Parents Push Back On Wayne Superintendent's Apology Over ISIS Question

WAYNE, NJ — Community members urged Wayne Public Schools to take more action against anti-Semitic bullying, and criticized the superintendent's apology for a test question that some fellow residents found offensive to Muslims.

At the most recent school board meeting on July 11, residents also asked why there weren't consequences for graduates who displayed Palestinian flags at the Wayne Hills High School commencement — even after the principal told students they were only allowed to have approved cords, sashes, flags, with their robes.

A total of nine parents, residents, and/or alumni spoke up during the public comment period, and several Jewish families said they do not feel comfortable sending their children to Wayne Public Schools.

Board President Donald Pavlak and Superintendent Dr. Mark Toback said the district will review the graduation policies, after several brought up the flag displays.

Recent Wayne Hills graduate Fiona Bukhman said she and her sister had been bullied and threatened for years because of their Jewish faith, and that there were never consequences for the students who attacked and harassed them.

"All I've gotten told is, 'something will be done about this,'" she said.

Bukhman, whose mother also spoke, said the students who pulled out Palestinian flags and banners during graduation "shouldn't have gotten their diplomas that day."

"I was told, 'Don't to let it ruin your graduation,'" she said of the display. "How could I not? I have been dealing with anti-Semitism for eight years."

As mentioned above, some people who spoke up also told Toback that an apology he sent to community members was "unacceptable."

In late June, a group of educators called Teaching While Muslim had shared a screenshot of a quiz question given to students at Schuyler Colfax Middle School, which they said reflected anti-Muslim hate and was factually inaccurate. Several community members and parents emailed the district about the question, and Toback apologized in the response he sent back.

"The question was offensive and contrary to our values of respect, inclusivity, and cultural sensitivity," the email said, in part. “Such incidents are unacceptable and do not reflect the standards we uphold for our educational community."

The question had asked students to identify a terrorist organization with a "goal of achieving global rule under strict Islamic Sharia law," with the correct answer being "Islamic State." Referring to this group as simply the Islamic State, when it is also commonly known as ISIS and ISIL, "further indoctrinates students to link terrorism with Islam," said the Teaching While Muslim group.

"You can speak to the wording or other things but to apologize for something that is truly effectively factual is unacceptable," parent Rebecca Bradley said to Toback.