An independent investigator has concluded that the president of the City College of San Francisco chapter of SEIU Local 1021 violated the college’s anti-discrimination and harassment policies after an expletive-filled rant aimed at a Jewish instructor. The findings were finalized today. The instructor at the center of it, computer science professor Abigail Bornstein, has been teaching remotely since the May 29 Board of Trustees meeting where the confrontation unfolded.
Investigation Cites Antisemitic Harassment
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the independent report found that union president Maria Salazar‑Colón "verbally assaulted" Bornstein because she is Jewish, and that her behavior violated City College’s policies on anti-discrimination, harassment and workplace violence. Bornstein’s attorneys shared the report’s conclusions with the Chronicle, which reported that the investigator determined it was reasonable for Bornstein to experience Salazar‑Colón’s comments as threatening or frightening. The college has not said publicly whether any disciplinary measures have followed.
Inside The Trustees Meeting Meltdown
During the May 29 trustees meeting, Salazar‑Colón called in and delivered a roughly 90‑second, profanity-laced tirade in which she called Bornstein a "colonizer" and mocked her last name, an episode that Bornstein says left her fearful and led her to file a police report, as reported by KQED. City College’s website identifies Salazar‑Colón as the president of the campus chapter of SEIU Local 1021 and as a staff member in the Office of Student Conduct and Discipline, a combination critics say made the blowup particularly disturbing. A recording of the meeting circulated publicly and drew sharp condemnation from colleagues.
Board Response And What Comes Next
The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the investigator’s findings were completed today, 45 days after the Board of Trustees declined to act on an appeal Salazar‑Colón filed on Feb. 5, according to the paper. College officials told the Chronicle they could not comment on "specific personnel matters" but said the school follows an industry-standard process for handling complaints. The report does not spell out whether City College will ultimately discipline Salazar‑Colón or tighten its rules for trustee meetings to head off similar incidents.
Why It Matters
Advocates and legal organizations say the ruling could encourage more employees to come forward about discriminatory or threatening behavior, even as they caution that stronger policies are needed to ensure complaints lead to real consequences. The Anti-Defamation League’s 2024 audit documented 9,354 antisemitic incidents across the country, continuing a multi-year climb that puts campus cases like Bornstein’s into a wider national trend, according to the ADL. Local officials have linked the City College episode to a broader pattern of assaults and vandalism targeting Jewish residents and have pressed institutions to respond more clearly and consistently.
Bornstein’s legal team says the investigator’s conclusions validate her complaint and could push schools and public agencies to take training and enforcement more seriously. Campus advocates are pressing for clearer rules on public comment at meetings and stronger protections for faculty and staff. City College has not released the investigator’s report and has given no timeline for any potential personnel actions.
