It’s time for us to come together as students, parents, teachers and community members to eliminate hateful rhetoric and practice basic human decency with each other.
Ironically, at the time I read Michah Kagan’s letter about anti-semitism, I was creating an assignment to accompany Arthur Miller’s play, “The Crucible,” so students can research what happens in rhetoric-heavy environments, like the Salem witch trials. They will find evidence of outrageous accusations and compare it to the events in “The Crucible.”
It’s time for us to change our rhetoric-heavy environment. Hillary Clinton was right. It takes a village. It takes all of us to eliminate prejudice and hate.
After reading the Office of Civil Rights report, I was shocked and saddened. I asked my high school students where it was coming from since I don’t hear it in my classroom and I couldn’t imagine it being spoken in homes. My students told me that the hateful language likely stemmed from what they see and read on Instagram reels. The comments on those reels are toxic, hateful and confusing because of their anonymity.
When a middle school student sees words and phrases posted anonymously getting “likes,” they try it hoping it will help them be “liked.”
Occasionally, hate and prejudice come into our schools. It is then that educators step in, handle it, and teach empathy. When working with children, we use this as a teachable moment. Parents are contacted, and crucial conversations happen. To imply that there were no consequences is a false narrative.
I don’t understand Kagan’s purpose for writing outrageous accusations about the Park City School District. It was under Dr. Gildea’s leadership that Yom Kippur was designated a school holiday and meaningful efforts were enacted to keep school activities from happening on days that could prevent our observant students from attending.
Come on Park City — let’s celebrate the positive and work together to eliminate this hateful rhetoric.
Julie Hooker Dicker
Francis