NY Gov Has to Backpedal Fast Over 'Black Kids' Comment

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is walking back comments she made about "Black kids" in her state, reports Mediaite. While giving a talk at a tech conference in Los Angeles on Monday, Hochul said this:

• "Right now we have, you know, young Black kids growing up in the Bronx who don't even know what the word 'computer' is. They don't know. They don't know these things."
• Reaction: "Our children are bright, brilliant, extremely capable, and more than deserving of any opportunities that are extended to other kids," said Assembly Member Karines Reyes. "Do better."
• Reaction, II: "The underlying perception conveyed about Black and brown children from the Bronx is not only disheartening but also deeply concerning," said state Assembly member John Zaccaro Jr.
• Reaction, III: Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, a Democrat who represents the Bronx, said that "while the governor's words were inartful and hurtful, I don't believe that is where her heart is," per the AP. "I firmly believe she wants to see all of our students excel."

• The apology: Hochul released a statement later Monday saying, "I misspoke and I regret it. Of course Black children in the Bronx know what computers are—the problem is that they too often lack access to the technology needed to get on track to high-paying jobs in emerging industries like AI. That's why I've been focused on increasing economic opportunity since Day One of my Administration, and will continue that fight to ensure every New Yorker has a shot at a good-paying job."

(More Kathy Hochul stories.)