Daily, with the swipe of a finger on a phone or a click of a link, people are bombarded with news that never seems to quit, such as a divisive presidential election, national and global devastation from weather events, and especially the crisis in the Middle East.
This access to what some may consider an onslaught of information is not limited to adults. Our high school, middle, and even elementary school students are faced with processing and navigating this politically charged climate, oftentimes without the proper context or words to describe what they are hearing or feeling.
Whether through heated discussions, protests, sit-ins, or even encampments, the debate about the conflict in the Middle East has spilled into schools and classrooms across the country. The Philadelphia school district has not been exempt.
The violence in the Middle East region, ignited by the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel, is heartbreaking. School district administrators are mindful that some of our students and staff are directly affected, grieving the loss of loved ones or stricken by the dangers they face. Others have strong political or ethical views related to the conflict or the role of the United States in it. In the midst of such emotional turmoil, district leaders fielded questions about what type of paraphernalia could be worn or displayed as an expression of solidarity and responded to demands for statements of condemnation and allegiance.
To address these issues in the Philadelphia district, we raised awareness of the district’s board policy, which governs how students and staff can exercise freedom of expression. We also encouraged schools to engage in critical dialogue about the meaning conveyed by speech and symbols and the impact they have on school communities.
Even with our honest efforts toward building understanding, the challenges remain. We cannot be sure what the days, weeks, or months ahead will bring, but as a district, our approach this school year must be different from the past. It must offer even greater assurance that our school communities are secure and that students and staff are supported. This begins with us, as educators, modeling the behavior we expect of our students.
While many K-12 districts are avoiding mention of the Israel-Hamas war altogether, our job, as educators, is to help children engage with difficult topics and think critically about them.
Our top priority is ensuring our schools are havens that allow our students and staff to be safe—physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. To start, I must affirm that we as a district do not condone or tolerate antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism, or discrimination against any ethnic, racial, or religious group.
While many K-12 districts are avoiding mention of the Israel-Hamas war altogether, our job, as educators, is to help children engage with difficult topics and think critically about them. It is not, of course, telling students what to think but rather how. We know there isn’t necessarily one right way to approach this process. Our aim is to create a learning environment for students and staff where diverse points of view can be shared in thoughtful and meaningful ways.
In an effort to ensure that Philadelphia schools are safe and inclusive, we have begun to take the following strategic approaches to addressing the Middle East conflict:
- Partnering with Temple University’s College of Education and Human Development to host student forums to amplify student voices and show respect for each others’ differences.
- Partnering with Facing History and Ourselves, an organization that uses history lessons to challenge educators and their students to stand up to bigotry. The group will provide professional development and coaching on ways to respect differences for the 10 schools that experienced the greatest challenges related to the conflict.
- Partnering with the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education for workshops with district and school leaders to increase understanding of antisemitism and Islamophobia as well as strategies to enhance productive conversations across differences.
Meeting regularly with key community advocates who represent different views, ideologies, and perspectives to promote respectful dialogue as we address immediate and emerging concerns.
Recently, we hosted our second student forum, led by our chief of equity and the office of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The event, which was open to all high school students across Philadelphia, provided the opportunity for students to be heard, learn different perspectives from their fellow students, and feel supported by district leaders.
The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. said it best. “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of convenience and comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” We are in such a time, and as superintendent, it is my responsibility, no matter how difficult or controversial, to always center the needs of our students. That is why we will continue to engage external partners and thought leaders. Our collective goal is to make sure all have the opportunity to feel seen, heard, and protected.
