An editorial headlined “Newton’s Credibility Gap” in the current (April 1, 2016) issue of the Jewish Advocate implies that Newton officials have not been completely honest when discussing anti-semitic graffiti in the schools.
A couple of key excerpts:
After the name-calling at the basketball game at Newton North High School a fortnight ago, we learned a swastika had appeared at that school in December. We also learned the police and the Anti-Defamation League had been notified of the incident, and so Superintendent David Fleishman, Mayor Setti Warren and the members of the school board must have been aware of it, as well.
It is not known why knowledge of the swastika at Newton North was kept from the public.
and
“When Fleishman and Warren issued a public statement in late February about the anti-Semitism at the Day Middle School, they knew about the anti-Semitism at Newton North in December. That would have been an opportune moment for them to tell all, and might have prevented the additional incidents at Newton North.
Yet they chose to say nothing.”
The paper published an editorial two weeks ago, headlined “Newton needs to take anti-Semitism more seriously,” criticizing Newton officials for not calling in federal law protection to help identify the perpetrator of the graffiti.
Our School Committee? The Newton School Committee? A “credibility gap”? Impossible!
They have zero credibility, so how can there be a “gap.”
Our School Committee? The Newton School Committee? A “credibility gap”? Impossible!
They have zero credibility, so how can there be a “gap.”
Plausible deniability is key to selective ignorance; does one think that whole truth & honesty are rampant in the executives? Public perception drives political aspirations, does one think there have not been other anti semitic incidents not reported..
Plausible deniability is key to selective ignorance; does one think that whole truth & honesty are rampant in the executives? Public perception drives political aspirations, does one think there have not been other anti semitic incidents not reported..
I’d love to know how much graffiti is written on the bathroom stalls in the high schools during any given week. Is there so much racist, sexist, homophobic, anti-semitic and other hate-ridden graffiti that both administrators and students don’t pay much attention to it? Or at least, they perceive it as vandalism rather than hate messages? Doesn’t mean it it isn’t a problem, but maybe the takeaway here isn’t that anti-semitism is on the rise in the schools. Maybe it’s that some students enjoy offending others.
Just a thought…
I’d love to know how much graffiti is written on the bathroom stalls in the high schools during any given week. Is there so much racist, sexist, homophobic, anti-semitic and other hate-ridden graffiti that both administrators and students don’t pay much attention to it? Or at least, they perceive it as vandalism rather than hate messages? Doesn’t mean it it isn’t a problem, but maybe the takeaway here isn’t that anti-semitism is on the rise in the schools. Maybe it’s that some students enjoy offending others.
Just a thought…