Kanye West’s harmful views, tackling antisemitism at school

[nigermum]

Hi guys,

As a Black female educator I have been alarmed and heartbroken at the increase in antisemitic hate speech I have seen at my large inner city comp since the children came back from their holidays. I am specifically referring to graffiti etched on desks and messages exchanged on social media, in addition to views overheard by or expressed in front of educators.

We are a big tent school educating mainly BME children (large groups of Somalian, Moroccan and Afro-Caribbean children are represented), though there are very small groups of Jewish and Sikh children represented too. White British and Irish children account for roughly 1-in-10.

My question is a simple one: how do we tackle this pernicious problem? Is it even worth dedicating time and resources to this when these views are being formed (in some cases) at home or online?

It would be such a shame if we lost the value and contribution of our few Jewish children and their families. I am aware of at least 1 Jewish child is in the process of being transferred to a nearby private school (a decision partly influenced by the antisemitism issue).

Hello ,,

I teach in an international school in Africa. If any of my students were overheard expressing antisemitic opinions, we would be all over it. It is your obligation, your duty as a Black educator to confront hatred however casual it is.

Kanye West is massive (think Michael Jackson in his heyday) here in Africa, so it is most unfortunate that he has chosen to go down this path. I understand where he is coming from in a sense, but it is still an irrational hatred of a group and for this reason cannot be allowed to stand. We all want our Black children growing up to be free thinkers, unencumbered by historical systems.

But there has to be a line that cannot be crossed.

My point is: is it worth it/is trying to combat this issue doing more harm than good?

If childrens’ favourite rappers and celebrities are espousing these views, not to mention their parents, surely this is a battle we can’t win?? If anything we are then seen to be protecting certain groups from criticism.

I really hate that this has happened and it is a blight on my comprehensive. I even had a chat with my own teenage children about it when the Kanye stuff came out.

I just don’t know what the school can realistically do to combat it.

My DS is a huge KW fan but aged 14 didn't need to told that the recent statements were totally wrong.

He mentioned he has lots of other music to listen to and won't be buying anymore Kayne stuff until or if he sorts this current mess out. ( I'd asked if he still wanted a hoodie)

He isn't a particularly right on kid and it seems to be the mainstream view at his school.

Hi falllakes,

It’s big, big news at my school also. It’s really connected with the children and has got them (dangerously) curious.

i only wish the mainstream view at your DS’s school was mirrored at my comp.

There are children at my school that blame Jewish people for a range of social ills. Some of these allegations I can’t even repeat on a forum like Mumsnet.

Adidas have just cut ties with Kanye over his views which is a positive move in terms of demonstrating how unacceptable they are.

Absolutely you need to address the anti-Semitism the children are viewing and expressing! Otherwise you are tacitly condoning it.

https://cst.org.uk/antisemitism/educational-resources

https://www.hmd.org.uk/learn-about-the-holocaust-and-genocides/

https://www.annefrank.org.uk

Of course you should address it!! Maybe I am baised being Jewish but if I heard my kids or students expressing racism against other groups I would certainly want to address it.

How would you feel if we all took the attitude that racism if any kind was too hard to tackle ?

Is this real ?

It’s depressing, right?

from what i gather it’s a toxic mix of prejudice, casual racism and permissible racism. ‘There’s no smoke without fire’ sort of attitude.

perhaps most worryingly is the low uptake of ‘government recommended medicine’ at the school.

basically the antisemitism is so varied and pernicious that it is hard to pinpoint where to start in terms of tackling it..

Not black but Jewish and very very upset to hear this is happening in schools although not surprised. You have to treat it as any other racism. What about turning it back on itself and asking them how they feel when other groups are racist towards them? Probably too simplistic but nobody can say we can’t bother because we don’t know where to start.

Perhaps contact one of the Jewish schools and see if they have anyone who can come and talk. Maybe connecting pupils at both schools? I know this works well in some schools too.

and I am not suprised you are at risk of losing your few Jewish students and in practice I would probably remove my children too. However, in theory my view is that the growth of Jewish schools where the majority of Jewish students are educated has had a massive impact on the wider integration of students in state schools.

it’s a vicious circle, anti semitism in schools has led to parents putting their children in Jewish schools, less Jewish children in secular state education means that many children never come across anyone Jewish and the stereotypes perpetuated by Kanye and the like influence children.

There are still a good number of Jewish students in secular private schools

I think that’s a brilliant idea but won’t we run the risk of amplifying the issue? It’s like trying to walk a tightrope. I wonder how receptive Jewish people would be to the opportunity to come and address our children.

as I alluded to in my earlier post, perhaps the most worrying thing is how varied and casual the antisemitism is at my comp. It can rear its ugly head in a general studies class discussion on peace in the ME through to graffiti scrawled in the toilets linking Jews to cough some recent ‘medicines’. The school has a very low uptake for cough latest ‘medicines’, so I wonder how much these wild and pernicious views are harmful not only to the children’s outlook but also on their health.

I feel, if we are to meet this head on, we need to try and demystify Jews and Jewishness as many of the children and parents view them as completely alien. Another conspiracy theory making the rounds at the school is that Jews were to blame for the slave trade, which blows my mind(!)

I feel, if we are to meet this head on, we need to try and demystify Jews and Jewishness as many of the children and parents view them as completely alien.

I agree. Which is why I have always gone into the settings my children attended (and sometimes settings of friends' children) to talk about any aspect of Judaism they wanted to hear about. Generally this was specific religious festivals. I am also active in a wide range of interfaith activities.

The challenge, though, is that these things are all by invitation, and people who attend interfaith activities are already invested in understanding each other and reducing hostility.

In your situation, I suspect that the result of imposing anti-anti-Semitism education upon the school will be confirmation bias: "Yeah, of course Jews would say that."

Please get in touch with the organisations I linked in an earlier post. They are experienced in this and may have helpful suggestions.

Of course you need to address it. As a block woman would you ignore racism against people of colour?
Unfortunately Jewish parents (myself included) will send their children to Jewish schools (although there are always a smattering of non Jewish kids they are in the minority), partly because it avoids them being targets - however this means they often don’t have non-Jewish friends and vice versa.
Totally agree with the PP who said we need to de mystify Jewish people. when I went to uni a million years sgo(!) I met people who had never encountered a Jew!!

@nigermum how are you getting on with this? It feels even more important now given Kanye's recent outburst. Thank you for spotting the issue and thinking about doing something. But have you done anything yet?

I don't understand your post OP.

You wrote: I am specifically referring to graffiti etched on desks and messages exchanged on social media, in addition to views overheard by or expressed in front of educators.

Messages on social media should be leadiing to punishment from school, its illegal to post hate speech, simple.
Views overheard in school should be leading to punishment , simple.
Graffiti needs to be removed at once and it made clear anyone caught doing it will be suspended.

What's to discuss?? What's your school policy on hate speech? The The Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 is pretty clear on this. All your children under your care are over 10 and so have reached the age of criminality.

I'm a black parent and send my DC to a private selective London day school (non-denominational) which has a real mix of races, Jewish, black, South Asian, Far East Asian and white British and white European. Your post reminds me why I find the fees to go private.

The school celebrates all cultures and has a zero tolerance to racism , its a simple formula that seems to work. The key is zero tolerance. If a child was openly antisemitic in front of a teacher, fuck, they'd be strung up. Racist graffiti would be a MASSIVE deal, as would racist social media posts, that a teacher was aware of.

Local Jewish groups would be VERY receptive to organising talks and visiting places of worship, go for it. Just as a Vicar or any Christian organisation would hardly decline an offer to talk to children. If you get kick back from parents ensure it's presented as a whole term of cultural events, people from Sikh, Jewish, Catholic, Muslim etc. But frankly why should you be accomodating parents with disgusting views??

You have to challenge anti-semitism in all its form, every single time.

Why not start with a school trip to the Jewish Museum, (if you're in London) they can help plan a school trip.

I am Jewish, my kids go to a very large mixed comprehensive in London. Jewish pupils are a small minority at the school. I am absolutely terrified about how things are going.