West Orange Parents Fear Pro-Palestine Students May Be ‘Doxed’

WEST ORANGE, NJ — West Orange continues to see outrage and angry debate over a pro-Palestinian student walkout that was planned at the high school last month – and later canceled.

The walkout was planned for the last period of the day on Oct. 30. However, it was delayed indefinitely after an outcry from people who said the event was causing fear in West Orange’s Jewish community.

In particular, critics said they were offended by one of the slogans that appeared on flyers for the walkout, which included the phrase “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” – which some advocates have characterized as hate speech. Read More: Controversial Slogan Incites Fear As West Orange Students Plan Walkout

A Change.org petition that garnered more than 1,000 signatures laid out some of their objections:

“We would never encourage censoring a protest but will point out that the first amendment does have some caveats including threats. ‘From the river to the sea,’ as referenced in Mayor Susan McCartney’s message, encourages the elimination of Jews - THIS IS HATE SPEECH - making us question if this in fact is meant to be a peaceful walkout. If peaceful opposition is the true goal, then we question how much the people organizing it actually know about this conflict if they are using this term. As educators, it is your responsibility to remain impartial and to patrol hate speech, to ensure that your students are not fed rhetoric to perpetuate untruths that feed into bigotry and antisemitism. Has West Orange High School educated its student body on the history of this conflict and what these terms mean? This is not political but historical. Separately, have you empowered students who denounce the terrorist acts of October 7 and support Israel’s right to defend itself to organize a counter protest?”

The student organizers behind the walkout eventually released their own statements in the wake of the controversy, emphasizing that their intent was to uplift “peace and humanity” and not to cause division among their neighbors.

“Saying ‘Free Palestine’ does not mean we condone Hamas,” organizers said.

That explanation wasn’t enough for some West Orange residents, who have continued to decry their attempt to stage a walkout over the war.

Some social media users have been probing into the identities of the students who reportedly led the effort – which got a strong rebuke from youth-led advocacy group Black Lives Matter Paterson earlier this week.

The group accused parents of “calling for the doxing and harassment of these students online,” and alleged that parents “stormed” the high school during school hours to demand disciplinary action against them.

School officials took to the internet earlier this week to counter that claim.

“Contrary to recent statements on social media, at no point in time has anyone ‘stormed the high school’ or any of our buildings,” administrators wrote, adding that security camera footage “dispels any claims to the contrary.”

“It is crucial to emphasize that we do not endorse or tolerate any form of hate speech within our school community,” officials added.

However, this fear – that students may be vulnerable to doxing and harassment – boiled over into the West Orange Board of Education meeting on Monday.

Board President Brian Rock spoke about the issue prior to public comment.

Referencing a previous statement that Superintendent Hayden Moore issued about the war, Rock commended Hayden and district administrators for the way they responded to the walkout. Saying that there is a “lot of disinformation” floating around on social media, Rock emphasized that the walkout was not condoned by the school and was the result of students acting on their own “as individuals.”

“We’ve received many emails about this, and some of those asked, ‘How could you let this happen?’” Rock said.

“Ultimately, this was a teachable moment,” he continued. “The administration was able to use their relationships with these students to help them reflect on the impact of their actions and to make wise decisions.”

Several people spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting, expressing worry about the safety of students who are pro-Palestine (watch the video below, cued to the discussion).

The day after the meeting, Superintendent Moore replied to the people who spoke in a follow-up post on Instagram. He wrote:

“I thank everyone who attended last night's Board of Education meeting, engaging in a crucial and passionate discussion about the safety of our students. Today I reiterate for the sake of the entire school community: the safety and well-being of ALL of our students is, always has been, and always will be, our paramount concern. This is non-negotiable and lies at the core of our mission.”

Moore continued:

“Regarding the recent alarming incidents of hate speech and threats circulating on local social media groups directed at our students; this behavior is utterly unacceptable and disgraceful, and impacts not only individuals but ripples through our entire community beyond our schools. I undeniably condemn these actions. The district and school administration are proactively working hand in hand with the West Orange Police Department and authorities. Each and every incident is reported for investigation.”

“Navigating challenges that extend beyond the jurisdiction of our school district, especially on social media platforms, requires a collaborative effort,” Moore said. “The school district cannot confront these challenges alone; it is crucial for all community members to report hate speech and threats to the local policing authorities. Additionally, when you witness a threat, report the incident directly on the social media platform as well as to the West Orange Police Department, to ensure appropriate intervention.”

“Let us lean on our community values and foundation built on unity, peace, mutual respect and support,” Moore concluded. “Our strength is in our diversity, and together we can navigate this period of time and emerge wiser, stronger and unified in peace.”

• See Related: Show Compassion For Israel, Palestinian Families, West Orange Official Says

Casualties and suffering have been heavy for Israelis and Palestinians alike as war rages in the Middle East. Read More: Israel-Hamas: How To Talk To Your Kids, Practice Self-Care

More than 1,400 Israelis were killed after Hamas launched a coordinated attack on Oct. 7, including civilians and children. Dozens of the deceased are U.S. residents, including some from New Jersey. It’s estimated that nearly 250 Israeli soldiers and civilians were also seized by Hamas and taken into Gaza as hostages – where most of them still remain. Read More: Hamas Attacks Deadliest Day For Jews Since The Holocaust, Biden Says

Meanwhile, the latest death toll from Palestinian authorities stands at more than 11,000 people who have been killed in Gaza due to Israel's retaliatory air strikes and ground invasion –including thousands of children and civilians. Israel has cut off water and electricity in Gaza, raising an outcry from advocates and several humanitarian organizations.

Protests and vigils have been held by pro-Israel and pro-Palestine supporters in New Jersey, where opinions about the war remain starkly divided.

• See Related: Thousands Demonstrate In NJ Town In Response To Hamas Attacks
• See Related: 'Free Palestine' Protesters Storm Sen. Cory Booker's Office In Newark

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