a private citizen, willfully disobeyed any legal obligation as a board member,” Rosa stated. “Moreover, any disruption to district operations was attributable to the board’s decision to raise the issue during a public meeting. Board meetings are an inappropriate venue to air personal or political grievances.”
At issue was Wise uttering the phrase “From the river to the sea, Palestine should be free” June 22 at a pro-Palestinian rally at the Putnam County Courthouse and at a July 9 board meeting. Critics view the phrase as being antisemitic, historically a call for the elimination of the state of Israel. Defenders contend it is just expressing support for Palestinian liberation.
Wise, who is Jewish, has repeatedly said he rejected “absolutely” that the phrase was antisemitic, contending it is absurd to accuse a Jewish man of antisemitism for holding a position he stressed is shared by many American Jews.
During the July 9 meeting, the Board of Education passed a resolution condemning Wise after the district received “several” complaints about his remarks. On Aug. 8, four Hudson Valley lawmakers penned a letter to Rosa requesting that Wise be removed for “blatant and dangerous antisemitic rhetoric.”
“This week’s ruling confirms what I have been saying all along: that there is nothing untoward about a trustee speaking out against genocide as a private citizen, and that Board President (Melissa) Orser and Trustee (Jason) Paraskeva have consistently overstepped the authority of their roles and the proper jurisdiction of the school district in attempting to use the power of the board to punish a political opinion which they disagree with,” Wise stated to Examiner Media.
“It goes without saying that I see no antisemitism in calling for freedom for the Palestinian — or any other — people, and that I consider the charge of antisemitism directed at a Jewish man for holding an opinion shared by the majority of American Jews to be just as absurd as it was $20,000+ of the district’s funds and months of the board’s time ago,” Wise continued. “It is my firm hope that the board can now get back to the business of protecting our students and addressing the budget crisis facing our district.”
Carmel Board of Education President Melissa Orser issued a statement through the district.
“Let me be unequivocal: antisemitism is not, and should never be considered, political speech. It is a form of hatred that undermines the values of inclusivity, respect, and safety that we strive to uphold for all students, staff, and community members,” Orser stated.
Superintendent Erin Meehan-Fairben sought to clarify the ruling, by stating, “Regarding the recent Commissioner’s Decision, it is important to clarify that the decision was based solely on the limited record provided in the petition and answer by a community member and Trustee Wise, the only parties to the appeal. The board and the district were not a party to this appeal.”
Trustee John Curzio has supported resolutions opposing Wise’s remarks on Palestine but has concluded that Wise should be permitted to serve his full three-year term, which expires in June 2026.
“Regarding the underlying conduct and words of Trustee Wise in question, I voted with the board majority to pass a resolution which made clear that the board emphatically disagrees with all remarks attributed to Trustee Wise that could be considered or interpreted as antisemitic, emphasized that those remarks neither represent the board’s view; nor were they authorized or condoned in any manner by the board, and recommitted and reaffirmed the board to the task of addressing the issue of antisemitism and intolerance, and working to foster a culture of respect, understanding and acceptance,” Curzio stated.
“We, as elected representatives of our community, have a solemn obligation to condemn hateful, disgusting, divisive, dehumanizing, antisemitic, and racist remarks. The original comments made by Trustee Wise – and the language he used to double down in defense of his original comments – this time from our board table at a board meeting – were all of those things. This conduct is unbecoming of a Board of Education Trustee. This is not a matter of politics, but rather a matter of right and wrong. Our community and our children are watching,” he continued
“The removal of an elected official, though, is a decision that should be left to one entity and to one entity alone – the voters. As I see it, to ask a single unelected official in Albany to void the will of the voters of our school district is an affront to the majesty of the democratic process,” Curzio added. “One can’t only love our system of government when one wins. Trustee Wise was elected by the voters of our school district to a three-year term. He is entitled to serve the term of office that the people afforded him, and the people will ultimately pass judgement on Trustee Wise’s tenure and character when he stands for re-election.”
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/
