Anti-Semitism and Vandalism Against Jewish Communities

As the network of Friends schools across the country, Friends Council member schools are inclusive, diverse communities comprised of individuals from many walks of life. Quaker schools include students and faculty of many races, religions, nationalities, ethnicities, ages, gender identities, sexual orientations and learning abilities/styles.

In light of recent anti-Semitic events across the country, including numerous bomb threats at Jewish community centers and desecration of Jewish burial grounds, Friends Council affirms that Quaker schools stand for peace, inclusion, equality, integrity, diversity, and the peaceful non-violent resolution to conflicts. Friends Council calls on our heads of schools, faculty, and school communities to stand together against language and actions that are anti-Semitic, Islamophobic, racist, homophobic, transphobic, sexist, or that demean or denigrate any person.

We are encouraged to hear how Friends school communities respond to national or world events that do not fit with these Quaker values. We learned this week that when one Jewish Community Center (JCC) came under a bomb threat, one Quaker school served as an emergency evacuation site for student members of that JCC community. At another Friends school, students and alumni are creating posters with messages of support that will be shared with the Anti-Defamation League.

Friends Council on Education invites you to read the February 28, 2017 Teaching Tolerance blog post below that offers a list of resources for your consideration:

“Learn Something New Every Day”
by Adrienne van der Valk Teaching Tolerance Blog, February 28, 2017
http://www.tolerance.org/blog/learn-something-new-every-day