Understanding Reactions and Responses by Community Stakeholders to Public Incidences of Anti-Semitism in Schools

• In Event: Moscone Center North Roundtable Session 1
  In Roundtable Session: From the Margins to the Center: Critical Encounters With Race Across Disciplines and Communities

Abstract

The purpose of this proposal is to investigate the reactions and responses to a public incidence of antisemitism and to develop a potential set of approaches to help inoculate schools from and provide guidelines for schools to respond to future incidences. This research engages administrators, teachers, community members, and Jewish professionals from a suburban community in the American Midwest that experienced an incident to understand reactions and to develop a robust response in the context of rapidly increasing incidences of antisemitism in schools. The analysis yields four themes: displacement, coherence maintenance and difference minimalization, lacking awareness of cultural footprint, and uncertain allyship. These themes provide guidance for three intertwining responses: developing literacy and connections, fostering allyship, and promoting identity work.

Authors

• Jeremy F. Price, Indiana University - Purdue University at Indianapolis

• Elena H. Silverman, IUPUI