Dear Parent or Guardian,
The recent events in Charlottesville have compelled me to write to you this afternoon. The horrific and
vile images on our screens emphasized the unfortunate and misguided behavior of real people with real
hate in their hearts towards others who look or believe differently from themselves.
Having watched those expressions of hatred and violence with horror and disbelief, I want to stress to
you and reassure you that the Ridgewood Public Schools does not tolerate any acts of hate or negative
speech in our buildings or on our property. Our district is a community of people from many different
backgrounds, nationalities, beliefs and protected classes, and we insist that our students and staff
practice tolerance and respect at all times through clearly articulated goals for respectful and inclusive
behavior. We also go one step further, by finding ways to highlight and celebrate both differences and
similarities.
As we ready for the opening of school and a peaceful and welcoming start to a new year, I encourage
you to talk about the school environment in your discussions with your family about the recent events in
Charlottesville. Please know that we are here to assist you and feel free to reach out to your child’s
principal, or to me, at any time.
Enjoy the rest of your summer.
Sincerely yours,
Daniel Fishbein, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Unless of course your hate speech is directed at Trump or his voters. That’s acceptable.
Act of hate: Kicking a dude out of the girls room.
Hate speech: “People suffering from same sex attraction are not “born this way” and require psychiatric intervention, not enhanced civil rights protection.”
Some of the kids in our schools are children of people who post racist, hateful comments here. Believe me, the kids have picked up the rhetoric.
you mean the “if you dont do what I say ,I am allowed to kill you crowd” ???
Fishbein is the classic extreme liberal and people like him in our schools are one of the main reasons the new generation is so screwed up in the head. How can someone at such high position in a PUBLIC school system not be able to maintain a certain level of neutrality is beyond me. The classic idiot who “leads” by emotions and not by logic.
Please remember that a few years ago New Jersey apologized for its role in slavery…keeping slaves.
Let us all honestly search our hearts for any prejudice and work to root it out , as President Obama said during his second term in office.
Please remember that a few years ago New Jersey apologized for its role in slavery…keeping slaves.
Let us all honestly search our hearts for any prejudice and work to root it out , as President Obama said during his second term in office.
Why does the Ridgewood superintendent feel the need to virtue signal in response to an event that has absolutely nothing to do with him, Ridgewood, or K-12 education? Is it his job to “un-trigger” us? At this rate, what wouldn’t cause him to write us a heartfelt, reassuring letter?
Fishbein has been a HUGE disappointment.
Step 1: Chose lily white suburbs – a product of mid-century racist segregation – to raise your children and educate them in one of the most segregated school systems in the country, avoiding the many, many ‘diverse’ urban areas on offer in the state of NJ.
Step 2: Talk endlessly about how people in the south- with much less segregated living and schooling arrangement – are ‘racist.’
Full-circle liberal virtue signalling. Liberals LOVE black people – just make sure they are a few towns away and do not attend the same schools.
10:33 – please cite specifics
2:49 – what about all the horrible antiseptic comments recently regarding the Mahwah eruv?
I get it; free speech is not tolerated in our public schools. Neither is free thinking or common sense. In Dr. Fishbein’s mind, the two are incompatible, mutually exclusive and equally dangerous.
@4.35. Antiseptic? LOL
Can you just focus on what you’re supposed to be focused on, educating our kids? The tradition of excellence motto is a myth.
I think antiseptic was supposed to be antisemetic.
And by antisemetic you mean antisemitic, with an “i”. Come on people.
The letter is professional and it’s more than just a reassurance – it asks you to speak with your family/kids about keeping it chill at school. It’s pretty reasonable.
@2:27, you must live in Willard.. The rest of the schools have not been lily white for a decade at least…
Circle time didn’t stop bullying. Teachers are in the pocket of the DNC and put out their talking points daily. The KP hall is still off limits to most students. (ask your kids and they’ll tell you) BOE, you have a lot of sh*t to clean up before you worry about hurt feelings.
I’m thinking that an event where we hold candles and sing would make all the difference in the world. Do you think we could have the police there to keep the gathering safe? Maybe we can hold it in September at Graydon? Or the Elks Lodge, that would be perfect.