New York City Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez filed a lawsuit against the Ethical Culture Fieldston School, a prestigious school in the Bronx, alleging racial discrimination against his two daughters, according to the New York Post.
Rodriguez and his wife, Cristina Melendez, who serves as the Department for Education director, claim their eldest daughter, 16, faced discrimination at the elite school, the New York Post reported. The suit also claims the school — which comes with an annual tuition fee of $63,020 — retaliated against the family for raising concerns by expelling their other daughter, 10.
The family alleges the school “purposefully and intentionally discriminated against persons of color” and “purposefully and intentionally retaliated against persons of color who complained about racism at the school,” according to the outlet. The claims cite systemic issues within the institution that have deeply affected its students, the outlet continued.
The wife and daughters of New York City Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez were racially discriminated against by Ethical Culture Fieldston School, the family alleged in a lawsuit.https://t.co/YpZ0MIwywn
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) October 7, 2023
The lawsuit mentions alleged instances of racial tension within the student body, with white students allegedly engaging in racist behaviors that went unchecked by school authorities, fostering a “racially charged school atmosphere,” the New York Post reported.
One of the family’s claims is that a math teacher, Stephanie Weber, allegedly singled out the Rodriguez family’s older daughter for punishment while ignoring similar behavior from white students. The situation allegedly escalated when Weber falsely accused the older daughter of cheating on an in-class exercise, per the outlet. (RELATED: ‘Racist Images’ Are Popping Up On A Whiteboard In The EPA)
Melendez reportedly complained and Fieldston allegedly responded by expelling the younger daughter. The lawsuit alleges the younger sister was punished to send “a clear message to other students and families of color at the school that criticism of the school’s racially hostile environment would have dire consequences.”
A spokesperson for the school told the outlet that many of the allegations have already been addressed by Fieldston. “We treat all allegations of this kind extremely seriously and ECFS prioritizes our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion by striving to create a welcoming environment where all students can excel,” the spokesperson said, according to the outlet.