NJ High School’s Ban on Yellow Ribbons for Israeli Hostages Sparks Outcry Over Anti-Semitism

NJ High School’s Ban on Yellow Ribbons for Israeli Hostages Sparks Outcry Over Anti-Semitism

Edited by: Fern Sidman

A recent decision by Fair Lawn High School in New Jersey to ban yellow ribbons, which were meant to symbolize support for Israeli hostages, has ignited a storm of controversy, with critics accusing the school administration of blatant anti-Semitism. According to a report in The New York Post, the controversy unfolded during a school club fair, where the ribbons, along with the Israeli flag, were not allowed, allegedly because the school deemed them “too political.” Meanwhile, critics argue that other symbols, such as the keffiyeh displayed by the Muslim Student Association, were allowed, prompting accusations of hypocrisy and unequal treatment.

“What happened at Fair Lawn High School is an alarming case of hypocrisy and blatant anti-Semitism,” said Liora Rez, founder of StopAntisemitism, as quoted in The New York Post. She emphasized that the banning of the yellow ribbons, which served as a humanitarian symbol calling for the release of innocent civilians held hostage by Hamas, was a direct violation of Jewish students’ rights to express their identity and humanitarian concerns. For many, the incident was not just about politics but a moral and ethical call to raise awareness about the ongoing crisis in Israel.’

Fair Lawn High, NJ – during last week’s multicultural fair, Jewish students were told they weren’t allowed to display yellow ribbons because they were “too political”.

But keffiyehs at the Muslim students’ table? No problem!

More from the NY Post here: https://t.co/B6QBKMRpiU

— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) October 7, 2024

Fair Lawn is a town with a significant Jewish population, with estimates ranging from 30% to 40% of its 35,000 residents identifying as Jewish. The decision to ban the display of the Israeli flag during the event — particularly because it was linked to a promotion for a trip to Israel — has raised even more concerns. The New York Post report indicated that some parents and activists argue that the administration’s actions reflect a pattern of anti-Semitism within the school district, something that has been brewing for years.

Fair Lawn High School was always a place of hate, as a student there many administrators and teachers hate jewish students and make their life’s harder through hate and intentional grade manipulation. I have first hand accounts and would be willing to come fourth.

— Bart Carlson (@barorcarl) October 7, 2024

One of the most vocal critics, Adi Vaxman, a parent and founder of Operation Israel, expressed her frustration with the school’s handling of the event. “This glaring double standard exposes the bias of the school and the administrator in question,” Vaxman said, according to The New York Post. She argued that it was deeply concerning that the Muslim Student Association (MSA) was allowed to identify as Palestinian while the Jewish Student Union was censored for displaying the Israeli flag—a flag naturally associated with Judaism and relevant to the JSU’s planned trip to Israel. “Israel is the world’s only Jewish state, naturally associated with Judaism and relevant to the JSU’s advertised trip to Israel,” Vaxman added, underscoring how the flag’s significance went beyond politics, serving as a symbol of Jewish identity. Her daughter Maya is a student at the school.

Vaxman’s frustration stems from the administration’s classification of the yellow ribbon—an internationally recognized humanitarian symbol calling for the release of hostages—as a political symbol. “The administrator’s claim that the yellow hostage ribbon — a humanitarian symbol calling for the release of innocent civilians abducted from their homes and held in subhuman conditions by Hamas — is ‘political’ is deeply offensive and unacceptable,” Vaxman said, as quoted by The New York Post.

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NEW JERSEY
Fair Lawn High School in New Jersey banned yellow ribbons supporting Israeli hostages during a club fair, which critics, including parents and StopAntisemitism, labelled as antisemitic. pic.twitter.com/Vvw3VcQfLJ

— Yisrael official 🇮🇱 🎗 (@YisraelOfficial) October 7, 2024

Adding fuel to the fire, Vaxman pointed out what many consider to be a stark double standard in the school’s handling of cultural and political symbols. The black-and-white keffiyeh, which some view as a symbol of Palestinian resistance against Israeli occupation, was prominently displayed for hours by the Muslim Student Association without interference from the administration. The New York Post reported that Vaxman argued that this clear disparity in how symbols were treated during the event exemplifies the systemic issues of bias that she and other parents have been raising for years.

In response to the growing outrage, Fair Lawn High School Principal Paul Gorski released a public statement defending the administration’s actions. Gorski emphasized that both student groups were treated equally during the event. “We take pride in our Student Activities program as well as the leadership shown by both students and faculty,” he wrote, according to The New York Post. He further explained that both the MSA and the JSU were asked to adjust their displays because certain items were not part of the original plans submitted for the event. “Both groups received the same instruction and were treated equally,” Gorski stated, stressing that no students were disciplined in connection with the club fair.

In an effort to highlight the school’s broader commitment to inclusivity, Gorski pointed out that Fair Lawn High School participates in the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) “No Place for Hate” initiative. The school was even recognized with a “Gold Star” distinction for its efforts to combat hate and promote inclusivity during a ceremony held in May. “We condemn anti-Semitism and remain steadfast in our commitment to creating an inclusive community where hate is not tolerated,” Gorski added, according to the information in The New York Post report. He also promised that once the school reopened after the Jewish holidays, a dialogue would be held with students and the broader community to address concerns. “Hate has no home at Fair Lawn High School,” the principal asserted.

The controversy at Fair Lawn High School is not an isolated incident in New Jersey, where there have been other reported cases of rising tensions over Israel-related symbols and events. The broader context of anti-Semitism in schools has become a growing concern across the country, as debates over free expression, political sensitivity, and humanitarian causes collide in increasingly diverse educational settings.

However, for many, including Vaxman, the school’s response has done little to alleviate their concerns. Vaxman dismissed Gorski’s statement as insufficient, arguing that it failed to address the core issues of bias and unequal treatment. “This selective application of rules further demonstrates the discriminatory treatment of Jewish students,” Vaxman told The New York Post. She noted that the school’s actions were part of a larger pattern of anti-Semitism that Jewish students had been facing at Fair Lawn High School for years.

Vaxman also criticized the school’s participation in the ADL’s “No Place for Hate” initiative, calling it hollow in light of the school’s alleged failure to protect Jewish students from discrimination. “The school’s response is extremely disappointing and fails to address these core issues,” she told The New York Post, “Their participation in the ‘No Place for Hate’ initiative rings hollow when Jewish students face such blatant discrimination and intimidation in their school on a regular basis.”

For Vaxman and others in the community, the incident is not just an isolated case but part of a disturbing pattern of anti-Semitism in the school district. Parents and Jewish advocacy groups are demanding more than just statements of condemnation; they are calling for concrete actions to combat anti-Semitism and ensure that Jewish students are treated fairly. “We demand concrete actions, not empty platitudes, to combat anti-Semitism and ensure true equality for all students,” Vaxman declared when speaking to The New York Post.