Parents rally against law firm after school lawyer uses 'mother of all insults' in video rant
Updated: An insult-laden argument between parents and a New York school district attorney continued in the parking lot after a five-hour public meeting on Tuesday.
And it was recorded, both inside and outside the meeting site, by a local radio program host. The result was a viral video over the holiday weekend, a new Facebook group, Rocklanders Calling for Immediate Action Against Chris Kirby, with 59 members as of Sunday night and a call for the East Ramapo School District to terminate the services of its outside law firm, according to the Journal News.
Another Journal News article provides additional details.
In addition to unloading several F-bombs during the recorded confrontation, Kirby also used what the newspaper calls “the mother of all insults” (a reference to female genitalia) and commented on a woman’s weight.
At a special meeting scheduled Monday night, the district voted to terminate its contract with Minerva & D’Agostino, a Long Island-based law firm which has represented the district since 2009. Although Kirby reportedly works for or with at least one of the firm’s partners, he is not currently listed on its website.
The articles don’t include any comment from Kirby or the law firm. Yehuda Weissmandl, who serves as school board president, said the body will speak, as a group, at Monday’s meeting.
“The law says we need to meet together as a unit and we need to pass a resolution,” Weissmandl told the newspaper prior to the meeting. “I feel it’s inappropriate to come out with any comment until we meet as a unit.”
The New York Daily News and WPEC, a CBS affiliate, also have stories.
See video from school board (YouTube) and the parking lot (YouTube) [Strong language warning].
Updated at 8:44 a.m. to include news of subsequent vote to terminate law firm’s contract.
