County plans to take action on alleged antisemitism in Pine Bush schools
GOSHEN — Orange County is trying to "gain a better understanding" of what happened in the Pine Bush Central School District, which is accused of allowing antisemitic bullying to flourish.
Deputy County Executive Steve Gross said he convened a meeting of the Orange County Human Rights Commission and other interested stakeholders this week to discuss the allegations and develop a plan to address the problem, following an article in The New York Times about a lawsuit against the district brought by three families of bullied students. (See sidebar for meeting participants.)
“It’s critical that we come together as a community to share our concerns with respect to the New York Times article," said county executive Edward Diana, who participated in the meeting by phone as he recovers from liver transplant surgery. "We need to move forward in a positive and productive manner for the sake of the youth of our county."
Deputy County Executive Gross, who led the meeting, added, “It is important that we all work together as a community to gather the facts, address the issues in a united fashion, and work swiftly to get things back to normal as quickly as possible.”
On Friday, Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office instructed the New York State Police and the State Division of Human Right to launch an investigation into the allegations. On Wednesday, the United States attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York opened a civil rights investigation into the allegations.
In its report Nov. 7, The New York Times reported: "For some Jewish students in the Pine Bush Central School District in New York State, attending public school has been nothing short of a nightmare. They tell of hearing anti-Semitic epithets and nicknames, and horrific jokes about the Holocaust.
"They have reported being pelted with coins, told to retrieve money thrown into garbage receptacles, shoved and even beaten. They say that on school buses in this rural part of the state, located about 90 minutes north of New York City and once home to a local Ku Klux Klan chapter president, students have chanted 'white power' and made Nazi salutes with their arms."
Pine Bush Central School District Superintendent Joan Carbone, said that the Times article "was very upsetting to us as a school district and a community. This is not who we are — discriminatory and bullying behavior of any kind cannot be tolerated in our schools. As we become a global society, even here in Orange County, it is imperative that we address and embrace diversity and promote tolerance. We have many programs already in place and will continue to grow and expand these opportunities so that we may further serve our students.”
Frank Phillips, the county's district attorney, said a confidential investigation is now underway, and that no information will be released until the investigation is complete. He confirmed that at this point there have been no criminal charges lodged regarding these allegations.
Fred Cook, Chairman of the Orange County Human Rights Commission, said the commission is "committed to fostering mutual esteem, justice, and equity among our county’s diverse population and seeks to provide opportunities and understanding for all people who live and work in our community.”
Chairman Michael Pillmeier added: “The Orange County Legislature stands together with the community-at-large as we collect the necessary information to gain a full understanding of the situation. All people of Orange County deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.”