NYC Teacher Under Fire for Praising Hamas Leader Returns to School

A New York City teacher under investigation for allegedly praising Hamas leader Yahya Al-Sinwar returned to his Brooklyn school Monday, prompting outrage from parents who are calling for his termination.

Damien Neva, who teaches at PS 77 in Park Slope, was reportedly in a group chat where he posted "Long live Yahya Al-Sinwar." The comments came to light in a lawsuit related to Neva's alleged involvement in boycotting Israeli goods at the Park Slope Food Coop. The lawsuit states the message was posted in November 2024.

Parents expressed disgust and anger over Neva's alleged remarks. "It's disgusting," one father of a fifth-grader told The Post. "If he's still teaching here, it's disgusting, both on him and on the school that's holding on to him. No one who praises terrorists deserves to be a teacher."

Another parent, a grandmother, stated, "I believe the Palestinian people deserve statehood, but Sinwar was a terrorist. He killed for the sake of killing, and to speak of him like he did something good – that’s not okay, and [Neva] is not someone I want near my grandchildren."

State Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz commented on the situation, saying, "Hamas is a terrorist organization that has killed countless people, including Americans. I don’t think someone like that should be teaching our kids."

The city Department of Education has not immediately responded to a request for comment.

Neva, a former fashion photographer, has become the subject of an investigation by city education officials following the public disclosure of his alleged comments. The controversy surrounding Neva's alleged remarks has drawn significant attention, with The New York Post featuring the story on its front page.