Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School in New York – A Very Sad Day
Image Courtesy: Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School

Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School in New York – A Very Sad Day

Columbia Grammar and Preparator School (CGPS) in New York is one of the elite private schools in New York City with a distinguished history going back to 1764. Today, it boasts a student body of roughly 1300 in K-12 with a student/teacher ratio of under 6 to one, and distinguished graduates including Nobel Prize winners.

I too graduated years ago from the school. What has gone under the radar, however, is that Michael Cohen, an indicted co-conspirator with Donald Trump, served on the Board of Columbia Grammar and on its Fund Raising Committee while Trump’s son was in attendance.

Michael Cohen’s role and persona were no secret before he was indicted. Obviously, Columbia Grammar selected him because of the perceived access he had to key people and big money. Those are sad reasons for selecting leaders. They made a terrible mistake and they have a lot to explain to their students and families. This is a huge teachable moment and the future of CGPS will depend on it.

Daniel Socolow
Daniel Socolow: President, Socolow Group. Former Director of the MacArthur Fellows Program, President of the American University of Paris, Vice President of Spelman College. BA, MA, Ph.D.


Comments

  • Kenneth Krasne

    February 18, 2023

    Welcome to the real world. Every school (be it secondary or university) select board members on boards based on their academic and/or business credentials . While Mr. Cohen’s CV might not have satisfied the academic criterion, his prospective business connections might have proven to be an asset. It’s easy to view this in hindsight and critique his appointment. Hindsight is always 20/20.

    Ken Krasne ‘65

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