THE PRINCIPAL IS OBVIOULY A MAMDANI SUPPORTER

Adams backtracks and admits pro-Israel Holocaust survivor should’ve spoken at NYC school

By David Propper

 

New York Post

Dec 4, 2025 

 

 

Holocaust survior Sami Steigmann tells his life story and gives a motivational speech to seventh and eighth graders  Mr. Steigmann was a baby during the Holocaust, born in 1939, and was medically experimented on by Josef Mengele, the "Angel of Death."

 

Mayor Eric Adams reversed course early Thursday and admitted that a Holocaust survivor with pro-Israel views should’ve been allowed to speak about antisemitism at a Brooklyn middle school.

The mayor’s office initially said it agreed with MS 447 principal Arin Rusch’s decision to keep 85-year-old Sami Steigmann from appearing at the Boerum Hill school — but Adams claimed that statement “went out prematurely.”  

“Let me be very clear, I’ve previously met with Sami Steigmann and he is ABSOLUTELY the right person to speak with kids about the atrocities of the Holocaust,” Adams said in a post on X late Wednesday.

Controversy erupted this week when The Post reported that Steigmann was denied an opportunity to speak at the school last month by Rusch because of his strong support of Israel. 

 

Principal Arin Rusch said Steigmann’s strong support of Israel would not be “right” for the Boerum Hill school. 

 

 

Steigmann argued that he had no intention of discussing Middle East current events with the youngsters, and would only keep his talk to the Holocaust and antisemitism. He said he would have told the principal that if she had spoken to him.

Nevertheless, he was still denied a speaking spot and the Mayor’s Office put out a statement this week confirming Rusch’s ruling.

A mayoral spokesperson said Monday that Steigmann “wasn’t the right fit,” but was committed to featuring other speakers with a similar experience.

Steigmann slammed the Adams administration’s statement, and accused the school of censorship.

Hizzoner finally backtracked in an X post he put online around midnight.

“I’m in New Orleans for the Combat Antisemitism conference and read a report about an unfortunate incident involving New York City Schools not allowing a Holocaust survivor to speak at a local school,” Adams said. “Unfortunately, a statement went out prematurely from my office that said he was not the right speaker.”

 

Eric Adams backtracked on a statement. James Messerschmidt

 

“As our Jewish community faces increased antisemitism and persecution across the globe, it’s more important now than ever that we learn the lessons and stories of the Holocaust,” he added.

Adams, a Democrat who’s about to leave office at the end of the month, has been a consistent supporter of Israel.

The DOE, which also originally said it backed Steigmann not speaking, appeared to change its stance in a statement Thursday.

School Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos has already reached out to Steigmann Thursday about “upcoming plans for student engagement,” a spokesperson said.

“We firmly believe in the importance of educating our children about acceptance and respect and the tragic consequences of intolerance and hate, so our next generation can never again perpetrate such an atrocity,” the spokesperson said. 

“We are very proud of the Holocaust education work taking place across our public schools.”