New Delhi, Feb. 26 -- Allyson Friedman, an associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Hunter College, has been placed on leave pending an investigation into controversial remarks made during a virtual public meeting that were captured on a hot mic and circulated online, sparking widespread backlash.

The remarks were made during February 10 meeting of the New York City School District 3 Community Education Council, where a Black eighth-grade student was speaking about concerns over a potential shutdown of her Upper West Side public school.

Friedman, who was attending the meeting as a parent, was heard making offensive comments after inadvertently unmuting her microphone. A recording of the meeting circulated online, ...