.png)
San Diego Unified School District Unanimously Passes the Resolution Condemning Antisemitism with IHRA | October 26, 2021
- PEER K12
- Oct 30, 2021
- 4 min read
On October 26, 2021, the San Diego Union School District Board of Trustees unanimously passed a Resolution Condemning Antisemitism with reference to the IHRA definition, which was co-authored by Student Board Member Zachary Patterson and Vice-President Dr. Sharon Whitehurst-Payne.
PeerK12 Community Letter of Support for Antisemitism Resolution
October 26, 2021
President Richard Barrera
Vice-President Dr. Sharon Whitehurst-Payne
Member Sabrina Bazzo
Member Kevin Beiser
Member Dr. Michael McQuarry
Student Member Zachary Patterson
Interim Superintendent Dr. Lamont Jackson
To the Board Members and Interim Superintendent of the San Diego Unified School District:
The Jewish leadership of San Diego County strongly supports the San Diego Unified School District’s Antisemitism Resolution and we applaud the co-sponsors for their efforts in writing such a powerful resolution.
This resolution will go a long way in creating a safe atmosphere for Jewish students, faculty and staff, and the San Diego Unified community, both in class and on campus. We also recognize what we teach our youth about their ancestral legacies and cultures is essential in the fight for racial and ethnic justice and equity, and it is with that belief that these efforts will hopefully extend beyond the boundaries of the schools.
FBI statistics from 2020 show that 57.5% of religious-based hate crimes were committed upon Jews who make up just 2% of the U.S. population. In California alone there has been a 60% rise in antisemitic hate crimes since 2017, according to the ADL. The San Diego Jewish community has been a part of local civil society since 1850 and today we count 100,000 members strong throughout the county. In that time, we have experienced everything from acceptance and prosperity to red-lining, hatred, and discrimination. Yet, the San Diego County District Attorney’s office statistics show that the overwhelming number of hate crimes motivated by religion are against Jews. These are all rates that are too significant to ignore.
It was just two years ago that Lori Kaye z”l, a graduate of San Diego Unified schools, was gunned down at a Poway synagogue. The tens of thousands of Jews within the SDUSD boundaries have reported an increase in harassment, vandalism, physical assaults, emotional trauma and worse. Jewish students and teachers alike have reported being afraid to wear clothing or jewelry that identifies them as Jews. This is unacceptable.
Jewish students and staff deserve to feel safe and we appreciate the resolution including training and resources for administration, teachers, and student leaders to prevent and address antisemitism. We appreciate the commitment you have made to work with organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League, the Governor’s Council on Holocaust Education and Genocide Remembrance, and Simon Wiesenthal Center, and others.
The importance of this resolution extends to the SDUSD students and families who take courses in the San Diego Community College District where the AFT recently adopted an antisemitic resolution which has caused sadness, fear, and anger as a result of its false claims and incendiary language and has left Jewish staff and students feeling unsafe. It is our hope that this resolution will empower Jewish students and staff as they move between districts.
We extend “kavod” -- honor and respect -- to Student Board Member Zachary Patterson and Vice-President Dr. Whitehurst-Payne for co-sponsoring the resolution. Thank you both for taking the appropriate steps to ensure your Jewish students, as well as your Jewish staff, knows that the school board will stand up for them.
We urge the Board to vote yes to adopt the Antisemitism Resolution for SDUSD.
Respectfully,
PEER K-12
This letter is co-signed by the following 48 community organizations and individuals:
SWC Commends Jewish Community Parents whose Proposed Resolution Passed by San Diego Unified School District to include Antisemitism in its Ethnic Studies Curriculum
October 27, 2021 | Original Letter Link
The Simon Wiesenthal Center applauds the San Diego Unified School District’s unanimous approval of a resolution which updates its ethnic studies curriculum to include antisemitism.
The resolution, which was passed during a board meeting on Tuesday night, urged that antisemitism be included in all ethnic studies education in its efforts to educate students about equity and inclusiveness.
The decision comes on the heels of a recent rise in antisemitism and multiple incidents on campuses across San Diego.
“We applaud this important victory that took place in San Diego but has national implications.
All of the credit for this breakthrough resolution goes to local Jewish parents who drew a line against demonizing Israel and the inevitable bullying of Jewish students and teachers in San Diego schools who love Israel and are proud of their heritage.
We hope that the example set by the community-based activists in San Diego will inspire Jewish parents and decent people everywhere to oppose and if necessary, overturn efforts to import the Middle East conflict into the classrooms and halls of our nation’s public schools,” said Rabbi Abraham Cooper, Simon Wiesenthal Center Associate Dean and Global Social Action Director.
Rabbi Cooper added that it will make its educational resources available to the school district through its renowned Museum of Tolerance.
For further information, please email Michele Alkin, Director of Global Communications or Shawn Rodgers, join the Center on Facebook, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updates sent directly to your Twitter feed.
The Simon Wiesenthal Center is an international Jewish human rights organization numbering over 400.000 members. It holds consultative status at the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the OAS and the Latin American Parliament (PARLATINO).
MEDIA COVERAGE
San Diego school board modifies resolution calling for ‘unbiased’ materials on Israel
JACOB KAMARAS | October 27, 2021
The San Diego Unified School District’s Board of Trustees on Tuesday approved, though modified, a resolution condemning antisemitism that would have also supported “unbiased and politically neutral” classroom materials pertaining to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
San Diego School District passes resolution to include antisemitism in Ethnic Studies
AARON BANDLER | October 28 2021
The San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) Board of Trustees passed a resolution on October 26 to include the teaching of antisemitism in the ethnic studies curriculum.
Jewish advocacy groups call for measures to combat antisemitism in San Diego schools
LAMONICA PETERS | October26, 2021
“I have received complaints of lesson plans or classroom activities that have folks thinking about the ways that Jews were somehow responsible for the Holocaust."
Comments