Superintendent Labeled as Man with "Vision Of Racial Harmony" by NY Times Sued for Racism, Sexism

A superintendent once called a man with a "vision of racial harmony" by the New York Times is being sued "by a principal, four teachers and three other school employees."

In 2000, the Times wrote a featured article about Ronald O. Ross soon after he rose to prominence as Mount Vernon's Superintendent of Schools in September of 1998. The piece featured enthusiastic commentary from a fellow teacher calling Ross a man of post-racial intentions.

"He will speak to issues most people dance around," said Jeff Yonkers, the president of the Mount Vernon Federation of Teachers. The article also included quotes from Mr. Ross explaining how he can make schools "a crucible of racial harmony."

This Monday, the same school district placed Ross on “administrative reassignment” until disciplinary actions against him were agreed upon. And though the Times wrote such glowing words about Mr. Ross years ago, their article proved untrue.

Today, Ross stands accused of multiple racist, sexist, and anti-Semitic statements, made not only in his personal life, but while "on the clock" and representing the district.

Among other quotes, Mr. Ross allegedly called an Irish man a "drunk," and faculty members various things, including “Oreo,” “white devil” and “dyke."
[caption id="attachment_26109" align="alignnone" width="1643"] Ross[/caption]
The New York Times continues:

When the high school principal suggested setting up a joint Thanksgiving cultural event with Solomon Schechter School, a Jewish day school nearby, Mr. Ross replied, according to the lawsuit, “I don’t want anything to do with the Jew school.”

And he is accused of telling a Muslim English teacher, “Your presence is a threat to the safety of our children because your husband or people could come in at any time and blow up this place.”

This is not the first time the New York Times has written something that later turned out to be untrue or false.

H/T MenRec