Swastikas, death threats and Nazi lingo: Inside claims of rampant antisemitism at Brooklyn high school | amNewYork

In yet another alarming accusation of antisemitism in NYC schools, Jewish advocates say a Brooklyn high school is riddled with hate and discrimination, including death threats against Jewish teachers, swastikas drawn on walls and other concerning claims of harassment. 

Elected officials, advocates and staff from Origins High School in Sheepshead Bay detailed the disturbing list of antisemitic incidents at the school during a press conference on Sunday. The New York Post first reported the story.

Dov Hikind, a community advocate and former Assembly member, discussed how one teacher at the center of the claims “lives in fear” going to work each day. 

“Should anyone live in fear of going to work? Especially if you’re working at a public school?” Hikind asked. “At a public high school that our tax dollars pay for everything?”

Hikind also alleged that Origins students have repeatedly made antisemitic remarks like “kill the Jews,” to the point where the statement has become an unofficial slogan throughout the school.

Some students, he noted, have also walked out of class doing the “Heil Hitler” salute that Nazis typically use.

The incidents are the latest of many antisemitic events and accusations that have been occurring in NYC schools since the terrorist group Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, leading to the ongoing war in Gaza. Antisemitism exploded around the city and country in wake of the terrorist attacks, with the NYPD reporting a surge of antisemitic incidents citywide — and schools around the Five Boroughs reporting more incidents of anti-Jewish behavior.

‘Banks does nothing’

One Origins staff member allegedly filed 15 complaints to school officials in an effort to remedy the ongoing harassment at the school. Hikind and other advocates said Sunday that those complaints fell on deaf ears. They are now seeking to have Schools Chancellor David Banks and other school officials removed.

“They talk the talk and do nothing,” Hikind said. “Banks does nothing, and he will do nothing,” adding that he “has no clue and has to go.” 

Hikind also directed his anger to the school’s interim acting principal, Dana Kammerman, saying that she, too, needs to lose her job.

“The principal here needs to go. There’s not even a question about that,” Hikind said. “She needs to be fired. Period. Not reassigned to another school.” 

‘No evidence’ supporting the claims: DOE

But Department of Education (DOE) officials refuted the claims made Sunday, and said that city schools do not tolerate hate. 

Nathaniel Styer, a spokesperson for the chancellor’s office, said the DOE is investigating the allegations but “there is currently no evidence that these claims are true” and defended Kammerman. 

“Principal Kammerman has a track record of building bridges across an incredibly diverse school community and supporting students, staff and families,” Styer said. “That track record includes effectively handling incidents of bias brought to her attention. The principal has brought in outside organizations to help students learn and grow, while making it clear that hate, including antisemitism, has no place in our schools, and the superintendent has been engaged in supporting school leadership and staff in that effort. While there are no reports or evidence to support these claims, students and staff deserve to be safe and respected in their school and Origins High School is no different.”

In January, Banks rolled out a plan to combat antisemitism in the city’s public schools. The DOE plan includes classroom-facing support for principals and teachers, such as professional learning focused on navigating difficult conversations. 

There are also expanded instructional resources and materials focused on antisemitism and Islamophobia with input from the interfaith community, as well as expanded and updated diversity training.

Antisemitism nothing new at Origins: rep

But Brooklyn City Council Member Inna Vernikov said antisemitism is nothing new at the school, and has been rampant long before last year’s terror attack in Israel occurred. 

“The issues at this school have been going on for years, way before Oct. 7,” she said. “And after Oct. 7, it’s just been amplified.” 

Vernikov added that many students have left the school because of continued bullying, antisemitism and harassment that they experienced. 

“I corroborated many of these allegations because I spent about a week reviewing what’s been happening here,” Vernikov said. “I spoke to the parents, I spoke to the students, I spoke to students who transferred.”  

David Dince, a lawyer representing two staff members at the school, said he and his clients will “press for changes” at Origins High School and throughout the city school system. 

“What we’ve seen and learned about what is going on at this high school is among the worst situations that we have had the misfortune of having to deal with,” he said.

Origins is one of five small high schools located within the Frank Macciharola Educational Complex on Avenue X in Sheepshead Bay. The mission statement on its website professes that Origins is a place where “the diversity of our school is a source of strength; the curriculum is culturally responsive and provides students with opportunities to learn from and interpret diverse perspectives so that they are critically engaged members of society.”