Reminder: all MCPS teachers and staff who are members of the MCEA, our MCPS teachers union, are members of the NEA (National Education Association).
This letter dated August 21, 2025 presents the concerns the U.S. House Education and Workforce Committee has regarding the NEA handbook, and promotion of antisemitism within. It requires responses to their questions by this September 4,
Here is the letter:
The decision comes after the school system — Maryland’s largest with over 160,000 students — saw several antisemitic incidents in recent years, ranging from students drawing swastikas on classroom desks and in bathrooms to a person spray painting “Jews Not Welcome” across Walt Whitman High School’s entrance sign...
Hate vandalism at two Montgomery County high schools and two elementary schools greeted staff on the first day back to school for teachers Monday.
“A number of our schools were illegally vandalized with politically charged graffiti, antisemitic iconography (including swastikas), and, in some instances, anti-LGBTQ+ language,” said a Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) spokesperson.
The vandalism occurred at Winston Churchill High School in Potomac, Thomas Wootton High Schol in Rockville and Strathmore Elementary School in Silver Spring and Fallsmead Elementary School in Rockville.
This follows recent antisemitic graffiti that was spray painted at Bethesda Elementary School where the Bethesda Farmers Market was being held.
Principals are asking staff to report these incidents and also to provide “the supportive resources necessary to address the harm and anxiety these actions may have caused,” the spokesperson said...
Many of us will be watching tomorrow's House Education and Workforce Committee Hearing, which begins at 10:15. MCPS has been subpoenaed to testify before the committee.
To watch the committee YouTube stream:
2175 Rayburn
Watch
Opening statement:
From The Tide, reporter Maya Nachman. Full story here.
RM staff discovered swastikas drawn throughout the school building on three occasions in the past two weeks.
RM Principal Alicia Deeny wrote a message to the RM community on March 12 after the swastikas were found drawn onto the stalls in the boys bathrooms. The next day, on March 13, Ms. Deeny sent an additional message sharing that the school was able to identify the student who was the source of the graffiti after they had discovered another swastika drawing in a bathroom.
Ms. Deeny sent an additional email on March 19 after more swastika drawings were found in a stairwell and door at RM. According to her email, the person who drew these symbols is still yet to be identified but the incident is still being investigated by school security and administration.
And:
This incident comes amidst a 337 percent increase in antisemitic incidents in the US since the Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7, according to the ADL. However, before the war began, Maryland was reported to have the tenth most antisemitic incidents out of any states in the US, according to the ADL.
From the principal:
February 15, 2024
Dear Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School Families,
I am writing to share information regarding a deeply concerning incident that occurred earlier today. This morning a student was walking in the hall during a class change loudly using anti-Semetic language. Specifically the student made the comment “Those stupid Holocaust Survivors.” The incident has been investigated and appropriate consequences have been administered in accordance with the MCPS Student Code of Conduct. In addition, the offending student has and will continue to be educated about the impact of their actions today.
At B-CC we do not tolerate slurs or hate speech of any kind. Our diverse student body and school community is a source of strength for us and statements such as those made today are unacceptable and are contrary to the values we uphold as a school. It is important that we continue our work with all our students to help them understand the inherent value our diversity offers and how hateful and hurtful words impact others. We need your help so that B-CC remains a respectful and inclusive place for all. These actions do not represent the values that B-CC and MCPS uphold.
We have and will continue to have a zero tolerance for hate/biased speech or gestures. Our Board of Education policy and MCPS regulations expressly prohibit the use of language, images, or symbols that promote hatred. Furthermore, we expect every member of our school community, both students and staff, to treat one another with respect and dignity, regardless of their personal characteristics or differences.
I encourage parents to talk with their children about respecting our differences. Please help them to understand the weight that intolerable words, actions, and symbols carry with them. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the school at 240-740-0400.
Sincerely,
Shelton Mooney, Ed.D.
Principal
Here is the letter from the principal, Dyan Harrison.
Tilden Middle School principal Sapna Hopkins published this letter, below, to the Tilden MS community on November 17, 2023 as part of the Timberwolf Connection newsletter.
It appears that her instructions to staff is to not respond to certain emails from Tilden parents. If anyone reading this blog has more information please let us know. And she warns parents who will be attending upcoming Caregiver Conferences not to bring up "the matter of the teacher who is under official investigation." (That teacher is on paid leave.)
GREETINGS TILDEN FAMILIES!
To say that this week has been one of the toughest week for me, our students, staff, and families would be a huge understatement. Tilden community is hurting. Our staff is pushing through every day with the hope that there is some light at the end of this dark tunnel. Yet, time and again, situations occur on a daily basis to push us back. This week, a community member sent multiple staff members an email containing disturbing images depicting violence against Israelis and outlining specific expectations for classroom discussions on the Israel-Hamas conflict. Such behaviors pulling us away from taking care of our students. Furthermore, they suggest that antisemitism is prevalent within our school.
I want to strongly emphasize that I vehemently disagree with this portrayal. We must not let the alleged actions of one individual paint a broader picture; antisemitism is not widespread at Tilden. In fact, respect is a fundamental core value in our school, emphasizing the diverse and individual nature of each person in our community. We discuss, teach, and expect nothing less from everyone.
During these challenging times, our school community must approach sensitive issues with a professional and focused mindset. I urge you to refrain from sending such emails and encourage open communication through appropriate channels.
Staff members have been instructed not to engage with these emails, as doing so would be unprofessional. Rest assured that, with the support of the MCPS Office of School Support and Well-Being, our response will follow an established process, including necessary communication to keep our community informed.
No such conversations will be entertained at the Caregiver Conferences on Monday, November 20. We are developing talking points for teachers to use during conferences if similar topics come up. We will have Security presence to reinforce the safety of our staff, our student volunteers, and caregivers. Please know that the primary goal of these conferences is to focus on your student's academic and well-being of your student which will not be served by bringing up the matter of the teacher who is under an official investigation.
Your continued support for Tilden Middle and our collective efforts to foster a positive educational environment is greatly appreciated. Thank you!!
This is the Tilden Middle School principal's response to the vicious antisemitic posts made by the DEI leader/teacher at Tilden Middle School. So far the elected Board of Education has not made any statement nor acknowledged the growing antisemitism in MCPS schools.
Community Message 11.13.23 by freestategal on Scribd
Sabrina Khan-Williams, a Diversity Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Team Leader/teacher at Tilden Middle School, has proudly come out as a vicious antisemite. In the last few days she openly posted horrific antisemitic statements, claiming that Israelis "harvest organs." If your child goes to Tilden MS, please be careful at that school.
She posted the following: "Palestinian's are being killed and their organs are being sold. How is real life scarier than movies??"
Ms. Khan-Williams also posted "Debunked!! No music festival attack. Babies were not burned. Women were not violated. Hospitals were attacked on purpose."
We reached out to the principal at Tilden Middle School and to Ms. Khan-Williams. As of this writing we have not heard back. While it is possible Ms. Khan-Williams' social media were hacked we understand MCPS leadership and the county council are taking these posts seriously.
How much longer will MCPS allow this vicious antisemitism in our school system?
Meanwhile, the Tuesday evening November 14th PTSA meeting has been cancelled.
"Every student has the right to a learning environment that is free from discrimination."
Colleague 202311 Discrimination Harassment Shared Ancestry by freestategal on Scribd
From Moderately Moco. Story here.
October 13, 2023 – Darci Rochkind – Senior at MCPS High School
On Wednesday, Dr. Monifa B. McKnight, superintendent of
Montgomery County Public Schools, released a statement encouraging parents to
“be vigilant regarding distressing social media content.” She urged parents to
talk to their students “about the content they may currently be viewing and
sharing.”
McKnight’s statement is beyond offensive.
Numerous Jewish students, including myself, have been deeply impacted by the
ongoing events in Israel. I spent the past summer in Beer Sheva which is
located about 25 miles from Gaza. My great-grandparents fought in the Haganah,
the Israeli resistance, after escaping from Nazi Germany. I also have many
friends in the IDF and family that lives in the region.
Like many teenagers, I am
active on social media, but even more so during and after the outbreak of
violence this past early Saturday morning. I am mindful of what I choose to
post, but what is going on in Israel is distressing and must not be silenced. I
have watched as many of my favorite towns have been destroyed and am living in
a constant state of anxiety regarding the safety of my friends and family.
The world must bear witness to the atrocities
perpetrated by Hamas. Encouraging students to remain silent about Israel, as
Dr. McKnight is suggesting, sets a dangerous precedent. During the Holocaust,
millions of people paid with their lives because the world failed to
acknowledge their suffering and the mass killings taking place. Seeing some of
the graphic content circulating on Instagram of dead bodies, decapitated
babies, and destroyed villages, is deeply distressing. However, when the dead
are our peers, silencing and sheltering students is the least effective
approach our education system can take.
On Thursday, the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Jewish
Student Union held a meeting to discuss the ongoing events in Israel. After
witnessing today’s meeting, it is clear from what was said that students need
to feel heard and Montgomery County Public Schools is failing to address this
need. A number of leaders from various Jewish Student Union Clubs across
Montgomery County Public Schools have started to work collaboratively to fill
in where the county is lacking. The schools include Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Walt
Whitman, Wheaton, Rockville, Wootton, Walter Johnson, Richard Montgomery,
Blair, Quince Orchard, and Kennedy high school.
Students are working on a
bake sale to raise money for victims impacted by the violence in Israel on
October 22nd, a recorded video lesson for schools regarding antisemitism, and a
joint event with Jewish speakers, to name a few projects. There is a lot of
work to be done, but it is amazing to see the Jewish community come together in
such difficult times. It is unfortunate that MCPS is not doing more to support
Jewish students.
Proper education is crucial to prevent history
from repeating itself. MCPS should be promoting open dialogue and encouraging
students to seek the facts and voice their opinions rather than silencing them.
On October 10, 2023 the Montgomery County Jewish Parents Coalition sent the letter below to Dr. McKnight and the Board of Education. So far there has been no response. 10% of our county population is Jewish and a substantial number of Israeli immigrants live in the county and send children to MCPS schools. Yet the Board of Education has deliberately refused to help Jewish children work through the trauma they are going through because of the barbaric attacks on Israeli civilians. There has been no statement of support from MCPS or from the Board of Education.
Letter to Superintendent McKnight and BOE 10-10-2023 by freestategal on Scribd
Late on September 11th the principal of Judith A. Resnik Elementary School sent a letter to the Resnik school community changing the date of the Back-to-School Night. Thank you to everyone who wrote emails and letters, and called the school, the Board of Education, and the members of the County Council. This change could not have happened without our community speaking up loud and clear. Thank you to United Against Antisemitism for all your work, and to the JCRC for their help in supporting the efforts of this Parents' Coalition and of the Montgomery County Jewish Parents Coalition. Here is the letter.
BTSN Community Message by freestategal on Scribd
The United Against Antisemitism organization sent the letter below to the principal of Judith A. Resnik Elementary School, and cc'd the Board of Education.
Dear Ms. Thomas,
School has just begun and ugly antisemitism has already appeared in our MCPS schools, this time in Westland Middle School in Bethesda, in the first week of school.
Here's the letter from the principal that went out yesterday, September 1st:
Two students gave public testimony at the May 10, 2023 Board of Education meeting on the antisemitism in our MCPS schools. The second speaker was Anya Kleinman, who is a freshman at Richard Montgomery High School. Her testimony in full is below, both on video and in print.
She spoke movingly about the antisemitism in MCPS schools districtwide. She spoke about "Swastikas etched onto school desks and bathroom stalls, hate speech in classrooms, and graffiti on school walls." She stated that "This is creating an unsafe and non-inclusive learning environment for the Jewish students of Montgomery County."
One of her main points is that there is "an astounding lack of Holocaust education."
She pointed out that according to the Montgomery County Police Department there has been "a disturbing 55% surge in anti-Jewish incidents between 2021 and 2022."
The number of antisemitic acts continue to increase within MCPS schools. At the May 10, 2023 Board of Education meeting two students, Gila Kay, a sixth grader in middle school, and Anya Kleinman, a freshman at Richard Montgomery HS, provided testimony about their, and their Jewish classmates, experiences with almost daily harassment and antisemitic threats. Apart from 'community conversations' MCPS has done little to address this issue. In fact, MCPS staff were asked repeatedly to address antisemitism in their antiracism audit, and they refused. Repeatedly.
Gila Kay stated that "Somebody told me as a quote unquote joke that my Jewish friend and I should be put in a concentration camp." She said, "I've seen swastikas on multiple desks at my middle school."
Here is Gila Kay's testimony in full. Both testified and there was no response from any member of the Board of Education, or staff.
