Maud Maron is a public interest lawyer who is now at the center of a firestorm in New York. A Bernie Sanders donor and public interest volunteer, she is the classic image of a Manhattan liberal. Maron is also someone with the type of resume that should bring pride to any school. She is a mother of four who graduated from Cardozo Law School and became a public defender with the Legal Aid Society. By every indication, she is a dedicated public interest lawyer. Her life changed, however, after, as a mother of four public school kids, she criticized the teaching of what is commonly referred to as critical race theory in public schools. That led to her colleagues labeling her a racist and demanding her removal. She has now filed a lawsuit that claims that she was effectively forced out of her job by fellow lawyers and the union.In an interview with Bari Weiss, Maron said that her life became a nightmare when she drew the line on the racial identification lessons that she saw in the public schools impacting her children. She objecting to the rising identity politics of such lessons as well as race shaming that she saw in some of the lessons:
“None of this would have happened if I just said I loved books like White Fragility, and I’m a fan of Bill de Blasio’s proposals for changing New York City public schools, and I planned to vote for Maya Wiley for mayor. The reason they went after me is because I have a different point of view,” she said…
“I am very open about what I stand for. I am pro-integration. I am pro-diversity. And also I reject the narrative that white parents are to blame for the failures of our school system. I object to the mayor’s proposal to get rid of specialized admissions tests to schools like Stuyvesant. And I believe that racial essentialism is racist and should not be taught in school.”
There is no reason why a LAS lawyer cannot oppose such material in school and still represent all LAS clients zealously. Indeed, Maron appears to have had an unblemished record. Yet, her comments led to a 2019 complaint from the Black Attorneys of Legal Aid Caucus and Attorneys of Color of Legal Aid. She was cleared in early 2020.
Then she wrote a column for the New York Post criticizing anti-bias training and how difficult such efforts were making it for many to stay in the public schools:
“We all want a well-integrated, high-quality public-school system. Parents have the right to demand an education that prepares their children to meet or exceed grade-level expectations, which in America often lag other countries.
Those who yell the loudest about integration should stop the accusations against those who think or speak differently than they do about the shared goal of integrated, quality schools — and find ways to work together.”
That led to a furious response from fellow lawyers who denounced her as a vehement racist. The Black Attorneys of Legal Aid Caucus issued a lengthy statement that declared “Maud is racist, and openly so.” They said Maron “is one of many charlatans who took this job not out of a desire to make a difference, but for purposes of self-imaging.”
The full statement can be read here.
The statement is in my view unfair and unsupported. It could also be defamatory, though a court would likely find this protected as opinion.
Of course, the impact of such letters is to intimidate anyone else from uttering dissenting views. Few young lawyers would risk being tagged as a racist — a career ending event. We have seen the same campaign of intimidation on college campuses. Even objecting the 1619 project being taught in public schools can lead to calls for termination. This growing intolerance for free speech has even reached law schools, as discussed in a column this week.
Indeed, as we previously discussed, Bari Weiss herself was the victim of such a campaign at the New York Times and now writes on Substack.
It did not stop there.
Four lawyers wrote a piece calling Maron an “anti-integration activist.” Rigodis Appling, Diana Nevins, Olayemi Olurin & Jason Wu wrote:
“In addition to opposing school integration, Maron and her ilk unsurprisingly oppose culturally responsive education and implicit bias training for educators.
These anti-integration advocates hold an outsized influence over education policy, occupying critical seats on their local community education councils….”
Calling her a “segregationist, the lawyers declare:
“This legacy of anti-Black racism and logic lives on. White mothers fought to uphold Jim Crow—they saw their moral authority derive from protecting their white children from the racial threat of integration. While people like Maud Maron seemingly couch their arguments against school integration in a thin veil of parental concern, they remain on the wrong side of history.”
The letter could also be the subject of a defamation action. They outright call her a racist and a segregationist. The writing is again close to the line of fact and opinion for defamation purposes.
One lawyer who was not intimidated was Maron’s former supervisor James Chubinsky, who is quoted by Weiss as saying “Any suggestion that she was anything other than a top-flight lawyer that the Legal Aid Society should be damn proud to have on their staff is a crock.”
Her complaint alleges hostile workplace claims (Count 1, 2,) and constructive termination (Count 3). The latter claim may be tough since she alleges that “Ms. Maron is currently promised a return from sabbatical pursuant to § 3.4.4.1.2 of the agreement, but The Legal Aid Society has made it impossible for her to do so.” A court could be looking for an exit ramp and such nuance could give it an easy way of out of such a claim.
The hostile workplace and discrimination claims are particularly interesting due to the intermixing of fact and opinion statements. Again, a court could be tempted to call it all opinion and note that Maron assumed a public persona in her writings. However, she alleges that the problems arose before she published her column.
We will be watching the case closely.
There are always those that think they have a superior intellect than others, wishing to cast them aside as uneducated or idiots and not to be considered in the conversation. This seems to come to light almost daily from various Universities and elected Democrats. I paste a true intellect for your consideration.
John Locke “On Politics and Education” Part 9, Section 143, 3 & 4
“(3)… Besides raillery, contradiction is a sort of censoriousness wherein ill-breeding often shews it self. Complaisance does not require that we should always admit all the reasonings or relations that the company is entertain’d with, no, nor silently to let pass all that is vented in our hearing. The opposing the opinions, and rectifying the mistakes of others, is what truth and charity sometimes require of us, and civility does not oppose, if it be done with due caution and care of circumstances. But there are some people, that one may observe, possessed as it were with the spirit of contradiction, that steadily, and without regard to right or wrong, oppose some one, or, perhaps, every one of the company, whatever they say. This is so visible and outrageous a way of censuring, that nobody can avoid thinking himself injur’d by it. All opposition to what another man has said, is so apt to be suspected of censoriousness, and is so seldom received without some sort of humiliation, that it ought to be made in the gentlest manner, and softest words can be found, and such as with the whole deportment may express no forwardness to contradict. All marks of respect and good will ought to accompany it, that whilst we gain the argument, we may not lose the esteem of those that hear us.”
“(4) Captiousness is another fault opposite to civility; not only because it often produces misbecoming and provoking expressions and carriage; but because it is a tacit accusation and reproach of some incivility taken notice of in those whom we are angry with. Such a suspicion or intimation cannot be borne by any one without uneasiness. Besides, one angry body discomposes the whole company, and the harmony ceases upon any such jarring. “
“The happiness that all men so steadily pursue consisting in pleasure, it is easy to see why the civil are more acceptable than the useful. The ability, sincerity, and good intention of a man of weight and worth, or a real friend, seldom atones for the uneasiness that is produced by his grave and solid representations. Power and riches, nay virtue itself, are valued only as conducing to our happiness. And therefore he recommends himself ill to another as aiming at his happiness, who, in the services he does him, makes him uneasy in the manner of doing them. He that knows how to make those he converses with easy, without debasing himself to low and servile flattery, has found the true art of living in the world, and being both welcome and valued every where. Civility therefore is what in the first place should with great care be made habitual to children and young people.”
Picture if you will this former US Marine at 8 y.o. XMas wearing a plastic helmet, plastic rifle. Now transpose this pic to the current middle east particularly Palestinian and Jewish children parroting and regurgitating the same rhetoric carrying “plastic” guns before graduating from the crib. Critical Thinkers see this and apply it globally. The net, most are caught in is “thought.” Thought loves creating new words from Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) to Critical Race Theory. As George Carlin quipped leave the symbols to the symbol minded.”
A majority of American fourth- and eighth-graders can’t read or do math at grade level, according to the Education Department. And that assessment is from 2019, before the learning losses from pandemic school closures.
Whenever someone asks me about critical race theory, that statistic comes to mind. What’s the priority, teaching math and reading, or turning elementary schools into social-justice boot camps?
https://www.wsj.com/articles/critical-race-theory-is-a-hustle-11626214782
Nothing inspires unity in the most diverse population on the planet than a public education system that churns out functionally illiterate students that are taught to hate each other based on immutable characteristics.
The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next. Abraham Lincoln
Too late.
Yes, but we should all sleep better at night knowing the Navy is up to speed on their diversity training.
This from a July 12th article in the WSJ about “if” war comes.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/if-war-comes-will-the-u-s-navy-be-prepared-11626041901
“I guarantee you every unit in the Navy
is up to speed on their diversity
training,” said one recently retired
senior enlisted leader. “I’m sorry that I
can’t say the same of their ship-handling
training.”
And the Chinese are watching carefully. Many worry it isn’t a question of “if,” but when.
I’m glad I’m retired.
Me to.
It takes a century to build a navy – it is far more than steel and ships.
It appears to take very little to destroy one.
We can be absolutely certain that Xi is calculating the odds that the US will defend Tiawan if he tries to take it,
and if we actually do – how vigorously we will do so.
The US has 30+ super carriers in mothballs that are superior to every single carrier in every other nation in the world.
If we sold the Indians one of out carriers from the 50’s or 60’s they would instantly become the worlds 2nd most powerful navy.
The Russians, Indians, Chinese and even English all have ski jump carriers – this means they can handle half the compliment of aircraft with half the sortie rate, and half the payload and range after launch.
China can not win a sea war with the US, they can not win an air war with the US – so long as the US is willing to take small losses.
It is unlikely that the US can “defeat” China – but in a relatively short time we can control the seas completely arround china, and the air for atleast 100 kilometers into china.
Further we would have the support of India, Tiawan, Japan, and probably the philipines, and Austrailia.
This is Trump’s legacy. Trump shifted US deplomacy from Russia facing to China facing and provided the leadership that has been lacking for 30 years to unite all of asia in containing China.
Japan has announced that a Chinese threat to Tiawan is a threat to Japan itself.
The likelyhood of a hot war with China is directly proportional to the chinese beleif that we would not fight or that we would back down when the fighting got rough.
the next 4 years are the best opportunity for China to attempt to take Tiawan.
The priority is creating a generations of racist nazi’s. Get with the program.
If you are accused of a crime – do you want a competent attorney ? Or a woke attorney ?
As Biden spends $2T on infrastructure – do you want engineers who know that 1 + 1 = 2 or those that are sensative to the racist nature of mathematics to design those bridges ?
It is impossible to carciture those on the left – they are the actual carciture of themselves.
“It is impossible to carciture those on the left – they are the actual carciture of themselves.”
*******************************
Problem is: the laughs are at everyone else’s expense. For eons, human societies flushed their refuse. We elevate ours to leadership posts and wonder why we’re waist deep in it.
Take a knee, beg, good girl, or not. People are waking from their woke state with threats and commission of legal and physical assaults. This must be what it was like in the post-apartheid State of South Africa, when, in addition to native South Africans, they started lynching native blacks who defied the consensus and social progress. A model of Hutu/Tutsi recurring redistributive and retributive change.
From the Nazis braying Jew privilege, to the neo-Nazis braying White privilege, apparently, a progressive condition… one step forward, two steps backward.
They tried to conduct witch hunts and warlock trials with the establishment of the #MeToo rape culture, and received the same feedback. A desperate gasp from the advocates, activists, and patrons of the original handmade tale, and a nominally “secular” religion (“ethical code”) that denies women and men’s dignity and agency, and reduces human life to a property.
Critical Racists’ Theory presumes diversity [dogma] (i.e. color judgment), not limited to racism, sexism, ageism, that denies individual dignity, individual conscience, intrinsic value, and normalizes color blocs (e.g. the racist designation “people of color”), color quotas, and affirmative discrimination. Social justice anywhere is injustice everywhere.
That said, diversity of individuals, minority of one. Baby Lives Matter
To n.n,
I was okay with the #MeToo movement as it did in fact expose and take down some vile people (e.g. Weinstein).
But when they went silent on those who had the bravery to come forward about NY Gov Cuomo’s sexual harassment, and then of Tara Reade allegations against Biden.
They backed Christine Blasey Ford completely but went silent on Tara Reade.
The double standard for sexual harassment based on political affiliation is appalling.
I started reading Mark Levin’s American Marxism last night. What has happened to Maud Maron and others is a predictable result of this Marxist movement.
https://www.amazon.com/American-Marxism-Mark-R-Levin/dp/150113597X
To Olly,
I think the parallels to what is happening here in America today and what happened during Mao’s Culture Revolution are shocking.
They are not a one for one comparison (yet), but disturbingly close.
One need only read “Life and Death in Shanghai” by Nien Cheng to know we are well on our way to emulate Mao’s Cultural Revolution with groups like BLM and Antifa serving as the Red Army and the 1619 Project as Mao’s “Little Red Book.” Frightening.
Proponents of the 1619 Project and of CRT claim that their goal is to educate us about America’s history with slavery. That claim is false, but let’s run with the premise that we are ignorant about that history.
How many Americans do you think know about this history?
— In 1807, “President Thomas Jefferson signed into law a bill approved by the Congress `’An Act to prohibit the importation of slaves into any port or place within the jurisdiction of the United States” (hereinafter in this Act referred to as the`’1808 Transatlantic Slave Trade Act”) and made it unlawful `’to import or bring into the United States or territories thereof from any foreign kingdom, place or country, any negro, mulatto, or person of colour, with intent to hold, sell, or dispose of such. . .as a slave, or to be held to service or labour.”’ (Yes, *that* Thomas Jefferson.) (https://www.congress.gov/110/plaws/publ183/PLAW-110publ183.htm)
— Congress then passed the “1820 Piracy Law.” Included under “piracy” was this provision: “attempting to confine, deliver, or sell a negro or mulatto (similarly qualified as “not held to service”, etc.) was also declared piracy punishable by death.”
— As a result of Jefferson’s and Congressional efforts to eradicate slavey: from 1819-1861, the U.S. Navy patrolled the coast of Africa (and elsewhere). The Navy captured some 100 slave ships, punished their captains, and freed the would-be slaves. The Navy’s “African Slave Trade Patrol” ceased when it was redeployed to fight in the Civil War. Here is the Saratoga’s captain describing one such effort:
“For some time the American ship Nightingale of Boston, Francis Bowen, master, has been watched on this coast under the suspicion of being engaged in the slave trade. Several times we have fallen in with her and although fully assured that she was about to engage in this illicit trade she has had the benefit of the doubt. A few days ago observing her at Kabenda, I came in and boarded her and was then induced to believe she was then preparing to receive slaves. Under this impression the ship was got under way and went some distance away but with the intention of returning under cover of the night; which was done and at 10 P.M. we anchored and sent two boats under Lieut. Guthrie to surprise her and it was found that she had 961 slaves on board and was expecting more. Lieut. Guthrie took possession of her as a prize and I have directed him to take her to New York.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Slave_Trade_Patrol)
Name one other country in history that has expended 1/10 of the effort — that has spent anything close to the lives, wealth, moral capital — to eradicate slavery.
“Biting the hand that feeds you” seems an inadequate epithet for those race hucksters.
This case is the case to watch. I will be watching closely too. Hats off to Professor Turley for bringing this one to our attention.
So, is it starting to sink in? America is now controlled by minorities who use race as a weapon. Their goal is to marginalize whites.
The goal is not to marginalize whites. That is a myopic viewpoint. The goal is to utilize the marginalization of whites and the stoking of racial grievance to seize power over all branches of government and every aspect of daily life.
It is a tactic, not a goal.
Exactly. This is not a black and white issue, but stoking adversity through diversity [dogma] (i.e. color judgment) has a legacy of bearing capital and control for a democratic/dictatorial front.
I read the Bari Weiss interview yesterday, I am a subscriber to her SubStack as well as Glenn Greenwald, Matt Taibbi and other alt-media journalists.
Maud Maron had her mostly liberal beliefs. But when she did not agree to the more recent extreme left ideas, then they accused her of being a racist, never mind her work as a public defender, was on the Community Education Council, a poll watcher for John Kerry, and Bernie Sanders’s supporter in 2016.
Nope. None of that matters.
What matters is Maud Maron did not bow down to the extreme left view points, she was not woke enough and she had to go.
I hope she wins her case. And serves as a warning to others.
We have a friend who is a liberal Democrat. He says this far left extremism makes him look like a moderate Democrat or even a Libertarian.
“We all want a well-integrated, high-quality public-school system”
We most certainly do not, not all of us.
No one in their right mind wants integration in schools to any great degree. At least not anyone living in nice districts with low crime.
Explain how integration causes crime.
Annihilate and disintegrate the public school system.
Decertify the teachers unions forever unto eternity.
—- the lazy, greedy, striking teachers-union teachers; —- them now and forever; let them rot in —-!
In all walks of life blacks are the main problem. Virtue-singling white liberals pretending to genuflect to those same blacks are the next problem.
“Black Attorneys of Legal Aid Caucus and Attorneys of Color of Legal Aid.”.. ummm, “cough cough”.. ok then…
In case anyone thinks that CRT is merely a discussion of race relations, click here.
https://ethicsalarms.com/2020/07/15/kaboom-anti-white-stereotyping-at-the-smithsonians-national-museum-of-african-american-history-and-culture/
When I read or hear these stories, the “Fabian Window” by George Bernard Shaw comes to mind. The HAMMERING of the hot globe is telling, but not as telling as the Crest above!
To all the Hammer’s, you are only fodder to your Arbiter!
The gaslighting by leftists has reached a preposterousness not seen since it was declared in China that Mao invented TVs and telephones, and it’s got to stop. These institutions are a lost cause and we need to create alternatives NOW. I wish her the best in what is sure to be some grade A and grade *school* level mudslinging on the part of her detractors. They have already shown there is no low they will not stoop to.
I suppose we can see the effectiveness of the right’s divide and conquer strategy of attaching anything ‘racial’ to CRT at work here. Along these lines I can’t help but notice Turley’s careful wording…
“Her life changed, however, after, as a mother of four public school kids, she criticized the teaching of what is commonly referred to as critical race theory in public schools. ”
Problem is, in this PR campaign by the right in regard to CRT, much has been attributed to it that doesn’t belong. In this case specifically it would revolve around an expanded definition of ‘racial essentialism’ to make it fit the right’s CRT boogeyman. This is exactly what Turley is touching on when he writes “…teaching what is commonly referred to as critical race theory”. Notice he didn’t label it outright critical race theory but rather hinted, possibly gloated, on what it’s now associated with.
On the other side of the coin the left has to realize they’ve been had yet again by the right’s ability to divide them into warring groups over finer theoretical points. As a fan of strategy I’ve always been a perverse appreciator of the right’s skill to get the left fighting amongst itself. There’s nothing constructive to the practice other than enabling them to find a way to keep their hands on the reigns of power long past demographics have shifted against them, but it is an art unto itself, no doubt.
Perverse admiration or not though, I can’t wait for the day where it all crumbles for the right as presently constituted. Nixon’s southern strategy has come home to roost and we’re heading in for the final battle. The right is going all in for limiting democratic voting practice and trying to gerrymander its way to permanent power and the ability to overthrow electoral results at will. It’s a terrible conundrum for them because even if they’re successful at it in these next upcoming elections, it will be impossible to maintain their power, especially when inevitable environmental crisis throws the model of control they’ve been intent on ‘owning’ up in the air.
The end seems determined to be quite the dramatic show…, but it is still the end.
eb
Sooner or later, the Left always eats their own, simply because it is an easy meal. They will eat you too, Anon.
To quote Jim Morrison…, your ball room days are over, baby!
eb
“Problem is,”
Your understanding of Marx!
Joe? Joe McCarthy?? Is that you???
eb
Diversity [dogma] (i.e. color judgment), inequity, and exclusion, not limited to racism, sexism, ageism, but also other class-based bigotry.
Lebron? Lebron James, is that you? And who spelled the big words for you?
Wait, you’re telling me I’m capable of running an entire offense from the 4 position, just destroying the box score and being a defensive maniac?! All while giving back to the community and being awesome? Owning trump in the process? That’s so excellent!
eb
Professor Turley words his prose carefully because that is what lawyers do.
I know that. It’s especially hilarious when it calls attention to itself though.
eb
Anonymous
“…we’re heading in for the final battle.”
Don’t be such a drama queen.
Lefties are headed back into the minority because of stupid tactics like weaponizing racism.
You overplayed your hand and now people see you for what you are – cynical hypocrites.
Aww shut it and go back to fixing elections you pussy.
eb
She should be appointed Attorney General for NY State.
First, they came for the classical liberals. She is a liberal of yesteryear, but liberalism has progressed.
They are starting to eat their own.
I have no sympathy for her. What did she think was going to happen? If you lie with dogs you get up with fleas.
No matter how woke you are, if you express any independent ideas. They will destroy you
So why do you have no sympathy for her?
No sympathetic, nor emotional appeal, just principles: Pro-Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness, without diversity [dogma] (i.e. color judgment). Good luck to her, to us, and everyone who stands, not kneels, with her.
The Lefties use their weaponized beliefs to eat their young.
I used to disagree with their beliefs, but accepted what I believed was a good faith disagreement.
Now I realize that those beliefs are a cynical tool to grab power.
You were naive as are many.
And you’re either oblivious or brainwashed as many like you are.
“She objecting to the rising identity politics” should be “She objected to”
P.S. Excellent article. 🙂
To who too or two to too?