A teacher who taught a lesson in May on the Israel-Hamas war that allegedly described Hamas as “a Palestinian political party” has resigned from her position.
The Fort Lee Board of Education approved the teacher’s resignation by board majority on June 3 through a walk-in resolution, according to a recording of the meeting. Two board members, Paula Colbath and Kacy Knight, voted against the resolution. They did not explain their votes.
Neither Fort Lee Superintendent Robert Kravitz nor members of the Fort Lee school board responded Wednesday to requests to comment about the teacher or the lesson.
The teacher’s resignation was effective June 30, according to a copy of the resignation letter. She taught history at Fort Lee High School in Bergen County.
NJ Advance Media is not identifying the educator amid reports from students and community members that she has received death threats. The teacher did not immediately respond Wednesday to messages left at a publicly listed phone number.
Some community members criticized the board during a June 24 board meeting for allowing the teacher to resign, arguing instead the educator should have been fired.
Other speakers, including two local rabbis at area synagogues, called on district officials to release a statement officially condemning the rhetoric used in the controversial Israel-Hamas lesson.
“I’m insulted. I’m hurt that since this episode has been brought to light, there has been no condemnation whatsoever from the board of education or from the principal, vice principal,” said one speaker during public comment. “You as individual human beings, people that were trusted to protect our children should, for the record, for history, should at least know that their leaders condemned hatred in the classroom. And we’ve been waiting to hear from the board of education, from anyone who’s in a position of power.
“It’s not enough to make these teachers go away. It’s a position to take as the leaders of our education.”
The May 30 social studies lesson contained language that described Hamas as “a Palestinian political party and resistance movement based in the Gaza Strip,” according to high school students who said they were in the classroom.
The lesson was presided over by two teachers — the history teacher who resigned and another educator who was in the classroom at the time. The role of the other teacher in the classroom is unclear.
Hamas, an armed Palestinian militant group, has been listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S. Department of State’s since 1997, according to the agency’s website. The European Union and other Western countries also label Hamas a terrorist organization.
Students said they were told that if at any point during the social studies lesson they felt uncomfortable, they could leave the classroom. Though the use of cell phones is not permitted in class, some students said they were required to turn in their cell phones before the lesson by the teachers.
The controversy in Fort Lee is the latest dispute in New Jersey schools over the Israel-Hamas war, which began Oct. 7. There have been disputes in high schools over pro-Palestinian walkouts and clashes on college campuses over protests and encampments by activists.
The controversial lesson led to tense school board meeting on June 4, where audience members held Israeli or Palestinian flags and several attendees wore keffiyehs, the traditional Middle Eastern headdress popular among pro-Palestinian activists.
Some speakers called for the two Fort Lee High School teachers who taught the lesson to be fired. Other speakers argued the lesson had been taken out of context and asked for leniency, saying the teachers were being threatened.
“Me, myself, do not feel safe with you guys screaming and threatening our teachers and counselors,” said one Fort Lee High School student during the June 4 meeting.
The student said she was present for the controversial lesson and thinks the teacher, “did a good job of presenting both sides of the issues and encouraging us to think critically of the topic.”
The next meeting of the Fort Lee school board is July 15, according to the district website. The meeting will be livestreamed.
Stories by Jackie Roman
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Jackie Roman may be reached at [email protected].