A New Jersey school district was forced to apologize this week after an employee shared a Ramadan flyer condemning Israel’s “genocide” against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
The infographic about Ramadan, the month-long season of fasting, prayer and reflection in Islam that began Sunday, was sent out Monday by the assistant principal at Columbia High School in Maplewood. NBC4 reported.
“When we talk about celebrating Ramadan in the context of the United States, the United States is a co-conspirator with Israel, a Muslim Palestinian under Israel’s Zionist occupation, committing genocide against Palestinians. “It is essential to explain this in the context of preventing Palestinians from participating in Ramadan,” according to the content of the leaflet, read in the third paragraph. Copy shared on X By Jewish Insider Editor Melissa Weiss.
The last paragraph appeared to be a response to Hamas’ October 7 terrorist attack on Israel and Israel’s subsequent controversial ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.
The statement was widely shared in the community, and Dr. Kevin Gilbert, acting superintendent of the South Orange-Maplewood School District, issued a statement denying it just hours later, according to NBC4.
“The documents have not been reviewed or approved by any local office or official, and the purpose of sharing the documents was to provide resources,” Gilbert said in a letter that Weiss also shared. “Important details were overlooked,” he wrote.
Gilbert added that he was “disappointed, angry and saddened” by the incident, especially the language, which was “very problematic and inappropriate for our school, especially at this time.”
“The language in the document does not reflect what we believe will create a community that values inclusivity and belonging,” he argued.
Gilbert said the district is currently working on additional resources for the Ramadan period.
Gilbert did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
Columbia High School has four assistant principals, according to the school’s website. It was not immediately clear who sent the Ramadan notice.
The Ramadan letter gaffe was just the latest in a series of high-profile controversies for the district, which serves more than 7,000 students in 11 schools across two suburbs.
Also Monday, Columbia High School Principal Frank Sanchez turned himself in to authorities on charges of assault and endangering the welfare of a child, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed to the Post.
The charges are likely related to an incident that occurred on March 9, 2023, in which the victim was a Black female student, Black Parents Workshop said in a statement on Facebook.
Gilbert told NJ.com that she was “deeply saddened” by Sanchez’s arrest.
