‘We will not stand for this’: Merrick-Bellmore community responds to bias incident at Chatterton School

Following the discovery of spray-painted swastikas on a playground at Chatterton Elementary School in the Merrick School District last month, the South Merrick Community Civic Association held an emergency meeting on Aug. 9, to address the rise in antisemitic acts in the community.

The meeting attracted residents, rabbis and community leaders from both Bellmore and Merrick, as one of the alleged perpetrators of the hateful act is a student at a school in the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District.

Community members who spoke at the meeting made it abundantly clear that acts of hate would not be tolerated in Merrick or Bellmore, and they openly discussed how such incidents could be better prevented in the future.

Rabbi Ira Ebbin, of Congregation Ohav Shalom in Merrick, was joined by rabbinic colleagues from the hamlets’ several synagogues, including Rabbi Shimon Kramer of the Chabad Center for Jewish life, Rabbi Mickey Baum and Cantor Daniel Rosenfeld of Temple Beth Am, Rabbi Joshua Dorsch of the Merrick Jewish Centre, Rabbi Daniel Haramati of Young Israel of Merrick and Rabbi Rishe Groner of Congregation Beth Ohr.

“We are joined together in unity, as one voice,” Rabbi Ebbin said. “Over the last few years, people have been asking us the following question: ‘Rabbi, what can we do to stop antisemitism?’”

The answer, Ebbin said, is not that simple. “Since the beginning of time, as long as Jews have existed, there has always been antisemitism,” he said. “Since the beginning of time, as long as humans have existed, there has always been hatred of others, racism and bigotry. Those who want to spread hate will make us feel violated as they invade our most sacred sanctuaries.”

Ebbin said the support of the community, the Nassau County Police Department and local elected officials has been incredibly helpful and important.

“Sadly, we will not be able to completely stop and eradicate antisemitism,” Ebbin said. “But we will always be able to respond to hate with love and with respect. We can, and must, always teach our children to never be accepting of a world where hatred exists.”

Detectives from the Nassau County Police Department said that the incident occurred during daytime, which allowed officers to quickly identify the perpetrators on video footage. As both are juveniles, their identities will remain protected.

“The school was very instrumental in getting us the names, pedigree information that we needed to go further,” Det. Frank Ruvolo said. “Without the assistance of the school, the knowledge of the board, the teachers, we wouldn’t have gotten this far.”

A 14-year-old boy from Freeport was arrested on Aug. 10, and charged with two felonies and two misdemeanors. Detectives stated they had also identified another suspect from Bellmore, who had not yet been taken into custody.

Since the incident occurred on a weekend, some concerned parents asked that had it been a weekday during the school year, would the graffiti have been found before children were on the playground?

Dr. Dominick Palma, superintendent of Merrick schools, said the custodial staff at every school does a thorough check of the playgrounds before school begins.

“In this specific case,” he added, “when the community member made phone calls to police, it got to us very, very quickly. Chatterton’s principal connected with the head custodian — he left his house in the middle of a Sunday, went there, and made sure we had all the pictures of things. That’s standard.”

Several community members asked what consequences the juveniles could face if convicted, but the detectives said it was too early to say, as it is up to the court.

Mike Harrington, superintendent of the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District, said a high school or middle school principal typically has the right to suspend a student up to five days. In a case such as this one, however, he said it could go to a superintendent’s hearing.

“It’s like a mini-trial,” Harrington explained. “The superintendent and legal counsel can make the determination to extend the suspension, which with something like this would be a very extended suspension. It usually goes hand-in-hand with some kind of restorative practice.”

Restorative practices could mean requiring students to volunteer their time at the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center in Glen Cove. “These are awful, awful incidents that are embarrassing,” he added, “and not a reflection of this community.”

Harrington said that the district brings in Holocaust survivors to speak to its students every year, and this past school year, had high school seniors lead an anti-hate discussion with their younger peers in middle school.

Marie Testa, superintendent of the North Bellmore School District, said that Bellmore-Merrick’s schools have codes of conduct that extend to visitors and adults as well.

Detectives said juvenile perpetrators often don’t realize they’re committing a crime, and may think spray-painting something like a swastika is funny.

“It’s an opportunity for us to reinforce the message that it is not acceptable,” State Sen. Steve Rhoads said. “We have to let people know that we take this seriously — that there will be consequences.”

Police officers announced that a hotline has been established at (516) 500-0657 to report any bias incidents. People can call or text the number anonymously, or email combatbias@pdcn.org.

“We will not stand for this,” County Legislator Michael Giangregorio said. “Whether it was silly or an act of violence, it has no place in our society.”