The head of an elite New York City all-girls’ school has apologized after a class was shown an episode of a comedy show, which one mother complained demonized white women.
Bodie Brizendine, head of Spence School on the Upper East Side, sent out an e-mail to parents on Wednesday apologizing for showing Ziwe Fumudoh’s satirical show.
On Tuesday a Cuban-American mother, Gabriela Baron, complained that the video was ‘blatantly racist’ and said she was removing her daughter from the $57,000-a-year academy.
Brizendine wrote: ‘We take this seriously; it is never acceptable to ridicule anyone at any time.
Brodie Brizendine, the head of Spence School, apologized on Wednesday after students at her school were shown an episode of satirist Ziwe Fumudoh’s satirical show. One mother complained that the show was racist against white women
The Spence School, a $57,000-a-year Manhattan all-girls school, sent out an email apologizing for the showing of the episode
The 29-year-old comedienne’s season premiere featured author Fran Lebowitz
Ziwe told Lebowitz: ‘I believe that you are not concerned with how annoying white women can be’
‘This video is not part of the Spence curriculum. Our teacher and the School acknowledge that sharing a satirical video that made fun of white women was a significant mistake.
‘We are sorry for any harm this has caused to anyone in our community.’
Baron’s letter complaining about the video was picked up by former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, who earlier this year announced that she was taking her own daughter out of Spence School in response to the ‘hard left’ curriculum.
Kelly tweeted: ‘(Another) Spence parent pulls her kid after grossly racist episode attacking white women is forced on girls in class on last day of school.
‘We just left this school bc of its growing far-left indoctrination.
‘This is a place we’ve loved-breaks my heart they’re doing this.’
Actresses Kerry Washington and Gwyneth Paltrow are among the Spence School’s notable alumni
Actress Emmy Rossum and former NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s daughter Georgina are among the Spence School’s notable alumni
Former students at the school include actresses Gwyneth Paltrow, Kerry Washington and Emmy Rossum; Michael Bloomberg’s daughter Georgina; and Mick Jagger’s daughter Jade.
The clip in question was the season premiere of Fumudoh’s provocative HBO Showtime show, Ziwe.
HBO describe it as ‘the riotously funny, new variety series from writer, comedian and internet sensation, Ziwe. A no-holds-barred mix of musical numbers, interviews and sketches that challenge America’s discomfort with race, politics, & other cultural issues.’
The episode sees her interview feminist icon Gloria Steinem, and quote the explicit lyrics of the Cardi B song WAP at her, asking: ‘Do you feel empowered?’
Ziwe speaks to author Fran Lebowitz, telling her: ‘I believe that you are not concerned with how annoying white women can be.’
And she convenes a panel of women named Karen to ask them how they felt about their name, telling them it is now associated with ‘obnoxious, angry and entitled, often racist, white women.’
Ziwe asked Steinem whether she felt ’empowered’ by the explicit lyrics of WAP, which she read out loud to her. Steinem laughed at the question, replying: ‘Not really’
The 87-year-old author and activist laughed and clapped at Ziwe’s provocations
Ziwe also convened a panel of women named Karen to discuss their name, pointing out it was frequently associated with racist white women
Baron, in her letter, said she watched the clip at home with her husband and felt that it ‘openly derides, humiliates and ridicules white women,.’
She added: ‘[The kids] sat there in their graduation dresses while the white mothers of the white students – many of whom volunteer, donate, call, email and do whatever the school asks of them – were tarred and feathered in a video their teacher showed them.’
The row at Spence is just the latest in the ‘culture wars’ enveloping New York City’s expensive education establishments.
Earlier this year a parent at Brearley School wrote to other parents complaining about the teaching of Critical Race Theory – the questioning of America’s history and society, emphasizing the role that slavery played in the nation’s founding. Supporters of CRT argue it is a long-overdue rebalancing of the curriculum: detractors say it divides children by skin color, and tells white children to feel guilty for their skin.
A teacher at another school, Grace School, resigned in protest at the teaching of CRT.
Republicans have seized on the row, citing it as an example of the dangers of ‘woke’ philosophies pressed on young minds.