SB discusses JBMS hate speech incident

BELCHERTOWN – The Selectboard read two anonymous letters from parents in the district reporting incidents of racism and antisemitism in Jabish Brook Middle School.

Selectboard member Ed Boscher brought the item up during his member report, adding that the schools are conducting their own investigations.

“If the rumors are true, (these incidents) have absolutely no place in not only Belchertown, but society as a whole,” he said.

Following the receipt of two anonymous letters from two different parents, Belchertown Public Schools Superintendent and JBMS Principal both emailed responses out to parents in the district.

Selectboard member Ron Aponte said that was only half of the equation.

“This is a community problem and parents have to be equally involved and there has to be a partnership to address this particular process,” Aponte said. “The other half needs to be parents partnering with the schools to have these discussions with their families and to explain to students why.”

Selectboard member Jen Turner said she believed reading the letters from the parents would provide members with more insight on the issue.

One parent wrote that their child came home telling them there were ongoing anti-Semitic behaviors including “using the Nazi salute in classes, threatening Jewish students with death in gas chambers and taunting them with Holocaust references.”

These behaviors have been occurring for months, according to the letter, and once this parent came forward so did others.

“The school administration has started an investigation and so far have uncovered incriminating video footage in Instagram posts and group Google docs,” read the letter. “They’re not hiding. How has no one said anything before now? … My child and their Jewish classmates have had to go to school every day for months and sit in their classrooms while large groups of their peers raise their arms and salute to Hitler.”

According to the letter, the parent wrote and submitted the statement because “it is important that the actions of these students and negligence of the adults around them are brought to light in our greater community.”

In the second letter, a parent reported their eighth-grader came home saying their white peers were using the “n-word.”

“He was trying to talk to them and explain why it wasn’t okay for them to use it. When they realized that it made him upset, they started doing it on purpose to tease him along with telling him violent racist jokes,” the letter read.

The parent also mentioned their student told them about ongoing anti-Semitic incidents as well.

“I understand rather than being an isolated incident, there was a pattern of many students doing the Nazi salute repeatedly, threading students with talks about gas chambers, publicly stating, ‘I hate Jews,’ and more,” the letter read.

The parent stated in their letter that the schools need to address the culture of anti-Semitism in the schools and that emails reminding parents to talk to their children about bullying is not enough.

The letters sent to families by School Superintendent Brian Cameron and JBMS Principal Tom Ruscio discussed incident in the school of acts of hate against other students.

“We have had incidents of vandalism that is causing bathrooms to be temporarily closed, and we are investigating and imposing consequences for acts of hate against others in the school building. Incidents being reported include both language and actions that are antisemitic, homophobic, and racists,” Ruscio wrote. “I am taking further steps with the district administrative team to implement additional trainings and resources for our faculty and staff.”

He requested that parents also address the incidents at home with their students to “talk about why such things are happening and what we can do together to put a stop to it.”

Cameron said the school administration and staff have begun investigations into the matter and are “pursing disciplinary action in line with state and district policy.”

“These types of behaviors are taken very seriously and will not be tolerated in school or at school functions,” Cameron wrote. “Our greatest responsibility as a school district is to provide safe and welcoming schools where students of every race, religion, gender and sexual orientation feel valued and supported.”

He also provided links to pages with tips on how to talk to children about topics like race and racism, discrimination, pushing back against white nationalism and others.

Cameron also wrote the district is doing more than just investigation and discipline.

“We will continue to use education and restorative practices to engage our students in conversations about understanding, respecting, and celebrating our diverse community. Administrators will continue their professional development with regard to responding to hate and basis,” he wrote.

There will also be continued partnership with the Social Justice & Equity in Schools department at the Collaborative for Educational Services, and opportunities to hear student voices within the school community, he wrote.

In the Selectboard meeting on Monday, Selectboard members expressed their shock about the incidents.

Selectboard member Peg Louraine said she was appalled.

“These children are old enough to understand what hate speech is and the damage it can do. A lot of parents need to make sure their children understand that,” she said. “The community needs to say, ‘This will never be acceptable and hate is a crime.’”

Selectboard Chairman Jim Barry said the matter was completely unacceptable.

“Children are not born racist. You see all over the place, they’re young and beautiful people loving each other and eventually at some point they change,” he said. “We need to do better and we’re not going to be able to go into each house and change mom and dad. I think we can do better, we ought to do better and we should do better.”

The School Committee will be discussing the issue after its budget hearing on April 18, according to School Committee Chair Heidi Gutekenst.