The Putnam Examiner

Brewster School Official Resigns Over Racially-Charged Social Media Posts

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Brewster Board of Education Trustee Krista Berardi has resigned due to racially-charged comments she posted to social media.

Trustee Krista Berardi resigned her post on the Brewster Board of Education Friday night following a public outcry over her racially-charged social media posts that have roiled the community in recent days.

“We recognize the events of the last few days have been painful for many,” the board stated jointly in a Saturday morning letter. “As a board, we have an unbending obligation to the well-being of every child in our community. Toward that end, we will be working with our students, parents, administrators, faculty, staff, and community residents to promote positive and caring relationships, trust, and understanding.”

Berardi declined an interview request from The Putnam Examiner.

Berardi, an art teacher for the last 16 years who teaches at Carmel, had one Facebook post on May 31 that suggested George Floyd’s death may have been staged.

A second post displayed a Putnam 911 report about part of Route 84 being closed due to demonstrators and Berardi wrote: “This is the bull—- I’m dealing with right now. It’s been such an emotional rollercoaster the past couple of days, I just want to get out with my daughter for a couple of hours. These dumb—– need to get hosed if they don’t get off the highway. This will never make people sympathetic to your cause, it will make people hate you though.”

The public outcry led to more than 50 people gathering in protest Friday outside the Brewster school district building.

Protestors gathered in Brewster on Friday, applying pressure on the Board of Education to call on Berardi to resign.

“Personally, I believe it is imperative that Ms. Berardi resign from her position as a board trustee immediately,” Board of Education President Sonia Mesika said in her Friday statement. “I believe she has breached the trust of the community. I find her posts reprehensible, offensive and inexcusable. They are not consistent with what I fight for every day while I serve on this Board, and in my opinion, what I believe our board as a whole represents.”

An online petition demanding Berardi be removed was created by a Brewster High School student and had been signed by nearly 3,000 people in recent days. 

“This is unacceptable,” Emily Sullivan, the student behind the petition, had stated. “We need to continue to call for her resignation or removal. Kerry Cunningham (board vice president) and Erik Grutzner (trustee) have said that they want to put this event in the past… Can they so easily put the death of George Floyd in the past? Can they so easily put the centuries of systematic oppression in the past? We cannot allow her to remain on the board. We must continue calling for change.”

The Carmel Central School District, where Berardi teaches, has a social media policy but it only governs use of district equipment. However, the district is now revisiting the policy.
 
“In light of recent events, the Carmel Board of Education will be reviewing our social media policy within our district in greater detail and expand the policy language to protect our students and support our staff,” Carmel School Board President John Cody wrote in an email interview with The Putnam Examiner. “We have a district equity team that was formed at the beginning of this current school year made up of district administrators, faculty, parents, a BOE member, and BOCES staff to continue ongoing work and research to make sure every Carmel student feels safe and supported coming to our schools.”
 
The school board president declined to speak about Berardi specifically, noting how the district “does not discuss publicly the employment history of our employees.”
 
“This matter has been turned over to legal counsel for review,” he did explain.
 
The district’s Responsible Use Policy, which all employees must sign, covers just district technology on district time. 

“The district has been made aware of racially insensitive posts made on social media, allegedly made by a member of our teaching staff,” stated Carmel Superintendent of Schools Andy Irvin. “We regret the upset of those who were privy to the disturbing social media posts. The Carmel Central School District prohibits all forms of unlawful discrimination and harassment and the social media posts at issue have been referred to legal counsel for review. Hateful and discriminatory speech and threats of violence or violence against persons on the basis of race or other protected class status (gender, disability, age, etc…) will not be tolerated in the Carmel Central School District. As a district, we endeavor to have and are committed to cultivating a culture of inclusion and respect for all of our students and families within our classrooms and throughout our school community.”

Sullivan, a Brewster High School sophomore, stood at the center of the Friday protest holding a sign that said “Resign.”

“Our organization is growing! We will not tolerate this!” an impassioned Sullivan called out.   

Sullivan said as of Friday her petition had 2,700 signatures. 

The Brewster schools superintendent also weighed in Friday with a letter to the school community.

“I have to speak up for my personal beliefs and what I stand for, just as you do,” wrote Superintendent Dr. Laurie Bandlow. “I would like to send a clear message that it is inhumane and unconscionable to urge the use of fire hoses on peaceful protesters who are exercising their own First Amendment rights. We are not Bull Connor and this is not 1963 Alabama. It was wrong then and it’s wrong now. We love and value every child, parent, and member of our community and we will not tolerate racially insensitive comments. Students, alumni, parents, staff, community members who have reached out to us – we hear you.  There is work to do, and we are up to the challenge.  We need your partnership in addressing this wound that exists in our community and our society.”

Brewster administrators prepared a joint letter of their own on Friday, noting in the message they wish to “express our disdain for the divisive, degrading, and senseless comments.”

“We are concerned about the impact that such ignorant messages have on the emotional development of our children, both those who may internalize the message, as well as those who may view it as acceptable and be influenced to hate as a result,” the 15 signees from the Administrators Association of Brewster stated. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to support every child as educational leaders who promote social justice throughout this community for years to come.”

In her bio on the district website, Berardi, the mother of two teenagers, stated she considers Brewster a great place to raise a family.

“Our community is close-knit, diverse and thriving!” she said.

As for the Brewster Board of Education, in the Saturday letter members said the district will be holding a public forum as soon as the governor’s executive order is confirmed for larger gatherings of residents to come and be heard in person. 

“We would like to acknowledge [Berardi] for her service and for making the decision to step down to help our community heal,” the letter said.

The NYSUT teachers union also replied to a request for comment, explaining the “union’s values include working toward greater equality and social justice in our communities and across our society as a whole.”

“We will continue to do everything in our power to ensure that New York’s public schools remain safe, welcoming spaces for everyone,” the statement concluded.

Photos and reporting from Abby Luby. Reporting from Rick Pezzullo and Adam Stone.

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