An exclusive New York City private school that touts itself as a bastion of cultural diversity and tolerance has been vandalized with ugly anti-Israel graffiti, at least the fifth disturbing race- and religion-related incident to affect the Bronx campus in the past decade.
Sources told The Washington Post that on Monday afternoon, two kefir-wearing upperclassmen spray-painted the words “Liberate Palestine” in large yellow letters on the brick wall above the main entrance of the Ethical Culture Fieldston School, where tuition fees are $63,000 a year.
The hostile act of vandalism was apparently live-streamed by young people, sources said, but it was unclear whether any recording existed.
In response to this disturbing incident, school officials hosted a “listening session” with parents on Wednesday night, including many “parents from Jewish-affiliated groups.”
“Many parents are outraged but it is unclear whether the administration has decided to take any action yet,” the source said.
“The biggest problem is that when issues about anti-Semitism arise, they are not taken as seriously as issues like racism or homophobia.
“It’s a huge double standard, like they’re only concerned with how things related to race and homosexuality affect students. Anti-Semitism isn’t that important.”
The graffiti has since been removed and an investigation has been launched, according to a letter sent to school officials on May 20.
But one parent said the incident was part of a deeper systemic problem.
“Pro-Palestinian, pro-Hamas sentiment is not only coming from students but also from teachers,” a parent whose child was a former student at the elite school told The Washington Post.
“The schools are a mess because extremist, tenured teachers have taken power and are brainwashing students,” said the parent, who spoke on condition of anonymity, adding that the family’s decision to pull their children out of school “was the best decision of our lives.”
Founded in 1878 by Felix Adler, the son of a rabbi, this K-12 school is part of the Ivy Preparatory School League, a collection of New York’s elite private schools.
Located in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, Fieldston, Riverdale Country School and Horace Mann School are collectively known as the “Hill Schools.”
The parent said Fieldston has “been on the forefront of diversity, equity and inclusion” but “this is all the craziness that comes from that.”
The graffiti is just the latest example of how the school’s DEI efforts have “exacerbated anti-Semitism in the school.”
Though the school boasts on its website about its commitment to “diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and belonging,” there have been a number of disturbing incidents involving race and religion in recent years.
In 2015, third-, fourth- and fifth-graders at the school were divided into race-based “affinity groups” and met in mandatory weekly sessions to discuss “what it’s like to be a member of that race.” cut It was reported at the time.
The program was met with strong opposition from many parents, particularly white parents, who feared they would be viewed as racist if they raised concerns.
In February 2019, videos began circulating showing ECFS students using “racist, homophobic and misogynistic language,” sparking protests by students who felt the school’s disciplinary measures were insufficient.
In November of that year, the school hosted a guest speaker who likened Israel’s treatment of Palestinians to the horrors of the Holocaust. be strongly criticized.
January 2020, ECFS Jewish teachers fired They tweeted their opposition to two speakers invited to campus to talk about anti-Semitism because they were “white” and Zionists.
Sources who spoke to The Washington Post said the school has a history of downplaying some acts of racial, ethnic or religious violence while emphasizing others, and that it only thinks of things in terms of “oppressed versus oppressors.”
“When George Floyd was murdered, teachers were told to stop what they were teaching and teach about Floyd and racism,” the source said.
“But when the Oct. 7 attack happened, they instructed teachers not to talk to students about it.”
In light of these incidents, Fieldston brought in a “conflict negotiator” to help the school community resolve issues and build community, but the effort has been “very thin on substance and emotionally charged,” the source said.
ECFS Principal Joe Algrant and Campus Safety Director Dave Argenzio did not respond to The Washington Post’s requests for comment.
