NYC teacher Damien Neva investigated after praising Hamas leader in group chat
Damien Neva, a 48‑year‑old teacher at PS 77 in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn, is under investigation by city education officials after a group‑chat message praising Hamas leader Yahya al‑Sinwar was made public.
The message, posted in November 2024, read “Long live Yahya al‑Sinwar,” a statement that resurfaced on October 11, 2026, weeks after the first anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. The disclosure ignited fury among parents and community members who said a teacher’s endorsement of a known terrorist “has no place in a public‑school classroom.”
Several parents wrote letters to the editor demanding Neva’s removal, with one Brooklyn resident urging, “If he truly feels this way, then Neva should leave the US and go live with Hamas in Gaza.” Another parent said, “No one who praises terrorists deserves to be teaching our kids.”
State Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz called the comments “appalling,” adding that “no one who praises a terrorist should be standing in front of children.” The New York City Department of Education declined to comment on the investigation’s status.
The controversy arrives amid a broader shift in New York public‑school enrollment. A June 2025 Teach Coalition report noted a near‑2 % rise in K‑12 enrollment in Jewish day schools during the 2025‑26 school year, with many families citing concerns over “anti‑Zionist” or “antisemitic” sentiment in public schools. Paul Bernstein, CEO of the Prizmah network, said roughly 60 % of parents who moved their children to Jewish schools cited the three‑year‑old Hamas‑Israel conflict as a decisive factor.
Neva’s case also highlights the protective role of teachers’ unions. As one letter writer noted, “Try firing a teacher in New York. It’s impossible— they’re paid no matter what.” Legal experts explain that a tenured teacher is entitled to representation, grievance filing, and a hearing that can extend for months before any disciplinary action is taken.
School officials confirmed that Neva has returned to the classroom while the investigation proceeds, though he covered his face when photographed leaving his home on October 5, 2026. The incident has prompted city officials to reassess policies on extremist speech among staff, with calls for clearer guidelines on the limits of personal expression for educators.
The Department of Education has said it will continue to monitor the situation and expects to issue a formal response once the investigation concludes.
