Thursday, October 1, 2026
This story has been updated.
An ugly night for the Freeport school district took an unusual turn last week when Interim Superintendent Shakirah Miller called Freeport Police to report that she had been poked by Michael Pomerico, the newly elected Board of Education president.
On July 1, the district held its much-anticipated Board of Education reorganization meeting at the Caroline G. Atkinson Elementary School. The gathering was a cacophony of arguments among board trustees, cheers and jeers from attendees, depending on which trustee was speaking, and loudly voiced allegations of misconduct.
When the meeting ended, Pomerico asked Miller about obtaining certain district documents, which he said he believed he was allowed to have based on the advice of attorneys and state education officials. Their conversation became increasingly tense, and at one point Pomerico stood over Miller as she remained seated.
According to Pomerico, he lightly poked Miller’s upper arm with his finger to get her attention when they were both seated. Immediately after the poke, which both confirmed, Miller, upset with Pomerico for “laying hands” on her, called 911. Freeport police officers soon arrived, and interviewed Miller, Pomerico, the remaining board trustees and others, including a Herald reporter who witnessed the incident.
Mayor Robert Kennedy, who has no direct role in school district affairs, said that neither Pomerico nor anyone else was arrested or charged with a crime by Freeport police.
In a brief statement to the Herald on July 7, Miller said that the Nassau County district attorney’s office was investigating the incident, and that she had retained legal counsel, but she declined further comment.
On July 9, a spokesperson from the Nassau County District Attorney's office confirmed that they had received a complaint regarding the Freeport school board meeting, but there is no indication of further investigations taking place.
"After a review of the evidence, the (district attorney's) office determined no criminal conduct occurred," the spokesperson told the Herald in an email.
Pomerico offered a more detailed written statement to the Herald on June 7, noting that “emotions were running high” in the meeting and in the moments leading up to the confrontation. He wrote that as he and Miller were talking, Miller kept turning away from him to speak to another board trustee, Sunday Coward.
“At that point I tapped her on the upper arm once with my finger in order to get her attention,” Pomerico wrote. “I felt we were in the middle of a conversation and she turned away from me.”
According to his account, Miller turned back to him and told him not to touch her, and he immediately apologized.
Pomerico wrote that he recognized that his responsibility is to “set the tone” of administrative conduct and put students first. “While I regret that last week’s interaction did not fully reflect those principles, I remain fully committed to leading this district in a manner that does,” he stated. “I look forward to working alongside my fellow board members, administration and all those who serve our students.”
Freeport residents and other observers have had mixed reactions to the incident since the Herald’s initial report of the confrontation on the night of July 1. Some social media comments and other discussions have criticized Pomerico’s perceived lack of professionalism, while others have described Miller’s 911 call as a dramatic overreaction.
A collection of 10 Black clergy members, who lead congregations in Freeport and Roosevelt or live in the area, was the first to offer a statement on the incident to the Herald. The pastors and spiritual leaders who collaborated on the statement and signed it include, Ebenezer Aduku, Andrew Branch, Stephen Michael Lewis, Arthur Mackey, Donnie McClurkin, Jessica Mitchem, Tristan J. Salley, Frank A. White, Scott Williams and Craig J.J. Wright.
In the statement, the religious leaders expressed “profound disappointment and concern” about the interaction— specifically “the image of a White male public official standing over and making physical contact with a Black woman” who is also a public official.
“Regardless of intent, such conduct evokes a painful historical reality in which Black women have too often borne the weight of racial bias, gender inequity and institutional disrespect while carrying extraordinary leadership responsibilities,” the statement reads. “The Black Church has long stood as a guardian of justice and human dignity. … We do so again today — not to inflame division — but to affirm the sacred principle that every person, regardless of race, gender or position, deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.”
The entire statement is available here.
The next board meeting is scheduled for Aug. 12, but at last week’s meeting, before the incident, Pomerico said he believed one or two more meetings might be necessary before then.
