An open letter to Mr. Richard Leprine, Principal of John Jay Middle School & Dr. Paul Kreutzer, Superintendent of Schools of Katonah-Lewisboro

3/7/2012

Mr. Richard Leprine                            Cc: Dr. Paul Kreutzer

John Jay Middle School                             Katonah-Lewisboro School District

60 North Salem Road                                 P.O. Box 387

Cross River, NY 10518                               Katonah, New York 10536

Mr. Leprine,


It is naive to think that the students who told the joke last month, or participated in the joke-telling, would have admitted to it when asked. It's nice to think that they would, however, it's a rare thing, especially when it is clear that it's being taken seriously. Agreed, *student*  should have reported the incident earlier, but he didn't as he didn't think anyone would do anything about it. Sadly, it has taken a very aggressive pursuit on my end for you to even attempt an investigation.

I wish that the actions of your administration over the course of the past year accurately reflect the claims you make in this letter. You did not take the claim, and in fact, evidence of harassment by last year of a similar nature until I made threats to bring legal action against the school, got the ADL involved, contacted members of the school board, the New York State Educational Department, etc.

As I have stated, and restated, repeatedly over the course of the last year, discipline isn't the only answer. In fact, with the joke telling, I wasn't expecting there to be any disciplinary action against the individual students as, it is clear; it wasn't a student-vs.-student issue, but an environmental one at the middle school.

You have repeatedly defended your curriculum relating to "anti-Semitism" (is there a reason, by the way, that this is in quotes? To put it in quotes is just about as offensive as someone putting "Holocaust" in quotes - you leave the impression that you consider it theoretical and not actual). And I have repeatedly pointed out that you, and these programs, continuously fail with regard to anti-Semitism. I ask how effective could these programs be when you have recent graduates perpetuating hate publicly, repeatedly, and currently. Again, I will point out the reports Bella Flanagan made - that was within one year of graduating JJMS.

Your students do not know what anti-Semitism actually is. Your Jewish students do not feel that they can approach or report anti-Semitism to you or your administration because of your continuous apathy.

The fact that the school district did not hold an assembly immediately following the incident in June of 2011, acknowledging the event, pointing out that it was not only a criminal matter, but a resurgence of a hate so strong that it killed 6,000,000 Jews and many others, and that it would not be tolerated on any level in the school.

I will continue to educate you on this matter: Anti-Semitism is NOT simply "bullying." It is "The belief or behavior hostile toward Jews just because they are Jewish. It may take the form of religious teachings that proclaim the inferiority of Jews, for instance, or political efforts to isolate, oppress, or otherwise injure them. It may also include prejudiced or stereotyped views about Jews." Such as the "fact" that Jews have big noses so they can take in all the free air that they want. Or when swastikas painted on a Jewish home are merely "a prank that went too far" and fodder for "a few Jewish families in our town that love it when they can rip on the middle class families." Aren't you proud, as educators, to see your students, current and former, going on the record with such tolerant views?

I said it on the phone with you, and I'm saying it again. Your educational programs do not address the issue of anti-Semitism. And, if they do, they are simply ineffective. You cannot teach a behavior that is so pervasively evil that it can escalate and cause the death of millions as though it were nothing more than one kid picking on the other. It's institutionalized.

And yet, Michael Gordon claims the district has done, and will do, all that it can to prevent anti-Semitism on-campus! "We have long maintained in our John Jay schools a focus on the evils of intolerance, and we remain committed to maintaining that focus, as education and understanding are the most important tools for fighting that which is symbolized by the swastika. "

But  you're allowing it to continue to be acceptable at your school.

But I'm not going to allow you to continue to white wash the issue, and try and cover yourself by listing all the wonderful organizations you have coming in to educate the kids.

Are you so afraid of the word, or the topic, that you just don't know how to address it in the school system? Are you afraid that bringing the subject up might be too "uncomfortable" for you? I know that was your excuse for not setting up the meeting with Ms. *bully's mother*  last year - because it would have been too "uncomfortable" for the aggressor's mother to meet with the mother of the child who was subjected to her son's anti-Semitic bullying.

Dr. Kreutzer, it is clear to the many people I've consulted, both last year and this year, from members of the Jewish community, the media and government officials, that Mr. Leprine is simply too ill-equipped or unwilling to properly address this issue.

I beseech you to intervene and take proper steps to address anti-Semitism. I have yet to hear from you in this regard since this latest incident.

As I provided Mr. Leprine last year, there are many resources available to the District and the school to address such matters in an effective manner, should the school and the District choose to engage them, starting with the ADL, Young Judaea, etc. A thorough educational program, for both students during the day and families in the event should suffice. And it cannot be another blanketed “bullying” programs. This is a horse of a different color. It is no less hateful, legally or ethically, than anti-gay bashing and anti-black bigotry, which, I’ve repeatedly pointed out to Mr. Leprine and others, would have prompted an immediate response from the school had that occurred.

I look forward to your response with an actual and immediate course of action, and not yet another excuse to turn a blind eye. The school, and the district, has a reputation for ignoring anti-Semitism that this course of inaction is upholding.

It's time for that to change.

- Rica Mendes

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My letter to the School Board:
Subject: Requesting the School Board uphold Mr. Gordon's Promise Published Last Year

Dear members of the School Board,

Before I go on, I would like to remind you of the promise made by Mr. Gordon last year with regards to the ugly incident involving 4 John Jay students:

A Reminder to Remain Vigilant

June 15, 2011

A Message from Katonah Lewisboro Board of Education President, Michael R. Gordon

Recently, local media have reported that a Jewish family living on Elmwood Road in Lewisboro was victimized by four local teens, present and former John Jay students, who allegedly scrawled anti-Semitic graffiti, including swastikas and anti-Semitic slurs, on the family's house and garage. 

These ugly symbols of religious hatred and evil are a sad reminder that intolerance, bias, and bigotry remain in our society, even amidst the safety and comfort of our own educated community. 

Although these vile acts did not occur on school property (vandals did spray-paint high school property the night that the Elmwood Road acts occurred, but the graffiti, while repulsive, was not anti-Semitic in nature), we cannot help but observe that we all must remain vigilant not only against hate, but against hateful expression.  

We have long maintained in our John Jay schools a focus on the evils of intolerance, and we remain committed to maintaining that focus, as education and understanding are the most important tools for fighting that which is symbolized by the swastika.

Last February, months before this incident, my son was the victim of an anti-Semitic slur by a classmate (as I discussed with some of you). I had to threaten legal action and an assault by Jewish organizations on the school, as well as a media blitz against Mr. Leprine, before the school would even address the matter. As I pointed out, that while the slur was put in black and white on Facebook, the fact is that if it were any other bigoted remark, one that was just short of a hate crime, there would have been an assembly in school to address the matter.

I was assured by the school board, and Mr. Leprine that with the new policies being put into place, this wouldn't happen again, that an educational program would address this, and there would be a zero tolerance for this kind of behavior. To say that I was skeptical was an understatement.

Then, this incident took place in June. I went back to Mr. Leprine to ask what he planned to do - and that I presumed that the assembly/educational program explaining what anti-Semitism was, that it wasn't tolerable, etc, would take place. I was told that it was too close to the end of the school year, but to "rest assured" as it was an isolated incident and they were handling it. I offered my resources again, and there was a nibble and a promise that someone would follow up, but no follow up took place. When I called the school over the summer to follow up with my contact, no return phone calls were made.

I began to follow up again in the fall, and I was blamed for the fact that my contact was not in the office.

Then, in December, my daughter, who attends Meadow Pond, was subject to anti-Semitic bullying and advice from a 5th grade peer to "keep it quiet" that she was Jewish, as she'd get picked on at MPES, and see even worse treatment in the Middle School & High School, as her peer's siblings endured. My daughter, now, does not feel safe and has asked me to get her into a Jewish Day School as soon as possible.

Then, this February, almost a year to the day, my son overheard 7th graders telling "Jew Jokes" in the locker room. I reported this to the school as soon as my son told me about it (he hesitated, as he was afraid that it wouldn't go anywhere, again, and I'd just get frustrated). As always, Mr. Leprine denied that such things could occur on campus, and that his "wonderful" anti-Bullying programs addressed anti-Semitism sufficiently.

I, not so politely, pointed out that clearly these programs and policies were not effective, as anti-Semitism was continuing to rear its ugly head just below the surface, and the bulge of anti-Semitism he was deftly sweeping under the rug was getting to high.

He opened an "investigation" which included asking my son to identify the student telling the jokes. What a surprise, when the student was confronted, he denied it. Mr. Leprine then put the burden on *student*  to identify fellow Jewish students who not only experienced anti-Semitism, but to come forward, identify the transgressors, etc. The problem is that these students, many of whom did go to the school at one point or another, no longer wanted to, as it never went anywhere for them before. And, the fact is that anti-Semitism goes beyond bullying - it's a threatening institution that even our government recognizes as hate. It's terrorism.

When  *student* couldn't turn in fellow students, Mr. Leprine, happily, dismissed the inference.

However, I'd like to point out the following:

• Feburary 2011 -   is called a "JEW" by one of his classmates in a rather ominous message on Facebook. (The police could not prosecute as the threat was implied, and there was no direct threat of physical harm.)
• June 2011 - Swastikas are painted on a Jewish family's home by current and past John Jay students
• June 2011 - Bella Flanagan points out, in the press, that she's seen students drawing swastikas at school, and they don't seem to "get it." ("I think it's offensive but those students may not have understood the meaning of the swastika," said Bella Flanagan, a freshman at John Jay. "I've seen people draw them and think it was just a symbol, they don't get what it means.")
• December 2011 - My daughter is bullied on-campus, and advised against disclosing her religious beliefs for fear of bullying and worse
• February 2012 - 7th graders are telling "Jew Jokes" on-campus in the locker room

This is just the experience and observation of one parent in one school year.

You may say that some of this may be in my head and that I'm over-reacting. However, not all of it.

Anti-Semitism is hate. Mr. Gordon made promises on behalf of the school district to protect its students against it. The school district has not, however, been effective in teaching that anti-Semitism is hate and not tolerated on campus. And Mr. Leprine has proven utterly ineffective.

Therefore, I ask you to act, and force the district to put Mr. Gordon's promise into action now. We need to put together an effective program that directly addresses anti-Semitism and makes sure that students, and their families, understand that it is just as hateful and dangerous as the more publicized forms of hate and will not be tolerated in our district. It cannot just be assumed that students know that it is just as wrong as anything else - clearly, they have demonstrated that they don't. I've offered, and will continue to offer, to help facilitate this. But something must be done.

There are 6,000,000 reasons why this cannot be ignored anymore.

Attached is the letter that I'm sending to Mr. Leprine & Dr. Kreutzer. To date, Dr. Kreutzer has yet to respond to any of my correspondence.

- Rica Mendes