[ad_1]
As a Jewish parent and a leader in our community, I am deeply troubled by the rising levels of antisemitism in schools. I urge all parents, Jewish or not, and school administrators and staff who care about the safety of school communities, to play a crucial role in understanding how antisemitism can infiltrate social and political movements, and to take this epidemic of bias and hate seriously.
The fact that anti-Jewish bias and bigotry exist is not the fault of the Jewish people. And it cannot be up to the Jewish people alone, a tiny minority — there are about 75,000 Jewish people in the Greater Seattle area — to solve. Parents have a duty. We must guide our children to become informed, conscientious citizens, especially in light of the recent protests around the country that, at times, have diminished physical and psychological safety for Jews. It is our responsibility to teach our children that attacking Israel or Zionists can be used as a thinly veiled cover for anti-Jewish attitudes and ideas. We need to distinguish between legitimate political discourse and language that dehumanizes or demonizes Jewish people.
We must begin by acknowledging that many of us, adults included, need to strengthen our understanding of these issues. We can then educate our children to recognize and condemn instances of antisemitism masquerading as political critique, just as we do when swastikas and Nazi insignia appear.
Antisemitism is at a 45-year high, and a report released last week by the Anti-Defamation League (seattle.adl.org) indicated a nearly 200% increase in antisemitic incidents year-over-year in Washington. And, according to the ADL report, in K-12 communities, there was a 422% increase in antisemitic incidents as a result of the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel.
The data — and the experience of many Jewish young people in America right now — is frightening, and parents cannot shoulder this burden alone. School leadership should own their responsibility to ensure school communities remain safe, welcoming, and inclusive for all students and faculty, including Jewish and Israeli students.
School administrators and educators, from K-12 to college campuses, must take steps to address and prevent antisemitism in their institutions. These steps can and should include: Creating a culture in which students and faculty feel safe reporting when they feel threatened or unsafe due to anti-Jewish harm. Ensuring there is a functioning system in place to receive complaints and that these issues don’t fall through the cracks because they may not fit neatly into a single category of hate — whether racial, ethnic or religious. Evaluating harassment, intimidation and bullying policies and student codes of conduct to ensure these policies are robust and employed to the fullest extent when incidents occur. This includes thoroughly investigating reports of antisemitism, holding perpetrators accountable, and providing support for victims to ensure that anti-Jewish attitudes and ideas do not cross the line into physical violence.
And lastly, school administrators must step out of a reactive mode and begin taking proactive steps to create safer school communities. The Jewish Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Council has been working in partnership with other local Jewish organizations, proactively supporting administrators, faculty, and staff in both public and independent schools across the region — with everything from teacher training and anti-bullying programs to education about what antisemitism looks like today. Schools must avail themselves of resources and support.
This week, the Jewish community marks Passover, a holiday with a strong tradition of asking questions as a way to involve children. I hope all parents and educators will take this opportunity to ask questions about antisemitism and the experience of Jews today, and take the time to listen and learn from the answers to thoughtfully guide our children. By sending a clear message that antisemitism will not be tolerated, parents and schools can help create a united front against hate and bigotry and ensure all feel safe and welcome.
Editor’s note: The Seattle Times occasionally closes comment threads on stories. To comment on this story, you may send a letter to the editor to letters@seattletimes.com.
[ad_2]
Source link