The Ethical Fieldston School in the Bronx has been accused by parents of being a hotbed of Jew-hate, with one Jewish student being tormented by classmates and even witnessing a teacher giving rabbis the middle finger during an assembly. Dr. Logan Levkoff, a former school parent, expressed her concerns about the situation in an Instagram post, stating that Jewish students at the school have been silenced for years out of fear of being called racist if they speak up against antisemitism. The school was also vandalized with anti-Israel graffiti, leading to tensions between Jewish parents and students defending the vandalism.
Following the incident, Jewish parents and alums demanded that the school take steps to protect their children from antisemitism. In response, the students penned a letter defending their classmate accused of vandalism and criticizing Jewish parents for their Zionistic ideology. They claimed that a 16-year-old girl of color was being scapegoated for the graffiti and that students were unaware of the impact of their actions. The controversy highlighted underlying tensions at the school and raised questions about the influences impacting the students’ views.
The letter from the students, which was taken down, garnered attention from Levkoff, who used her social media platform to address the issues at Fieldston. She criticized the school for allowing Jewish students to be terrorized and silenced for years, and called out the students for their behavior. Levkoff’s post shed light on the ongoing struggles faced by Jewish students at the school and sparked a conversation about the culture and atmosphere at Ethical Fieldston. The controversy surrounding the incident has only added to a series of racial and religious incidents at the school over the past decade.
Some insiders have suggested that the students may not have written the letter themselves, speculating that radical teachers or parents may have been involved. Others have blamed the school’s failure to provide a fair and balanced curriculum for the recent battles surrounding antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiments. The implementation of DEI programs, such as affinity groups, has also been criticized for dividing students by race and identity rather than bringing them together. The school’s handling of the situation has raised concerns about the future of the institution and its ability to uphold its founding principles.
The controversy at Fieldston has sparked a debate about the values and principles of the school, with one parent lamenting that the institution has devolved from being a safe haven for the Jewish community to a place filled with tensions and hate. The failure of the school to address the underlying issues and provide a supportive environment for all students has led to a breakdown in the community and a departure from the values on which the school was founded. As the situation continues to unfold, many are left questioning the future of Ethical Fieldston School and its ability to foster a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students.
