NEW ROCHELLE, NY (December 20, 2022) — An attorney for Ingerman Smith LLP, outside counsel for the New Rochelle Board of Education, has been hired to investigate allegations of religious discrimination and anti-semitism made by District Medical Director Dr. Brooke Balchan against Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources Dr. Corey W. Reynolds.
At issue are scripted questions, believed to have been drafted by Ingermam Smith, asked by Dr. Reynolds, at a meeting on October 7, which Dr. Balchan has characterized as an interrogation of her religious practices and a systematic challenge to her sincerely held religious beliefs.
It has been more than 10 weeks since the incident and no determination has been made in the matter.
SEE: What Matters Most, Season 2 Episode where Superintendent Jonathan Raymond publishes video interview of Dr. Corey Reynolds 5 school days after this article appeared in what appears to be a transparent effort to counter the Balchan narrative.
Also in the meeting was Traci Jackson, the Executive Director for Human Resources, and Melissa Pasarelli, the Webster Elementary School Principal but participating in her capacity as co-President of the Administrators & Supervisors bargaining unit for the District which represents Dr. Balchan.
With the knowledge of everyone in the room, Dr. Balchan made an audio recording of the October 7, 2022, meeting.
Dr. Balchan filed a written complaint to the New Rochelle Board of Education on October 29, 2022; she attached two excerpts from the audio recording.
On Sat, Oct 29, 2022 at 1:47 PM, Brooke Balchan wrote: Good Afternoon Elected Trustees of the City School District of New Rochelle Board of Education,
As a Jewish member of the New Rochelle community, I request that you each, individually, listen to the two attached audio recordings from 10/7/22, in their entirety, so you can make your own decision about whether I, or anyone else, deserves to be interrogated this way about their religious practices.
This incident was reported nearly 3 weeks ago to the District and I am not aware of anything that has been done to condemn this act. In contrast, it was less than a year ago that there were reports of swastikas on a hotspot in New Rochelle, and immediate action was taken by our school leadership to publicly reaffirm its no-tolerance policy.
My grandparents fled to NY from Poland during the Holocaust to escape religious persecution. Never, in my lifetime, would I have expected to be subjected to such a systematic challenge of my sincerely held religious beliefs, particularly when accommodating me for the days of my planned observance would not cause any undue hardship to the organization, as per Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
New Rochelle is my home, where I live, where my children attend school, and where I have friends, family and neighbors. This is my community and I will always stand up against hate and maltreatment.
Thank you for your attention.
In solidarity, #newrostrong,
Dr. Brooke Balchan
Pediatrician, mother, wife, sister, daughter, neighbor, friend, Jew, HUMAN BEING
New Rochelle Board of Education President William Iannuzzi replied on behalf of the City School District of New Rochelle within three hours.
From: William Iannuzzi
Date: October 29, 2022, at 4:54:16 PM EDT
To: Brooke Balchan
Cc: Adam Cooper, Adina Brooks, David Peters, Jonathan Raymond, Julia Muggia Ochs, Katie Castellano Minaya, Margaret Bavosa, Roshanie Ross, Valarie D. Williams
Subject: Re: Antisemitism at Central Office of City School District of New Rochelle
Subject: Re: Antisemitism at Central Office of City School District of New Rochelle
Dear Dr. Balchan:
The Board is in receipt of your correspondence and it has been forwarded to Ed McCarthy, the attorney who has been assigned to investigate your previous complaint of workplace discrimination.
Mr. McCarthy will review all of the relevant facts regarding your complaint and report his findings and recommendations to the Superintendent of Schools and Board of Education.
Once this process has been completed the Board will, in consultation with Mr. Raymond, take appropriate further action to the extent warranted and/or necessary.
William Iannuzzi
President
Board of Education
City School District of New Rochelle
On November 7, 2022, Edward McCarthy of Ingerman Smith LLP informed Dr. Balchan he was hired by the City School District of New Rochelle to investigate her complaints of harassment and retaliation complaint against Dr. Corey Reynolds, which Balchan characterized as anti-semitic. Later that day, Dr. Balchan replied, declining to cooperate with any investigation by Ingerman Smith, citing what she believes is a blatant conflict of interest; the belief that Ingerman Smith wrote the questions at the center of her complaint.
Context of October 7 Meeting
Dr. Balchan made a whistleblower complaint in March 2020 about the City School District of New Rochelle’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the details of which are described in a voluminous ongoing federal lawsuit. Dr. Balchan alleges that former Superintendent Dr. Laura Feijóo and others conspired to get rid of her for performing her duty as the City School District of New Rochelle Medical Director. Dr. Balchan was “reassigned to home” from January 29, 2021, to May 31, 2022, then suspended from June 1, 2022, to September 12, 2022. The District brought a section 75 disciplinary hearing against her in an unsuccessful attempt to terminate her employment. On September 12, Dr. Balchan was once again “reassigned to home”.
On September 19, Dr. Balchan met with Dr. Reynolds to plan for her return to work, which included a discussion of personal days Dr. Balchan wished to take before and after Rosh Hashanah. It was agreed that Dr. Balchan would return to work on October 3rd. On her first day back, Balchan received a letter to attend a meeting on October 7, 2022, with Dr. Reynolds, Melissa Passarelli and Traci Jackson.
The alleged religious discrimination and anti-semitism occurred during this October 7 meeting as Dr. Reynolds read questions from an interrogatory, believed to have been prepared by Ingermam Smith.
Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year. This school year it began at sunset of Sunday, September 25, 2022, and ended at nightfall of Tuesday, September 27, 2022. No work is permitted.
Aesop, renamed Absence Management, is a software program manufactured by Frontline Education used by school districts to record employee absences.
CBA is the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the contract which governs employer-employee relationships between the City School District of New Rochelle and members of the Administrators & Supervisors bargaining unit.
10-7-22 HR interview part 2 of 4 (click to listen)
REYNOLDS: Yes, for the record, we are back on the record. The time according to my watch is nine sorry 9:23 am. At this point, Dr. Balchan and Miss Pasarelli are back from their caucus. So again, the question on the table is, Dr. Balchan, do you recall receiving this? You said yes. And the question that I laid to you at that point was, excuse me. Do you believe that you complied with this previous directive in the context of your recent leave request?
BALCHAN: Yes, I do.
REYNOLDS: Okay. Thank you. So on September 12, 2020, to 5:19 pm, you submit into Aesop absences for personal reasons. And also in that you also submitted that these personal reasons of the request for these absences were due to religious observance. And in the additional notes, you indicated pre-planned travel abroad. Yes, so I’m going to share with you the exact entry for that. Attached to that, you will also find screenshots of what the Aesop looks like with your entered information, and notes. And when did you make the arrangements for this pre-planned trip?
BALCHAN: I would have to check my records. It was prior to September 12.
REYNOLDS: It was, okay. And you’ll be able to provide us copies of that information and so requested?
BALCHAN: Yes.
REYNOLDS: Why did you wait until September 12 to submit the request?
BALCHAN: Because I was suspended until I received your letter dated September 12. It was only on September 12 that I was reassigned to home. And at that time, once I was reassigned to home, I was instructed to follow past practices for entering absences.
REYNOLDS: So I’m going to ask at this point that you submit documentation to my office related to your travel plans and confirm so that we can confirm the traveling confirmation and when it was booked.
BALCHAN: Okay.
REYNOLDS: So, can you please tell us where did you travel to?
BALCHAN: My husband’s home country.
REYNOLDS: And that would be?
BALCHAN: Trinidad and Tobago.
REYNOLDS: And what dates were you there?
BALCHAN: 22nd until October, I flew out on October 1.
REYNOLDS: Okay, thank you. On September 28, 2022, during your absence, you email me indicating that you had taken leave for quote. “You should be aware that I’m a Jewish woman with a young family, the Jewish New Year Rosh Hashanah, as well as Yom Kippur on 10/5 represents the holiest days of the year for Jewish people. This is a time of reflection for the year that has passed and for setting goals for the year to come. This time is very sacred for me.” You didn’t state whether or not you use any of your personal days for performance of religious obligations, as required by the collective bargaining agreement? Did you engage in performance of religious obligations on September 27?
BALCHAN: In preparations, yes.
REYNOLDS: Did you engage in performance of religious obligations on September 23?
BALCHAN: Yes.
REYNOLDS: Did you engage in performance of religious obligations on September 29?
BALCHAN: Yes.
REYNOLDS: And did you engage in performance of religious obligations on September 30?
BALCHAN: Yes.
REYNOLDS: Can you please describe the specific performance of religious obligations who participated in during each of these days?
BALCHAN: I feel that, I’d like to speak to Melissa because I feel that this is a very intrusive question.
REYNOLDS: So at this time, by my watch, it is 9:26 am. We’re going to pause so…
BALCHAN: Before you pause, I also wanted it to be stated, in some of the emails, I had said that I felt very intimidated by the mannerisms in which you held our meetings. And so again, I’m going to bring it up to this group that I feel that I am in a hostile environment and I’m being put on the spot. I was not prepared for the details of this meeting today or to be asked these very, very sensitive questions. So, I understand your need to get to the bottom of these days. But I also, at 8:43 am, this morning, received approval for all of these days from my supervisor. So, before we conclude anything further, can you please take a look at this document for me?
REYNOLDS: I don’t think I will. At this point, we were discussing the days taken.
BALCHAN: Okay. Well, then I’m going to ask to adjourn this meeting. I don’t want to come back today.
REYNOLDS: You don’t want to…
BALCHAN: I don’t want to continue this conversation because I feel very threatened.
REYNOLDS: That’s understandable. And unfortunately, your today’s a workday.
BALCHAN: Yes.
REYNOLDS: This is a work situation, you are directed to be here to the letter that was sent you have union representation for your protection? I’ll go through my questions.
BALCHAN: Well, I need to take a break. And, I will need to take a break.
REYNOLDS: Let me finish. So, you don’t have to answer any questions if you don’t want to. And that’s quite fine. At this point, it is not our intent to feel intimidating, or to present as intimidating. So, our intent is to do fact-finding. That’s why I have the script specifically written so that I don’t deviate from that course of action, or that persona…
BALCHAN: Well, I understand I’m sorry to interrupt, but this has been a very long journey for me in this district. And I would appreciate your sensitivity to the fact that it’s very intimidating for me. And once somebody and from a medical perspective, once somebody is intimidated, and they’re in their, you know, heightened, you know, stress reaction is activated. It’s very hard to listen to anything that anybody is speaking about. So, I really need a break. And I would appreciate your understanding of that.
REYNOLDS: Well, of course, and I was expressing that, so allow me to finish.
BALCHAN: But I was…
REYNOLDS: Let me just finish my statement.
BALCHAN: I would like a break right now.
REYNOLDS: We’ll reconvene soon. The time now is 9:29am
10-7-22 HR interview part 3 of 4 (click to listen)
REYNOLDS: The time is now, according to my watch, 9:40 am. We’re back on the record, are you recording,
BALCHAN: I’m recording.
REYNOLDS: Are you OK?
BALCHAN: I’m. If I’m expected to be here, I am present.
REYNOLDS: So, our last question where we left off. You did answer “yes” to engage in performance of religious obligations on each of the dates of September 22nd, 23rd, 29th, and 30th. Can you please describe the specific performance of religious obligations you participated in during each of these dates?
BALCHAN: Well, I attended religious service, I reflected and planned and I prayed.
REYNOLDS: Where were these religious obligations conducted?
BALCHAN: In the location that I was.
REYNOLDS: You have a specific location?
BALCHAN: I need to know what I am. Legally, what you. I need to know, legally, how detailed I need to be for you.
REYNOLDS: (crosstalk) asking your representative.
BALCHAN: Yeah, we’re waiting for our counsel to call back on that. So, I gave you a general idea of what I was doing. And I was out, I was in Trinidad and Tobago. So if that’s the location, that’s where I was, and hopefully that should suffice.
REYNOLDS: Okay. All right. And what always did you engage in the performance of religious obligations.
BALCHAN: Throughout the day?
REYNOLDS: Your September 28, 2022, email also indicated that you had personal business to attend to all the days you requested. So can you please tell us what personal business you attended to on September 22?
BALCHAN: This was part of the planning that I had for the new year.
REYNOLDS: October 23 (sic)?
BALCHAN: It’s this. This was a spiritual journey. And so incorporated in this trip included personal business and religious observance so it intertwines.
REYNOLDS: So on each of the days that you were absent from the district.
BALCHAN: Yes.
REYNOLDS: So the personal business, I’m going to ask a question, but you can answer it the way that you did the last one, if that is the correct answer. Where was the personal business conducted ?
BALCHAN: In Trinidad, Tobago.
REYNOLDS: And what hours did you conduct the person business?
BALCHAN: Throughout the day.
REYNOLDS: Do you have any documentation to substantiate that you were conducting personal business on those days?
BALCHAN: Yes.
REYNOLDS: Would you be able to provide that to us?
BALCHAN: Yes. It if, after I speak to legal counsel, I have documentation. And if he advises that I share it with you, then I can.
REYNOLDS: If some of the dates were used for personal business, why did you identify all of the days as when they just observe in states and they stopped?
BALCHAN: Because I previously, previously explained it was a spiritual religious observance for my family to reflect and to plan for the upcoming year during this critical time.
REYNOLDS: Can you explain what exactly you needed to do to plan for your family that cannot be handled outside working hours as mandated by the CBA?
BALCHAN: There how, asked me that question again.
REYNOLDS: Sure, can you explain what exactly you needed to do to plan with and for your family that could not be handled outside of the working hours as mandated by your CBA?
BALCHAN: We had meetings to attend to with other parties. And they’re not located locally.
REYNOLDS: So you’ll be able to provide to us documentation regarding those meetings.
BALCHAN: If my counsel advises. Oh, my other counsel is checking in. If I let me just give me one second. I apologize for that. What was that question again?
REYNOLDS: Sure. Would you be able to provide documentation of what was included during these meetings?
BALCHAN: Once I consult with counsel, for the union, I will provide what is appropriate.
REYNOLDS: Have you ever articulated to anyone in the district that the reason for these absences was due to a celebratory vacation?
BALCHAN: Absolutely not.
REYNOLDS: Let me share with you some emails dated September 21. Let me know…
BALCHAN: Okay
REYNOLDS: Did you receive this email?
BALCHAN: Yes.
REYNOLDS: Can you tell me when you first reviewed this email?
BALCHAN: I can’t recall.
REYNOLDS: Can you explain why you didn’t respond to the email until September 28, 2022?
BALCHAN: I can’t recall.
REYNOLDS: I’m going to provide to you. I apologize. I should have said September 21st. Let’s correct the record. An email was sent on September 21st 2022 at 5:15 pm. For the record. I’m going to share with you email sent on September 21st, 2022, at 6:01 pm. Do you do you recall receiving this email? Just let me know when you’ve had a chance… Do you recall receiving this email?
BALCHAN: I don’t.
REYNOLDS: So I’m going to ask the question. If you feel interested in answering please do. So can you explain why you didn’t answer the email?
BALCHAN: I don’t recall receiving this email.
REYNOLDS: Is there any additional information that you’d like to provide at this point?
BALCHAN: Regarding this? I discovered this email only after your some most recent correspondence were you referred back to it. And so I did not recall ever receiving this language. And so I had to like go back into my email account to find this. But I don’t ever receive recall receiving it prior to I believe this week.
REYNOLDS: Is there any information that you would like the district to consider regarding your absences and since at this point beyond what you’ve already shared with us?
BALCHAN: Can I speak with Melissa again?
REYNOLDS: Sure.
BALCHAN: Oh, yeah.
The Nation of Islam Incident
The surfacing of allegations of religious discrimination and anti-semitism, as identified by Dr. Balchan in the two recordings, against a member of senior leadership in the City School District of New Rochelle, come days after an incident at the New Rochelle Public Library: Nation of Islam Front and Center at Summit on Black-on-Black Gun Violence at New Rochelle Public Library.
Among those organizations involved in the NOI-infused “Grace for our Race” event at the library was the Boys & Girls Club of New Rochelle. New Rochelle Board of Education President William Ianuzzi works for the Boys & Girls Club. One of the event organizers, and a presenter, runs the Boys & Girls Club programs in Isaac E. Young Middle School and Albert Leonard Middle School. Neither Ianuzzi nor the Boys & Girls Club were willing to address the controversy over the Nation of Islam when asked.
Thank you to my brothers of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. for presenting me with an Honorary Membership. As long as we live, let’s strive for those fundamental principles that make an Omega man a man after God. pic.twitter.com/Y5kHTFKaCV
— THE HONORABLE MINISTER LOUIS FARRAKHAN (@LouisFarrakhan) February 3, 2019
Dr. Corey Reynolds is President of the Beta Alpha Alpha Scholarship Foundation, the foundation arm of the Westchester chapter of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity which in 2019 initiated Louis Farrakhan as a full member of Omega Psi Phi.