Opinion: MCPS's antisemitism wake-up call (2024)

The recent U.S. House Education and Workforce Committee congressional hearing on antisemitism in K-12 marked a critical juncture for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS).Being identified as one of the top three districts nationwide for neglecting to address antisemitism is a stark and humbling realization. In this pivotal moment, we, as members of the Jewish community and stakeholders within MCPS, are hopeful that this hearing will ignite the much-needed changes to address antisemitism within our schools.

During the May 8 hearing, school board President Karla Silvestre, alongside New York City Public Schools Chancellor David Banks and Berkeley Unified School District Superintendent Enikia Ford Morthel, faced lawmakers to answer questions about antisemitism in their districts.Banks fielded numerous questions about a principal who permitted a riot in his halls that targeted a Jewish teacher. Meanwhile, Morthel was pressed extensively about Liberated Ethnic Studies, a districtwide curriculum that emphasizes topics of decolonization and intersectionality in history classes, and by extension, portrays Israel as an oppressive regime.

Unfortunately, there was limited scrutiny of the antisemitic issues afflicting MCPS.Key concerns were left unspoken, such as the troubling reinstatement of educators who shared antisemitic content on social media, the prevalence of hate speech during school walkouts, and the systemic negligence in addressing antisemitic behavior and swastika vandalism that has plagued the district for years.

Fortunately, the committee did hear powerful testimony from Brooke Meshel, an MCPS teacher at Paint Branch High School, who recounted her experience overhearing vile antisemitic speech during a school walkout and what she described as the subsequent retaliation by the school system when she reported it. Meshel’s story highlights the painful reality that MCPS has often concealed antisemitism rather than confront it with transparency and preventive measures.

The inquiries that Silvestre did encounter were met with exaggerated responses. One notable exchange focused on the MCPS reporting system for hate/bias incidents. Despite Silvestre’s claims of improvement, the system remains convoluted and deficient in subsequent follow-up and consistent community communication. Furthermore, the emphasis on staff training in hate/bias, presented by Silvestre as evidence of progress during the hearing, merely reflects a recent state mandate (initially opposed by the board) and may not even encompass a dedicated module addressing the unique complexities of recognizing and preventing antisemitic behavior.

With these shortcomings, we urge MCPS to fulfill its promise of addressing antisemitism and implement the following recommendations immediately:

• Improve communication and reporting mechanisms: Implement clearly defined reporting mechanisms for incidents of antisemitism within our schools, ensuring that all incidents are accurately documented and addressed in a timely manner. Each incident must be reported to the Montgomery County police department, as is standard protocol, to ensure the data is publicly accessible. A public dashboard should be maintained to keep the MCPS community informed about incidents and the subsequent actions taken to address the situation.

• Community engagement: MCPS should engage with Jewish parents, students, staff and other MCPS stakeholders in meaningful dialogue to develop effective strategies for addressing antisemitism and promoting inclusivity.This should include collaboration with grassroots organizations such as Maryland Jewish Alliance and Montgomery County Jewish Parents Coalition and must involve the adaptation of concrete strategies to address community concerns and recommendations.

• Accountability measures: Implement accountability measures to hold individuals responsible for perpetuating antisemitic acts within our schools, including appropriate disciplinary action and follow-up support for affected individuals. While MCPS often addresses incidents of hate/bias with restorative justice circles instead of traditional discipline, data indicate that this approach is largely ineffective in curbing misconduct and should be scaled back.

• Educational opportunities: Incorporate Jewish history and contributions into the curriculum within MCPS. Although MCPS is making efforts in this direction, thecurrent updatefocuses almost excessively on Jewish victimhood by teaching solely about the Holocaust and antisemitism. There is a noticeable absence of lessons highlighting the positive attributes of Jewish culture, their societal contributions, or the historical and contemporary Jewish connection to Israel. MCPS should look towards curriculum sources such asCAMERA Education Institute, which is finalizing a lesson plan entitled “The Story of the Jewish People in the Land of Israel” that traces Jewish history in Israel from antiquity to the modern day and aligns with state world history standards. MCPS should partner with CAMERA to bring this curriculum to all students.

By implementing these recommendations, MCPS can foster a safer and more inclusive environment for all students. We stand ready to support and collaborate with the school administration in these efforts and look forward to engaging with educators, parents and community leaders to ensure meaningful progress.

Montgomery County residents Margery Smelkinson and Deborah Schoenfeld are leaders of the Maryland Jewish Alliance. Smelkinson is the parent of four MCPS students and Schoenfeld is an MCPS alumnus.

Related Stories