A New Jersey school district is apologizing after an assistant high school principal shared a flyer with anti-Semitic undertones to inform staff about Ramadan, the holy month of fasting, prayer and reflection for the Muslim community.
The flyer was sent Monday, the start of Ramadan, by the assistant principal of Columbia High School in Maplewood. The notice begins innocuously, expounding upon the meaning of Ramadan and terms to know, and what the holiday means for schools. A paragraph at the bottom, though, accuses the U.S. of "co-conspiring" with Israel to prevent "Muslim Palestinians from partaking in Ramadan, as the Israeli Zionist occupation enacts a genocide against them."
The letter got shared widely.
Backlash was swift, with the superintendent putting out a written apology hours later as some parents demanded the state take over the beleaguered school district.
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In the letter to families, staff and community members, South Orange & Maplewood Acting Superintendent of School Dr. Kevin Gilbert said he was made aware of the "inflammatory document" Monday afternoon.
"The document was not reviewed or approved by any district office or personnel, and while the intention of sharing the document was to provide a resource, serious content was overlooked," Gilbert wrote. "This resource contained language that, at any time, would be inflammatory but, particularly now, is deeply problematic and inappropriate for our schools."
"Personally, I am disappointed, angered and saddened by the communication that occurred," Gilbert continued. "The language in the document does not reflect what we believe creates a community that values inclusivity and belonging."
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The superintendent said the school district would work to identify a more appropriate resource around Ramadan. He also said the assistant principal didn't agree with the sentiment at the bottom of the flyer but merely overlooked it, and understands that the messaging was inappropriate. Moving forward, Gilbert said all resources would be reviewed prior to sharing with the wider school community "to ensure they meet our standards for respect, inclusivity and belonging."
Gilbert said the district is aware the incident damaged its inclusion efforts and reiterated his commitment to "working with any and all groups and individuals who want to help us be the best district we can be."
Earlier in the day, the school's principal had surrendered to Essex County prosecutors on an assault charge for allegedly attacking a student. The arrest of Frank Sanchez stemmed from what students described as an attempt to break up a fight between students last year.
On that issue, Gilbert said in a statement Tuesday, "I am deeply saddened by the news of charges against the Columbia High School Principal, the latest in a series of unexpected events that have happened in our district during this school year. No matter what our feelings may be at this time, our focus must be on meeting the needs of Columbia High School students, their families and staff."
"I am working with my administration colleagues to make sure we continue to fulfill our obligations to the people we service," Gilbert pledged.
A classmate told NBC New York he knows the female student who was involved in the fight. Sanchez, who made his first court appearance Tuesday afternoon, had been placed on administrative leave and not seen at the school since classes resumed after winter break.
