{"id":183427,"date":"2026-04-02T14:31:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T14:31:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/183427\/"},"modified":"2026-04-02T14:31:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T14:31:20","slug":"flushing-high-school-principal-under-fire-after-her-coach-makes-racist-comments-to-students-qns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/183427\/","title":{"rendered":"Flushing High School principal under fire after her coach makes racist comments to students \u2013 QNS"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cWe don\u2019t want a bunch of Juans, Jos\u00e9s and Marias coming here,\u201d the Flushing<\/a> High School principal\u2019s coach and mentor, Edward Tom, was heard saying during a District 3 education<\/a> council meeting with student leaders on Jan. 29.<\/p>\n

Students were supposed to be discussing ways to improve the school and made suggestions that the school implement metal detectors to ensure the safety of the building.<\/p>\n

However, Tom \u2014 Flushing HS Principal Jassica Lee\u2019s coach and mentor \u2014 said the metal detectors would harm the school\u2019s image before making the appalling comments that sent shockwaves throughout the school.<\/p>\n

Not only did staff hear accounts that Lee did not immediately admonish Tom\u2019s offensive and racist comments, but they\u2019d also heard accounts that Lee nodded in agreement.<\/p>\n

A spokesperson for NYC Public Schools<\/a> acknowledged the incident and confirmed that Tom\u2019s contract was immediately terminated, and that he has not returned to the school since the Jan. 29 meeting.<\/p>\n

Students at the school \u2014 nearly 70% of whom are Hispanic<\/a> \u2014 said they felt unwelcome after the incident with Tom and Lee, who are both of Asian background.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, staff members said they have been left to pick up the pieces following an insufficient response from Lee.\n<\/p>\n

QNS spoke with three staff members on the condition of anonymity about the incident and the events that have unfolded since.\n<\/p>\n

Shocked students and staff<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone was unhappy when they heard about this,\u201d one Flushing High School staff member told QNS. \u201cReactions varied. Some were surprised, others were offended. Everybody is still angry, and everyone feels terrible for the kids\u2026 It\u2019s a dark cloud that\u2019s hanging over the building, and it\u2019s not going away.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another staff member said they were \u201cshocked\u201d when they heard the comment was made in front of students who were simply advocating for improved school safety.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was definitely anger there,\u201d the staff member said. \u201cIt\u2019s been sitting with me for a while.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

One staff member said they were surprised that someone in Tom\u2019s position, knowing he was speaking to a room of students who are predominantly Hispanic, was surprising.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe students were obviously shocked and offended,\u201d they said. \u201cI thought it was very unprofessional and inappropriate. They felt as if they were saying Hispanic students in the school were not wanted and should be somewhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another staff member said Lee has yet to openly discuss the matter with staff, despite everyone in the school hearing about the issue.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re all aware in some way, shape or form that it hasn\u2019t been addressed at all,\u201d they said. \u201cI definitely feel as if she\u2019s just trying to sweep it under the rug.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe principal didn\u2019t even talk to them afterwards until she was basically forced to,\u201d another staff member added, recalling the meeting with Lee being held nearly a week after the incident. \u201cShe said she took ownership, but she did not apologize for it. The students were even more upset after that. She just let everybody sit with it. They don\u2019t deserve that.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the school has claimed there has been a comprehensive response to the incident, students and staff continue to wear pins that read \u201cJuans, Jos\u00e9s and Marias are welcome here,\u201d and \u201cLeadership is an action, not a position.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

One staff member said staff members also wear black on Mondays to show solidarity with the students.\n<\/p>\n

Edward Tom\u2019s role<\/p>\n

According to one of the staff members, Tom was hired to be a coach for the principal and assistant principals.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

Tom was reportedly supposed to help the administration develop their leadership skills and better serve students, the staff member continued.\n<\/p>\n

Notes from meetings at the school, obtained by QNS, point out that Tom had a history of inappropriate conduct.\n<\/p>\n

According to previous reporting by the Bronx Times<\/a>, Tom resigned from his position as superintendent at Icahn Charter Schools in August 2023 following the controversial mass firings.<\/p>\n

Notes from the meetings asked why the school hadn\u2019t properly vetted vendors or immediately flagged Tom for his problematic past.\n<\/p>\n

The school\u2019s response
\n\"FlushingNew York City Public Schools confirmed Tom\u2019s contract has been terminated and claimed the school has taken a comprehensive approach to handling the aftermath of the racist comments. Photo by Ramy Mahmoud<\/p>\n

After Tom\u2019s contract was terminated, the NYC Public Schools spokesperson claimed the school system is continuing to work with Flushing High School to address the aftermath of the shocking comment.<\/p>\n

\u201cNew York City Public Schools is unwavering in its commitment to maintaining a safe, inclusive environment for every student and has zero tolerance for racism or discrimination of any kind,\u201d the NYC Public Schools spokesperson wrote in an email to QNS on March 30.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The spokesperson said the school took deliberate steps to support those affected and created an open, student-centered dialogue and conducted direct outreach to impacted families to ensure transparency and meaningful engagement.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThese steps provide space for voices to be heard, concerns to be addressed, and trust to be rebuilt,\u201d the spokesperson continued. \u201cThis was a comprehensive response and we will continue to support the community and strengthen a culture of respect, accountability, and inclusion.\u201d<\/p>\n

The spokesperson also claimed Flushing HS had collaborated with the affected students and the guidance department for three grade-level assemblies sharing a Respect for All presentation.<\/p>\n

Although one staff member pointed out that Respect for All Week happens every year and had nothing to do with Tom\u2019s Jan. 29 comments, nor did any of the presentations specifically mention them.\n<\/p>\n

School pride plummets<\/p>\n

School staff said Lee\u2019s response has been underwhelming and not nearly enough to revive the sharp drop in morale after the comments were made.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve noticed a definite decrease in student pride at the school,\u201d one staff member said. \u201cThere\u2019s been increased awareness among staff, myself included, in collaborating with students to do more activities, like Spirit Week, to help them feel better and celebrate their culture or heritage.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since the Jan. 29 incident, staff said students have confided in teachers to share their feelings.\n<\/p>\n

One staff member said the principal has been walking the hallways more often, although she sometimes uses a firm voice to simply move students along.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cThey don\u2019t feel like anything has been done about it,\u201d another staff member said. \u201cThey probably feel a bit ostracized \u2014 like they\u2019re not welcome at the school based on their background.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not only did Lee not directly address the comments or acknowledge them to the entire school, staff claimed, but they said the principal has contributed to students\u2019 low self-esteem since she first stepped into the role in 2023.<\/p>\n

One staff member said during a town hall meeting with the entire school staff in 2024, Lee said she wanted to \u201cchange the student population\u201d and that she \u201cwanted better students at the school.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt infuriated a lot of us,\u201d the staff member said. \u201cAnd this was her first few months as principal.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Another staff member added that schools should be teaching the students it has, not the students it \u201cwants.\u201d\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

They explained that even if a teacher \u201cwants\u201d students who love the subject they teach, they have to understand that it\u2019s not every kid in the class \u2014 that\u2019s why they must modify their approach so students can engage with the work and learn a new skill.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a principal in charge of students of different races, cultures, languages and religions,\u201d the staff member said. \u201cI think that diversity needs to be amplified, honored and showcased in many different ways.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to another staff member, Lee had also made a comment that the school administration \u201ccannot let the inmates run the asylum.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are you saying about our students?\u201d the staff member asked in reference to Lee. \u201cWhat do you really feel about the school population? Are you here to help or here to judge?\u201d<\/p>\n

The students matter
\n\"\"As students and staff continue to express their shock, anger and pain resulting from Tom\u2019s racist comments, staff said it\u2019s important that students feel seen, heard and welcome at Flushing HS. Photo by Ramy Mahmoud<\/p>\n

Staff said what was so infuriating about the Jan. 29 comment was that Lee should be focusing on serving the students who attend the school and making their experience more enriching.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of us feel she\u2019s very condescending to them,\u201d the staff member said. \u201cIt\u2019s something we\u2019re forced to work around every day.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

They said Lee hasn\u2019t spent much time interacting with students in the hallways and getting to know them, and students barely knew who she was for the first two years.<\/p>\n

One staff member said Lee does not provide a welcoming environment to students.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cThey just don\u2019t feel like she really cares about their well-being,\u201d they said. \u201cA majority of those students that express this are Hispanic. They feel she\u2019s not really present.\u201d<\/p>\n

After a Flushing High School student died in Columbia, one staff member said Lee did not acknowledge the tragedy until a week later only when the superintendent visited.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cShe knows how angry they are,\u201d a staff member said. \u201cShe knows how upset they are and how hurt they are. I\u2019m not sure she cares, except for herself.\u201d<\/p>\n

One staff member said students express their concerns that Lee is \u201cletting all the good teachers go,\u201d pointing to the high rate of turnover of staff at the school.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe student leaders are very astute,\u201d the staff member said. \u201cIt sounds like they\u2019re feeling that she is kind of letting the school go.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

A reflection of today\u2019s racism<\/p>\n

The staff member said it\u2019s bad enough when students face racism in their everyday lives, perpetrated by strangers on the street.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But when it comes from a trusted adult in an environment that\u2019s supposed to support them, racism takes on a whole new meaning.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of our students already struggle with a myriad of issues, whether it\u2019s academic or language barriers or society or ICE,\u201d one staff member said. \u201cWhen they come into this building, it\u2019s supposed to be a safe space. It\u2019s supposed to be a space where they feel welcome. When the principal\u2019s coach says something like this, and the principal agrees with it, it completely kills their self-confidence in every way. It\u2019s such a brazen way to be exposed to racism.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another staff member said conversations they\u2019ve had with students reveal fear in the current sociopolitical environment.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve had students reference what they see on the outside, especially when it comes from the stereotypical ideology of immigration,\u201d the staff member said. \u201cThey see school as a safe haven. But when leadership is not emphasizing that they\u2019re here for them to help and protect them, it\u2019s contradictory.\u201d<\/p>\n

The staff member said students and staff are doing everything they can to express to the school administration how they\u2019re feeling.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

Part of that expression, they said, is the pins staff and students are wearing in support of a welcoming school environment.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cThe students aren\u2019t being heard, but they\u2019re kind of like \u2014 maybe they\u2019ll hear us now,\u201d the staff member said. \u201cI think that\u2019s what the movement is \u2014 to be heard and see if there\u2019s momentum for change to support our students. This way, we can make sure they feel valued and seen in a place where they should be.\u201d<\/p>\n

The students are smart, the staff member stressed, and they have great ideas for improving safety in the school that are being dismissed.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they can\u2019t have these important conversations outside in the real world, where else are they supposed to do it?\u201d the staff member said. \u201cGiving them the floor to be the young adults that they are \u2014 and letting them know that they and their feelings are important \u2014 matters.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cWe don\u2019t want a bunch of Juans, Jos\u00e9s and Marias coming here,\u201d the Flushing High School principal\u2019s coach…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":183428,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[128,310,73814,43273,73815,9,24,63,3863,129,131,130],"class_list":{"0":"post-183427","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-the-bronx","8":"tag-bronx","9":"tag-daily-newsletter","10":"tag-edward-tom","11":"tag-flushing-high-school","12":"tag-jassica-lee","13":"tag-new-york","14":"tag-new-york-city","15":"tag-nyc","16":"tag-racism","17":"tag-the-bronx","18":"tag-the-bronx-headlines","19":"tag-the-bronx-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183427","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=183427"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183427\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/183428"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=183427"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=183427"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=183427"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}