NYC Teacher Accused of Disrupting Vigil for Oct. 7 Victims

A New York City public school teacher has been accused of participating in a demonstration that disrupted a vigil held in Manhattan to honor victims of the October 7th Hamas attacks in Israel. Mia Kurzer, a special education teacher at The Heritage School in East Harlem, was allegedly among a group of protesters who displayed flags of Hamas and Hezbollah and chanted slogans such as "globalize the intifada."

Following her alleged involvement, which was captured on video at the Union Square vigil last week, Jewish activist and educator Moshe Spern filed a complaint with the Department of Education (DOE) and Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels. Spern's complaint, filed on October 8, seeks an investigation into Kurzer for creating a hostile environment for Jewish students and faculty at her school.

According to Spern's complaint, videos from the event show Kurzer occupying a seat as protesters shouted down mourners and praised the attackers. The vigil was organized by Israelis for Peace to mark the anniversary of the Hamas-led attack, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and the abduction of 251 hostages to Gaza.

Spern stated that Kurzer wore a keffiyeh during the protest, a symbol he argued signaled political activism within a New York City public school, making staff and students uncomfortable. He noted that Kurzer was previously photographed in rainbow knitwear for her professional headshot. He also alleged that the DOE had previously ignored a complaint he made about Kurzer's participation in protests outside the Park East Synagogue in Manhattan in November 2025 and May 2026, where demonstrators reportedly chanted anti-Israel slogans and obstructed Jewish congregants.

Spern described Kurzer's actions as a continuing pattern of conduct expressing antagonistic views toward Israel and Jewish people, incompatible with the DOE's obligations under its regulations and Title VI. He has requested that the Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management investigate the matter or forward it to the Special Commissioner on Schools Investigation.

Kurzer has reportedly been active in anti-Israel protests since her college years. In 2024, she was interviewed by CNN regarding her participation in anti-Israel protests at the University of Wisconsin. When approached by The Post, Kurzer offered no comment. The Heritage School and Chancellor Kamar Samuels have also been contacted for comment.