By a vote of “7 Yes” and “4 Abstaining,” District 28’s Community Education Council (CEC) – covering students and their families in Briarwood, Forest Hills, Jamaica, Kew Gardens, Richmond Hill, Rego Park, and South Ozone Park – passed a resolution against anti-Semitism. Another resolution against hatred passed unanimously during their meeting on Thursday, January 4.
Community Education Councils advocate for the needs of students and families; evaluate educational programs and initiatives; approve zoning lines that determine where students can attend schools within the district; and hold public hearings on certain matters, according to the New York City schools website.
Each of the 11 voting members on the CECs “provide hands-on leadership and support for their district’s public schools,” according to the CEC website. There is a high concentration of Jewish people in this area, but no one on the CEC D28 is Jewish.
The riot by hundreds of students at Hillcrest High School on November 20 happened within the CEC 28 district. The “demonstration” was against a Jewish teacher who posted on her private Facebook page a picture of herself at a pro-Israel rally.
Vijah Ramjattan, CEC 28 President, sponsored the resolution “to establish as a council that we stand with our Jewish community,” he said before the vote. Simone Dornbach, a Borough President Appointee, and Tanya Wendt, a member, were co-sponsors. The resolution says in part:
- That CEC 28 condemns the way the Hillcrest High School protest against a Jewish teacher was handled by the school administration, which caused school disruptions, school property damage, and endangered the welfare and safety of the Jewish faculty member.
- That CEC 28 condemns the repeated use of anti-Semitic symbols and offensive language by students at Hillcrest High School and all other schools regardless of at whom they were directed.
Nurun Swapna, Second Vice President, said, “We’re all American and we should all protect one another so that we can co-exist and create a better future for all of our children.” She voted yes.
Nathifa Lewis, Secretary, said, “I am personally satisfied with the way the administration has responded to that (the Hillcrest High School incident).” Lewis said the media “have been really highlighting the issue and making it much larger than it is.”
Lewis said the resolution’s words regarding the incident at Hillcrest High School “seems to be ostracizing a particular community, making people who are not part of it, who are less than ten percent of the school, and who have been dealt with. I have a problem with that.”
“And I feel personally felt a little bit affronted. I was called anti-Semitic and lots of other things,” after Lewis supported the way the City’s Board of Education Chancellor handled the Hillcrest High School incident. Because of the wording about that incident, Lewis voted to abstain on the resolution.
Karen Solomon said in the chat, “If it was a Black teacher having to hide in a classroom, would she be saying that it was “made more than it is”?
Regina Dubinskiy said in the chat before the vote, “Let’s call what things are. Hillcrest was a riot against a Jewish teacher.”
Maria K. said in the chat, “Thank you for all those supporting, and shame on you all for abstaining! Disgusting and upsetting.”
Vijah Ramjattan, president of CEC 28, disabled the chat feature on Zoom, saying, “The chat feature is a privilege. It’s not an access point to spew hate towards any members of the council or anyone else in the community.”
In the Zoom meeting were 146 people, while people also attended the meeting in person at the District 28 Office at 90-27 Sutphin Boulevard in Jamaica. People attending the meeting had 90 seconds to speak towards the end of the 3.5-hour meeting.
Ari Feldman said, “I did not think it was very professional to have a resolution that clearly some of your members did not feel like informed enough to be able to vote on, that multiple people had to abstain.” Also, “That you pushed this vote through and didn’t allow time for public comment.”
Alexia Myers-Hinds said that she “Implore(s) you and the entire Department of Education to teach about Jewish Studies and share actual historical content and not only since 1948, instead of learning what’s happening now from TikTok and misinformation so-called news platforms.”
Irene Raevsky said the resolution against anti-Semitism is personal for her because she and her family fled the former Soviet Union after being “persecuted as Jews.” “It’s one thing to condemn something as bad as anti-Semitism, or any other form of hate, and it’s another thing to prevent these acts from happening again in the future.”
Simone Dornbach sponsored the resolution against hate. Vijah Ramjattan (President) and Tanya Wendt were co-sponsors.
The resolution against hate says in part:
Therefore, be it resolved that CEC 28:
- Will come together to honor each other’s dignity and to better appreciate each other’s humanity – it is one of the greatest callings we have as human beings; and
- Empathizes with students and will try to help those among us who are vulnerable, targeted, and grieving; and
- Is united in our belief that all children deserve to grow up in safety, health, and freedom. Every. Single. One; and
- Acknowledges that we need community now more than ever; and
- Wants all our children to feel safe and seen by the education system at home here in New York City while at school or in the community.
The resolutions are sent to NYC’s Department of Education and the four elected officials in the District 28 area.
By David Schneier
