Jews have known for at least a decade about discrimination and have done two things, remained silent or spoken out only to become the targets of whistleblower retaliation. When other minority groups were recently targeted, they went to court, and used their voices together to make headlines.
Because of our silence, we have a generation learning that the Holocaust might not have happened, maps reinvented about the size and existence of Israel and the BDS movement controlling young minds on which products to avoid purchasing because they are produced in Israel.
In 2007, I contacted Randi Weingarten, American Federation Of Teachers President, directly about an email that was being shared on the New York Board Of Education business email line among staff on all levels; teachers, principals and workers in the main offices. The four page email stated that white women were docile and easy to sleep with.
I was shocked. Weingarten, the New York United Federation Of Teachers Head at the time, responded by saying, “Read it - who gave it to you - I have seen this before - lots of times- the question is if someone is trying to be divisive in school.”
And Weingarten calls Trump a sexist and racist - what a joke!
Nothing was done about the email, nor were any of those sharing it ever disciplined. I was harassed endlessly, to the point of suing the Board Of Education.
What’s worse, these were the educators, mostly from minority backgrounds themes, educating children in failing schools. Many were subjects of questionable investigations themselves, some even part of criminal activity. They remained on staff, received full pay and benefits and many retired with six figure pension packages. One assistant principal retired like this, even though she was the immediate supervisor of a teacher sitting in jail for sexually abusing three second grade students.
Their behavior towards Jews and topics relating to us was no better.
One principal announced at a staff meeting that it was the fault of the timing of the Jewish high holidays that reading and math lessons couldn’t begin on time.
Another principal in the same school district wrote that teachers who were taking off for religious purposes risked an unsatisfactory rating for the year.
Another told a teacher that white teachers were hurting little black children.
Meanwhile, the black and Hispanic children in these schools were learning inaccurate information taught by teachers from their communities.
- A lesson in a second grade math textbook tried to teach a lesson on distance by spitting watermelon seeds.
- A handout stated that people came to America from Africa for new opportunities and a better life.
- Another handout stated that Ramses was considered one of the greatest kings and warriors of all time. Yes, that is thePharoah who enslaved us. Could you imagine if a Jewish teacher taught that lesson?
Here is the difference over a decade. There was a Jewish mayor, Michael Bloomberg, Jewish union leadership, and many more Jewish teachers from the “old school” waiting for retirement, taking the abuse and remaining silent. The few that spoke out ended up professionally, financially and emotionally destroyed.
And, Weingarten was the best of friends with the Democratic leadership in Washington DC. Jews ignoring and possibly encouraging the problem. We Jews always do that, by looking to help everyone but ourselves until it is too late. Worse, we choose to get ahead by selling out our fellow Jews. Watch Edward G. Robinson’s character in the movie, “The Ten Commandments” or think George Soros' alleged activities during the Holocaust.
Now, we have open hate. Carranza’s tweets, public statements and current school policies are well documented. Asian Americans aren’t afraid to work as a group.
The Jewish ally is of course NOT THE JEWS, but everyone else, because the public at a whole dislikes the governing of Mayor Bill de Blasio. The press loves the headlines of de Blasio failing. On top of that, New Yorkers see national success from the Republican leadership with President Trump and in red states where governors are Republican. In New York, residents are suffering from the failures of Albany, the state capital, and City Hall, where the mayor controls the cities.
The New York Post has reported that New York council members Robert Holden, Eric Ulrich and Joe Borelli want action against Carranza and probes by a whistleblower investigated.
Let’s hope the elected officials get complete and accurate results from their investigations.
As it happens, most of the time, when teachers turn to the office Of the Special Commissioner of Investigation, they often end up in 3020 arbitration hearings and lawsuits in retaliation. We have the documentation from the hearings, including but not limited to transcripts and evidence admitted in the legal battles as proof. Often, representatives from SCI and OSI seems to commit perjury, tamper with evidence and intimidate witnesses. Just like Carranza.
In one case, Lois Herrera, one of the female staffers suing Carranza and the Board Of Education, had no problem ignoring a parent complaint against both a principal and assistant principal for abusing a student.
What are Jews doing now? Staying in front of City Hall with people from all minorities in a love fest for the cameras of the press. What they should be doing is standing up in front of schools everyday, visiting the offices in large groups everyday in Washington DC of the Secretary Of Education, Betsy DeVos, demanding actions and penalties for those that discriminate in all levels in our schools.
The evaluation systems for hiring and maintaining jobs must be changed and more oversight in classrooms, teacher training, and parent accountability demanded.
We must also work together for results, not photo opportunities. We do not need anymore watered-down legislation or bipartisan committees that won’t acknowledge any hate, education failure, disrespecting our president and his family whether or not they agree with him and commit to working, not just talking.
It took the division between parties, and a change in the direction of the Democratic Party to have people finally acknowledge discrimination, abuse and hate within the New York City Department Of Education. I am told it happens nationally, with Jews the subject of discrimination, prejudice in lessons and as here, remain silent as they are targeted.
Let’s get some guts and stand together in this battle if we want to stop the bullying in our schools we are paying for with our tax dollars and on our streets as those who grow up learning to hate Jews have no problem kicking, spitting, punching, even using weapons on us. We should not solely depend on non-Jews to do our work.
If you know of questionable lessons, issues of Jewish staff being targeted and/or harassed or a young teacher straight out of classes with teaching degrees job hunting unsuccessfully within the NYCDOE school system, email me. We have a growing database to take action, and there is strength in numbers.
Cindy Grosz can be reached at [email protected]