MAPLEWOOD — The Board of Education, which voted to remove its liaison to MapSO Freedom School last week, heard from close to 80 people who spoke against or in support of the organization that includes district teachers, parents, alumni and students.
More than 140 people watched the meeting which was held virtually because the controversial topic was expected to draw a crowd that was too large to be accommodated in the facility where the board normally meets.
MapSO Freedom School was created by a group of educators, parents, students, Columbia High School alumni, and others in response to the racial profiling of Black students within the community, district, and state, according to the organization’s website. MapSO offers programming for youth, social justice professional development and community events for educators, parents, students, and the community at large, the website said.
Acting Superintendent of Schools Kevin F. Gilbert, who was hired as the district’s assistant superintendent of access and equity in May of 2022 before being named acting superintendent on Nov. 3, was among the first to speak at the meeting.
He explained what members of MapSO Freedom had done in the district in conjunction with the administration. He said they participated in three professional development sessions:
• In August, a new teacher orientation;
• In September, an all-staff professional development day;
• In October, a middle school staff professional development day.
“These trainings were centered on anti-racism and anti-bias professional development of adults to prepare them to be more culturally responsive to our students,” Gilbert said.
The organization itself wasn’t chosen but teachers who work in the district and are members of MapSO Freedom were selected not because of their affiliation but because of their training, according to a spokesperson.
Much of the anger directed towards the organization stemmed from social media posts in support of the Palestinian side in the Israel Hamas War and participation in a demonstration where, according to some, anti-semetic remarks were made.
Several callers mentioned that the organization had no social media posts condemning the Oct. 7 attack where about 1,200 Israeli citizens were killed in a surprise attack by Hamas, the governing body in Gaza where the attacks originated.
Karen Kozar, a South Orange resident, called for the Board of Education to sever all ties.
“They have demonstrated repeatedly that they don’t know the history of the conflict,” she said. “They have decided that we, the Jewish people, are not worthy of empathy.”
Leyah Colcord, another South Orange resident, said MapSO’s content was “staggeringly biased.”
“I don’t feel safe in our community anymore because of organizations like MapSO Freedom,” she said.
Responding to complaints that Jewish students don’t feel safe in the district, Dana Luciano, a resident, said no one was asking if Muslim students felt uncomfortable.
“MapSO Freedom School was started because our black and brown students felt uncomfortable,” Luciano said. “We need to think of the safety of all of our students.”
Meghan Gosselink, who said she was speaking for herself and her husband, Dan, said that MapSO Freedom provides some of the best teachers in the district and that anti-Zionism is not anti-Jewish. Cutting ties with MapSO Freedom would not “protect students,” she said.
“It is punishing teachers for speaking out,” Gosselink said.
Isioma Grant, a Columbia High School graduate currently studying at Smith College, said what she learned from MapSO Freedom helped define the person she has become.
“It is nothing short of an amazing program that will benefit all who partake in it,” she said.
Board of Education President Kaitlin Wittleder began the meeting by apologizing for supporting having a liaison to the group and said she should have done more research before doing so.
“Lessons have been learned by this,” she said, later stating “It is advisable for the board to stop the liaison relationship.”
Wittleder also said the board’s Code of Ethics states that politics should not be brought into the leadership of the district.
A vote to remove the Board of Education liaison to MapSO passed 5 to 3 with Regina Eckert, Qawi Telesford, Wittleder, Nubia DuVall Wilson and Arun Vadlamani voting in favor and Courtney Winkfield, Bill Gifford and Johanna Wright voting against. Elissa Malespina was absent and did not vote.
Board liaisons participate in meetings with their affiliated organizations, identifying potential collective goals. Any proposed ideas are subsequently presented to the full Board for consideration, according to Wittleder.
In his remarks, Gilbert said that one of the Fergus ‘ recommendations was that the district conduct professional development sessions that went deeper in helping staff build culturally responsive skills to help meet the needs of all students, but particularly students of color. The teachers from MapSO Freedom had the training and experience to do that, he said.
“They were not sought out because they were in the MapSO Freedom School,” Gilbert said. “They were sought out because they have the skills necessary to provide quality anti-racist and anti-bias professional development.”
He went on to say that peer-to-peer learning is one the highest forms of professional development.
“We did not receive any complaints from any of the participants in any of the sessions, or on any of the information that was presented,” he said.
The Fergus report is the work completed by Edward Fergus, Rutgers professor of urban education and policy. The report was done as a result of the settlement of a federal lawsuit with the Black Parents Workshop. It said more needs to be done to reach racial equality in the district and presented a series of recommendations.
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