Silencing hate: Maplewood, NJ, schools launch new initiative

✅ NJ high school launches new initiative to combat hate speech and graffiti

✅ The plan includes a 'No Name Calling Week'

✅ School officials say there is too much hate in the world

When anti-Semitic graffiti was found scrawled in the paint of a girls' bathroom stall at Columbia High School in Maplewood, school officials knew they had a problem that needed to be addressed.

In an email to parents following the incident, Principal Frank Sanchez wrote: "I know we are in difficult times and some of our most socially conscious students don’t feel comfortable even discussing the current war in Israel, but this graffiti is not about a ceasefire or establishing a two-state solution. It is not a criticism of the current Netanyahu government. Instead, it’s just hate speech, and we can’t allow that here at Columbia."

Now, school officials are launching a program they hope will combat hate speech and give students the tools to better express concerns as well as confront any bias they encounter.

Officials in the South Orange and Maplewood School District held an assembly for students to launch their “Renewal & Reset” Initiative to address biased speech and graffiti.

The goal, school officials say, "is to sharpen students’ focus on the values of celebrating their diversity and fostering inclusivity among everyone in the District’s schools."

"The graffiti on the walls has to stop. We know that there is too much hate in the world," Assistant Principal Luisa Iuliano-Cabrera told students, "We want to be mutually supportive of each other. Be kind to each other and be kind to yourselves.”

In addition to teaching lessons on civil discourse, the school will hold a “No Name Calling Week” beginning Jan. 15th.

Dr. Kevin F. Gilbert, Acting Superintendent of Schools, says they hope to teach students better ways of connecting and making them more empathetic toward each other.

"Every one of us is susceptible to falling into ways of thinking that cloud our ability to see the humanity in others," Gilbert said in a statement, "We hope this initiative will help our students avoid that trap by teaching them ways to exchange ideas and foster understanding to make sure everyone feels like they belong in the school that they attend."

Bias incidents rising in NJ schools

State officials say there has been an increase in bias incidents in New Jersey's K-12 schools as well as on college and university campuses in the state.

Attorney General Matthew Platkin warned about it in October, shortly after the Israel/Hamas war began.

"Where bias-based harassment, bullying, or other bias incidents occur in school, it is incumbent on our schools to promptly address the harassment and make clear in unequivocal terms to members of the school community that they denounce bias-based conduct."

Sundeep Iyer, Director of the Division on Civil Rights, has encouraged teachers, students and parents to report any bias activity they are aware of in school.

"The New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (LAD) protects all students, including our Jewish, Israeli, Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian students, from discrimination or harassment," Iyer said in a statement.

The Division on Civil rights issued guidance to both K-12 and higher education schools on how to prevent bias incidents among students.

To file a compliant about such an incident, you can go to NJCivilRights.gov or call 1-833-NJDCR4U.

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