Rally targets Brentwood official accused of racism

Amid catcalls from an overflow audience, Brentwood's embattled school board president Thursday night defended himself against charges of racism and rejected calls that he step down from the position he's held for the past seven years.

"Disgruntled former employees have labeled me a racist. I deny these allegations and can say without hesitation that I am not a racist," George Talley told a crowd of 200 who attended the school board meeting at the district's Felicio Administration Center.

"It is my intent to serve this district until the voters tell me it's time to go," Talley said.

At that point, several members of the mostly hostile audience began calling out "Goodbye."

A few minutes later, the town NAACP leader, the Rev. Roderick Pearson, told a reporter he found Talley's defense unconvincing. "I don't think it is sincere, I don't think it is heartfelt," he said of Talley's remarks.

At a rally before the meeting, civil rights leaders demanded Talley respond to charges of racism, filed last week with federal authorities in Manhattan. Talley, 63, was first elected to Brentwood's board in 2003, and named president a year later.

Pearson addressed the mixed crowd of parents, civil rights activists and laid-off Brentwood school district workers, who chanted and waved protest signs curbside on Third Avenue as passing cars honked support.

Closer to district headquarters, Talley supporters gathered for the board meeting - some glaring at the demonstrators.

"I know the man's definitely not a racist," said Michael Migliore, a retired carpenter and local resident. "They're all accusations, let me hear him say it, and then I'll believe it."

Much of the dispute stems from a struggle over district hiring, exacerbated by charges of nepotism and recent layoffs of teachers, custodians and other workers. School district security cars patrolled the area throughout the protest.

Talley's defenders describe him as a devoted church volunteer who regularly travels to Harlem with others to distribute free food to the poor. They note he has lived more than 50 years in the 16,000-student district, home to the Island's biggest Hispanic school population.

However, complaints filed with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission charge Talley repeatedly leveled slurs against Hispanics, blacks, women and gays - allegedly including workers he wanted fired.

"Objectively, it looks like discrimination, which is a violation of state and federal law," said Lenard Leeds, an attorney representing five Brentwood employees, past and present. Leeds is senior partner with the Carle Place firm of Leeds Morelli & Brown.

Brentwood's school board has been wracked by political infighting since the death in 2003 of its longtime president, Anthony Felicio. Much of the squabbling revolves around complaints that board insiders - past and present - put relatives and political supporters on the payroll, and that not enough minorities were included.

The system's defenders say Brentwood is ensuring local residents get their share of well-paying district jobs. Talley's son works for the district as a driver-messenger, and a daughter is a special-education teacher.

As Thursday night's meeting ended around 9:20 p.m., several Talley opponents and supporters hung back, waving their fingers at each other and arguing.