Newton School Committee member Matt Hills wrote a needed-to-be-said op-ed in the TAB about accusations that our schools are “using material that is anti-Semitic, anti-Jewish, anti-Israel, and puts the U.S. and the West in a poor light”
It is impossible for the School Department or School Committee to continually respond to allegations about materials we do not recognize or that are inaccurately portrayed. Shouting angry accusations at a School Committee meeting does not make them accurate. Repeating the same distorted sentence over and over does not make the accusation truthful. The McCarthy-ite tactic of waving an unopened book and claiming it is filled with terrible prejudices does not mean that the book actually contains such biased material.
Outstanding.
Can anyone post some of the material that the complainants object to? Or do they have a web site of some sort? It would be helpful to hear both sides, and not just the school committee defending itself. I’m not saying there’s a basis for the complaints. I’d just like to know what issue is.
I just found this on line
http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/detail/anti-semitism-in-newton-ma-schools
I don’t know if Charles Jacobs is exaggerating or is correct. It’s worth looking more into the issue to at least see what’s bothering him. While most Newton parents assume that the schools are being constructive, it’s been clear over the years that on some issues there is a certain amount of subjective indoctrination.
There also is a well-orchestrated program of distortion done by certain Moslem groups which hides those kinds of sexist, anti-Semitic, anti-Christian, and Machiavellian methods which he discusses, and presents Islam as kind of a fairy tale, in spite of Sunnis and Shiites blowing up each others mosques, Christians being driven out of the Middle East, Israelis being killed indiscriminately, women being brutalized for not conforming, Jews being attacked in European cities, general world-wide Islamic terrorism, fatwas and murders against people who didn’t show “respect to the prophet”, world-wide riots over rumors like the recent issue of the video relating to the Libya affair, and refusal to give true respect to anything other than Islam and sharia. These are the facts, and it’s important to be sure that this has not infused itself insidiously into the Newton curriculum.
@Barry:
The point is that it has been looked into. I have the highest respect for Matt Hills as well as others on the school committee and at the Ed Center. If Matt is telling me there’s no there there, I’m entirely comfortable believing him and focusing on real problems.
Here is a website whose content Matt Hills may be responding to: http://www.newtonexcellence.org/
Btw, what has happened to the formatting of comments? On my browser they are in teeny, weeny font–really, barely legible. Please, change it back!
I have to say that in my opinion there isn’t a single member of our school committee that would tolerate the presence of the types of claims Jacobs alleges. I believe there was an instance where a particular teacher may have on his/her own used something that probably wasn’t appropriate, and as I understand it, that was immediately taken care of. That doesn’t warrant a blanket indictment of our overall curriculum. If and where there’s a problem, we should expect it to be dealt with: end of story. The system did that.
One of the interesting things about the Newton Excellence website is that there is not a single name on it. Who are these people? Are they Newton residents, even? I agree completely with Dan Fahey – our School Committee members would not tolerate what is being claimed. Neither would the majority of administrators and teachers with whom I came into contact during my daughter’s 4 years at Newton North. This is just stirring up of an anti-Islam pot, in my humble opinion. Great job, Matt Hills.
One may assume anything one wants about the School Committee, without actual knowledge.
No-one here is claiming were trying to create jihad in the Newton schools. I think if it’s happening, and I’m not saying it is, it is more because of the point I made that there are Moslem groups, which have underlying agendas, but on the basis of openness and diversity are creating Islamic programs that have messages in them that are more subtly anti-Israel, anti-Semitic, or pro-Moslem. It’s easy to be taken in if one is overly trusting, or overly committed to diversity.
Knowing most of them personally, I stand by my belief.
Excellent column by Matt Hills. This is the sort of issue that should be dealt with publicly once by the School Committee. And then it should be put it rest.
The website http://www.newtonexcellence.org has the objectionable materials, a summary of the issues involved, and other information. I suggest that those who agree with Matt Hills’ extremely serious allegations against the dozens of concerned parents actually read the materials before commenting.
Last year, Newton South students learned that “Israeli occupation forces” have “imprisoned, tortured and killed” hundreds of Arab women in recent years. Please tell me, Ms. Spector and others, why you believe that our students should be learning that this false claim is the truth.
Also last year, my child’s history class at Newton North learned that the Catholic church was “reconsider[ing] polygamy as a Christian option”, that Muslim rulers were “especially liberal” towards conquered Christians and Jews, and that rabbis and priests are intermediaries who act as a barrier between worshipers and God.
If you believe this is all perfectly fine and dandy, keep sticking your heads in the sand. Otherwise, you might actually try learning something before commenting.
A summary of the issues is at http://www.NewtonExcellence.org. Take a look, then come back and tell us what you think.
Two individuals who have been quite involved in this issue appeared on Jackie Morrissey’s program “A Civil Action”. If you go to the program at 23:06, this is what Margot Einstein had to say about the curriculum in the Newton Public Schools:
23:06 “Jackie this is the first shot out of the barrel here. This is very exciting because you’re opening up a whole area – a worm’s nest, but a very important area that’s the education of our young people. And so, this is the next step. You’re absolutely right there’s a whole big job to do because what we really want to do in the end is to have a really good curriculum in Middle East Studies in the school One that is truthful, nonbiased and not Islam only. Not totally tipped over to Islamic jihad. This is soft, this is soft influence our children are getting that Islam is okay it’s wonderful, it’s benign, the teacher -the head of the history department this morning told me it’s – Jesus -it’s the same, it’s the same – we’re all the same – and yet there is danger here, Jackie, danger-”
I will try to post the link separately but Village14 isn’t letting me post it.
Sorry – can’t post the link but it is the episode where Jackie Morrissey interviews Tony Pagliuso and Margot Einstein. It’s available on demand.
So anyone who agrees with Matt Hills’ editorial needs to “actually try learning something before commenting”? Seriously? The simple truth is that many people have listened to your “argument”, looked at your website, and drawn the same conclusion as Mr. Hills.
The truth is obviously what Gail and Tricia interpret to be (sic). Reality is something is not being addressed and instead of investigating and attempting resolution, it appears that creating public outrage is the only way to have this accomplished. Leave it to Gail to cite the law chapter and verse in defense of anti-American practices.