Q&A
Questions about Mastro's support for Ninfa Segarra and her controversial positions
3:48:18
·
168 sec
Council Member Farías questions Randy Mastro about his support for Ninfa Segarra, who held controversial positions on education and LGBTQ+ issues during her time on the Board of Education and as Deputy Mayor for Education under Giuliani. Mastro defends his association with Segarra.
- Farías outlines Segarra's conservative positions on AIDS education, condom distribution, and the 'rainbow curriculum'
- She questions whether Segarra's testimony in support of Mastro would be persuasive to the council
- Mastro disputes the characterization of Segarra and declines to comment on the personal vilification of potential witnesses
- He emphasizes his focus on building bridges and mentions support from other political figures
- Mastro avoids directly addressing Segarra's controversial positions
Amanda Farías
3:48:18
So I wanna pick up on the line of questioning from deputy speaker Ayala started related to your support of the gate community.
3:48:26
You've invited Ninfa Segata to testify on your behalf later today.
3:48:30
Mayor Giuliani's first appointment when you took office was the appointment of Ninfa Segata, as deputy mayor for education.
3:48:37
As head of the mayor's transition team, there's no question at least for me.
3:48:41
That you were involved in that appointment as well as other appointments.
3:48:45
Let's talk about how Mister Ghahra came to mayor Giuliani's attention.
3:48:50
In 1990, Bronxboro president Fernando Ferreira appointed her to the Board of Education to fulfill a promise to appoint a Latino with children to the New York City Schools.
3:48:59
Once on the board, she became proved to be one of the most conservative members.
3:49:03
She voted with the conservatives on the board to mandate that New York City's aids education curriculum focused on abstinence, She opposed the distribution of condoms in high schools when teenagers were becoming infected, and teen pregnancy rate was skyrocketing.
3:49:18
And she opposed the rainbow curriculum, which was a curriculum to help teach 1st graders to develop positive attitudes and respect towards individuals from different racial, ethnic, religious, cultural, and diverse family backgrounds, including tolerance of gay and lesbian families.
3:49:34
She sided with conservatives to cancel school chancellor's Joseph Fernandez's contract in 1993, leading to Fernando Ferde to ask her to resign.
3:49:43
And then she endorsed Rudy Giuliani from Mayor.
3:49:46
Do you really believe that someone who used their position to so actively promote homophobia and combat medically sound aid education is the kind of person who is going to persuade this counsel to support you?
Randy Mastro
3:50:00
I don't think that's a fair characterization.
Amanda Farías
3:50:02
I'm not asking about the characterization of What is it?
3:50:06
I'm asking for you.
3:50:07
Counseling folks to testify on your behalf.
3:50:11
Here, do you think that background, those facts that I stated because all of that is factual information?
UNKNOWN
3:50:18
I
Amanda Farías
3:50:18
Is sound enough to convince this counsel?
Randy Mastro
3:50:21
I don't consider that to be factual information.
3:50:24
I don't think the personal vilification of potential witnesses is constructive.
3:50:29
I'm about building bridges.
3:50:30
Folks are coming forward to talk about the work that I did in the Giuliani administration, and I just would add that I appreciate that they're willing to to do that, sir.
3:50:41
And I appreciate that I also, among the people you mentioned, enjoy the support of Freddie Ferrer.
3:50:47
For this position, I enjoy the support of
UNKNOWN
3:50:49
Okay.
Amanda Farías
3:50:50
We've heard a lot about your investments already, and they're all going to be here to testify.
3:50:53
I'm solely asking It's if you believe that testimony specifically with the history of facts that I just laid out is going to persuade this counsel.
Randy Mastro
3:51:02
I'm simply pointing out the support that I enjoy, and I hope
Amanda Farías
3:51:06
that we can move on.