Union President's Antisemitic Tirade at College Board Meeting
In a disturbing incident at City College of San Francisco, the president of the campus chapter of the Service Employees International Union Local 1021, Maria Salazar-Colon, was heard directing antisemitic remarks and personal insults at a Jewish computer science instructor during a public board meeting. The outburst, which occurred on May 29, 2025, has raised serious concerns about campus safety and institutional accountability.
Vicious Comments and Mockery
Footage from the meeting reveals Salazar-Colon referring to instructor Abigail Bornstein as a "colonizer" on two separate occasions. She further mocked Bornstein by calling her "Abigail Dumbstein" and stated, "I really wish that that colonizer, Abigail Dumbstein, would shut her damn mouth and not speak on SEIU items." Salazar-Colon added that Bornstein was "dumber than a bag of rocks" and told her to "shut the f*** up... I'm sick of her s***."
The confrontation arose during a discussion about the college's budget. Bornstein had used her two-minute speaking slot to oppose the SEIU's call to reopen contract negotiations for a 14 percent pay increase, arguing that basing salaries on matching other unions was inefficient and suggesting adjustments based on the job market instead. Salazar-Colon responded by claiming the budget was "none of Bornstein's business" and urged other board members to put her "in her place."
Inadequate Response and Follow-Up Threats
Despite other trustees speaking up about the inappropriate comments, no immediate action was taken to reprimand Salazar-Colon or end the meeting. Trustee Aliya Chisti noted, "President [Anita] Martinez, we need to make sure that we're mindful of the comments that are being made," but the union president continued her tirade.
Bornstein reported the incident to the college and later received a follow-up email from Salazar-Colon, which she also shared with police and the board of trustees. The email, described as "threatening" by Bornstein, contained further insults, calling her "deranged, racist, elitist, horrible, filthy" and stating, "YOU LACK THE POWER TO STOP OR CONTROL SEIU, AND YOU NEVER WILL! ACCEPT THAT, COLONIZER!" Bornstein characterized both the meeting comments and the email as "antisemitic" and a "vile attack."
Widespread Condemnation and Accreditation Fallout
The board's lack of initiative in shutting down the attack drew sharp criticism. Darlene Alioto, chair of the college's Department Chairpersons Council, wrote in an email to trustees, "this behavior would not be allowed in my classroom; this behavior would not be allowed in my home. Why is it allowed at board meetings?" She labeled the acceptance of the attack as "disgusting" and also called Salazar-Colon's follow-up email "antisemitic."
In response, board president Anita Martinez and vice president Luis Zamora issued an apology, stating that the trustees "did not do enough to uphold the standards of respect that our community deserves." They pledged that in the future, the board "will no longer tolerate such behavior" and is "committed to reinforcing the expectation that all voices can be heard without fear of intimidation or harm."
The incident has had significant consequences for the institution. City College of San Francisco is now under a warning sanction for three accreditation violations by its trustees, including failing to follow its own policies against "profanity, obscenity and other offensive language." College officials informed accreditors in February that they are addressing these concerns, which includes efforts to hire a permanent chancellor to replace the interim chancellor who has been in the position for a year.
Bornstein told the San Francisco Chronicle that she no longer feels safe on campus and criticized President Martinez for not acting sooner, saying she "should have hit her gavel within the first five seconds" of the outburst. The Daily Mail has reached out to the Board of Trustees, Salazar-Colon, and Bornstein for further comment on the ongoing situation.
