Cedarhurst resident and Lawrence board member Tova Plaut leads anti-hate effort

Tova Plaut, a Cedarhurst resident and member of the Lawrence school district Board of Education is a founding member of New York City Public Schools Alliance, an advocacy group, centered on eradicating hate in schools.

“It’s a grassroots movement,” Plaut said, of the organization that primarily targets Jewish hate.

Plaut, who is an instructional coordinator for District 2 in New York City, said that the movement involves the work of parents, educators, stakeholders and community members in the city, where it is first trying to have an impact.

On Dec. 6 the group met with New York City Schools Chancellor David Banks after a news conference in late November on his office steps sharing concerns about systemic bias and Jewish hate and demanding a meeting.

The Alliance wanted the city school system to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism — a zero tolerance for anti-Jewish bias or conduct and adherence to the schools anti-discrimination policies, curricula and training educating teachers and students on Judaism — and a restructuring of diversity and inclusion initiatives to include Jewish people as a marginalized group in city public schools.

The group’s news conference was inspired by what the organization thought to be a weak response by Banks’ following antisemitic actions taken by students in a Queens school against a teacher who had expressed pro-Israel beliefs.

Karen Feldman, a city teacher spoke at the conference, saying that she had a high school student parent in Brooklyn tell her that the woman’s daughter was receiving threatening Instagram messages and was being bullied in school for being Jewish.

“I can’t imagine how she must feel in NYC 2023, knowing that so many people in class are wishing her harm solely because she is Jewish,” Feldman said in the news release. “Is this the type of learning environment that we want to send our kids to?”

Shana Dworken, another city teacher, said that she has become a target in the work place and in the classroom because of being Jewish. She called on Banks to protect Jewish employees and students as she recalled him promising to do in the past.

“I need him to show that commitment now, especially after his press conference at Hillcrest High School,” Dworken said at the news conference. “And it’s not just me, the parent I spoke to with high school students at three different public schools who in the past few weeks, have all been targeted by their peers for being Jewish, deserve to believe that he is committed to their safety.”

Banks has since agreed to partner with the organization in preventing and combating hate in the public schools according to Plaut.

“We are expecting that he will take action to ensure both the safety of students and staff and create an environment of inclusivity,” Plaut wrote in a text message.

NYSPC Alliance plans to continue work with Banks and to expand their initiative to other districts in the future.

To get involved, message the organization through its Instagram @NYCPS_Alliance to join a committee of volunteers.