ADL Works With Pascack Officials After Swastikas Found

HILLSDALE, NJ — The Anti-Defamation League is working with local school and community leaders after swastikas were found at Ridgewood and Pascack Valley Regional high schools recently.

The ADL is not taking the incidents lightly simply because kids were allegedly involved in them.

"Any type of hate incident still has an impact and this type of hate impacts the whole community," said Melanie Robbins, deputy director of the Anti-Defamation League's New York-New Jersey regional office. "We have to take all acts of bias seriously, and we have to address them with an understanding that while it may not be all neo-Nazis who are doing these acts, the acts are still very much hurtful and need to be addressed."

Robbins said school and local leaders should both be brought into conversations where such incidents have occurred. She declined to give the specific schools and districts the ADL is working with.

From 2016 to 2017, incidents of anti-Semitic bullying at kindergarten through 12th-grade schools nationwide have doubled, according to the ADL.

A swastika was found in a stall in a girls' bathroom at Ridgewood High School Monday, Superintendent Daniel Fishbein announced. A student found the swastika next to a Star of David. Both symbols were carved into the stall, Fishbein said in a letter to parents Tuesday. (See related: Swastika Found In Ridgewood High School Bathroom: Superintendent)

Swastikas and a racial slur were etched into the partition walls in a bathroom at Pascack Valley High School, Superintendent P. Erik Gundersen said in a letter to parents and the school community. The symbols of hate were discovered Friday. (See related: Swastikas, Racial Slur Found At Pascack Valley High School)

A former teacher at St. Joseph's Regional High School is suing the school for alleged religious discrimination after he says the school fired him following complaints about anti-Semitism in the classroom. (See related: Bergen Teacher Files Suit After Swastika Etched Into Blackboard)

Jacob Rabinowtiz said in his federal lawsuit against St. Joseph's Regional High School filed Nov. 28 that he faced multiple instances of anti-Semitism, including swastikas in his classroom, references to "Schindler's List," and having coins thrown at him."

"We do see that a number of these acts are juvenile in nature, but the usage of these symbols and words doesn't mean our response to them shouldn't be serious," Robbins said.

The displaying of swastikas in everyday places, like school bathrooms, where some of them were found, only helps to spread hate-filled ideologies.

"There are a number of different ways messages of hate are sent to people," Robbins said. "When there is a regularity of hatred directed toward one group, people will start to think they can express hatred toward that group too."

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com

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