New York City Schools Chancellor David Banks on Monday staunchly denied allegations that the approximately 400 students who swarmed the halls of Hillcrest High School last week demanding the ouster of a Jewish teacher who supports Israel had been in any way “radicalized.”
“This is a really good school with wonderful young people. And I’m so taken aback by this notion that these kids are terrorists … or radicalized. Even that kind of language is just terrible, and it’s irresponsible,” Banks said at a press conference, confirming that some students had been suspended or faced disciplinary action after the incident. Viral video showed students acting out after the teacher’s social media profile showed she attended an off-campus rally in support of Israel.
Citing privacy and confidentiality laws, Banks declined to say how many students were disciplined or provide more details but said he did not suspend all the hundreds in the hallway.
On November 20, a teacher at Hillcrest High School “was targeted based on her support for Israel expressed in a permissible way outside of school hours and her Jewish identity,” Banks said, outlining how the “safety of multiple of our staff and students were put at risk after approximately 400 students acted disruptively during class changing time, roving the school and calling for the removal of a Jewish educator.” Officials said the Jewish teacher was on a different floor at the time the crowd of students stormed the halls.
NYC COUNCILWOMAN BLASTS FAILURE OF ‘MODERN PROGRESSIVISM’ AFTER ANTI-ISRAEL HIGH SCHOOL RIOT
Thousands of demonstrators hold a huge Palestinian flag as they take over New York City Streets after gathering at Washington Square Park on Black Friday in New York, United States on Nov. 24, 2023. (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“The teacher was never in direct danger,” Banks claimed. Two days later, a student warned the principal on November 22 that another demonstration was planned during fifth period and the school was temporarily placed on lockdown as a result, according to the chancellor, who met with students at Hillcrest High on Monday as part of deescalation efforts.
But conservative members of the New York City Council categorized the incident differently. In a statement released Monday, the NYC Council Common Sense Caucus said it “strongly condemns the deplorable antisemitic assault and riots at Hillcrest High School.”
“On November 20th,” the statement claims, “students not only disrupted the school but also horrifyingly threatened to execute a Jewish teacher due to her pro-Israel stance, obtained her personal address, and demanded her dismissal.”
“This unconscionable behavior severely violates almost every value to which New York City Department of Education is purportedly committed,” they wrote. “Furthermore, we are extremely troubled by what appears the lack of immediate response and an attempt to sweep this incident under the rug by an agency entrusted with the safety of our children.”
Banks promised that the targeted Jewish teacher – expected to return to worrk this week – would be kept safe but also warned of a vague protest planned Thursday.
Thousands of Pro-Palestinian demonstrators are demanding a boycott of companies that support Israel as they leave Washington Square Park on Black Friday in New York, on Nov. 24, 2023. (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“This notion that this place, these kids are radicalized and antisemitic is the height of irresponsibility. The height of irresponsibility. And I for one, will not accept that at all,” Banks told reporters. “In fact, the greatest concern that the students had here today, as well as of the staff, was that there is a protest planned of people who are coming here Thursday, and staff fearing for their safety as well as students, very concerned with people just making statements who have never even been here. They don’t even know us. But somehow or another we have become the symbol of hate. Look at these kids. This is the ultimate teachable moment. That’s why I’m here today. Not to … cast judgment on our children. But to make sure we as a school community live up to what we need to live up to.”
At a school of approximately 2,500 students, about 30% of Hillcrest High schoolers are of Muslim faith, Banks said.
“They consume their information through social media, specifically TikTok and others, and what they are seeing on a daily basis are children and young people in Palestine, Palestinian families being blown up. That’s what they’re seeing, that’s what they’re consuming,” Banks said. “They feel a kindred spirit with the folks of the Palestinian community. And because this is a very visceral and emotional issue for them, and that is what they’re seeing, those images every single day, when they all of a sudden saw this image of a teacher that says ‘I stand with Israel,’ the students articulated to me, they took that as a message that I am affirming whatever is happening to the Palestinian family and community.”
David Banks, the chancellor of the New York City public schools, denied allegations that students at Hillcrest High are radicalized. (Yana Paskova/For The Washington Post via Getty Images)
The chancellor also rejected claims there had been a cover-up. “New York City Public Schools operates with transparency. We do not hide or cover up facts,” Banks said. “Such allegations betrayed the trust that parents and caregivers place on us when they send their children to our schools. And as someone who has served as a principal, a teacher and a school safety agent, and now in my role as chancellor, I’m deeply offended by any suggestion that we would be less than forthcoming.”
Councilwoman Vickie Paladino shared video on X that she said she obtained from a Department of Education source showing Hillcrest High School students had swarmed the hallway around a school resource officer and a brawl ensued. Responding to that video on Monday, Banks acknowledged that this was a separate incident that took place on November 15, and was “unrelated to the Israel-Hamas war.”
“I can confirm that the school safety agent involved was not assaulted,” Banks claimed. “The school safety agent seen in that video was separating two students and was doing their job keeping students safe in tense situation. Violence of any kind is unacceptable in our schools, so we’re taking appropriate action with the student involved.”
Yet, the NYPD wrote on X, responding to the same video, that “The individuals responsible for assaulting the @NYPDSchools agents were taken into custody & charged according to NYPD procedures.” Paladino doubled down with colleagues at a press conference of their own Monday, claiming Hillcrest High School culture prioritizes progressive activism over discipline.
“Where are their parents? Who is holding them accountable?” Paladino asked.
