Statement in Regard to Ann Arbor School Board’s
Passage of Cease Fire Resolution 1/17/2024
The Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor and local community leaders are extremely disappointed in the Ann Arbor Public Schools Board of Trustees vote to approve a resolution calling for a “bilateral cease fire in Gaza and Israel.”
The October 7 terror attack by Hamas was and continues to be a heartbreaking tragedy. One hundred and thirty-two hostages remain captive in Gaza after more than 100 days. And Israel’s response in Gaza has created an on-going humanitarian crisis for civilians in Gaza. The trauma and ramifications will be felt for years – decades to come.
Unfortunately, activists have used this crisis to sow division in our community.
The proposal of this resolution was politically motivated – not about students and education. It was part of a national activist effort to bring cease fire resolutions to local governmental bodies – hijacking the important local work they were elected to do and calling on them to take positions on geopolitical affairs, over which they have no authority, which will have no effect on foreign policy, and which only impact the local community by further dividing it. The fact that the resolution calls for it to be distributed to print, voice and internet media speaks to the intention to spread this activity to other communities.
This resolution led to a poor use of district resources – time, money and personnel – and encouraged a chaotic and uncivil atmosphere leading many Jewish families to wonder about their place in this district and community.
The Ann Arbor School Board missed an opportunity to unite the community by putting forward an alternative resolution with very similar language that was shared with all board members; one that did not directly call for a cease fire. The language of this alternative was inclusive of families connected to other world conflicts and called for training and resources to be provided to teachers helping them to feel more comfortable navigating these complicated conversations. While some sections of the alternative resolution and a sentence from a local City Council resolution were included in the final product, the cease fire language remained, alienating the almost 2,000 signatories of a petition calling on the Board to focus on education, not engage in geopolitical affairs.
It is deeply concerning that the many important issues facing the board, including a $10M deficit, passing a special education millage, hiring a superintendent, falling test scores, and demanding accountability for addressing the egregious incidents of anti-Arab and antisemitic speech and behavior, were ignored while trustees engaged in this symbolic project. It does not, in any way, serve the students of AAPS and their families. In fact, it may harm the district’s efforts to hire a strong superintendent.
Unlike the Ann Arbor City Council and Washtenaw County Commission, there was no attempt to garner community input to craft a document that would be inclusive rather than divisive. Several trustees engaged meaningfully with community members for and against the resolution. However, their input was not brought forth until the resolution was being discussed in advance of the vote, rather than through a collaborative process prior to the board meeting.
We are grateful to Trustees Susan Baskett, Torchio Feaster and Susan Schmidt who voted no or abstained for understanding their role and scope of authority. We understand that their vote is not an indication of their personal position regarding a cease fire – for it or against it. It is simply about standing up for good governance, concern for the school community, and the need for the school board to focus on the crucial issues facing the district and the children it serves.
As disappointing as the outcome of the vote was, this experience has engaged our community and fostered positive relationships with many members of the school board, including new board President Torchio Feaster and Vice President Krystle Dupree. Together with local families, we will be watching closely for how the AAPS will handle incidents of antisemitism, racism and other forms of hate. Community members are encouraged to report antisemitic incidents on our Incident Report Form. And we will continue to work cooperatively with school administration to address the educational needs of Jewish families and to continue to build a more inclusive school community.
Board of Directors of the Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor
Eileen Freed, Executive Director
Jessica “Decky” Alexander, Board President
Rabbi Nadav Caine, Beth Israel Congregation
Rabbi Josh Whinston, Temple Beth Emeth
Cantor Regina Hayut, Temple Beth Emeth
David Stone, Executive Director, Jewish Community Center of Greater Ann Arbor
Joshua J. Chinsky, Board President, Jewish Community Center of Greater Ann Arbor
Rabbi Will Keller, Head of School, Hebrew Day School of Ann Arbor
Monica Woll, Board President, Hebrew Day School of Ann Arbor
Shmuel Solovyev, Board President, Chabad of Ann Arbor
Rabbi Ari Blech, Visiting Rabbi, Ann Arbor Orthodox Minyan
Robert Savit, Board President, Ann Arbor Orthodox Minyan
Ariel Zoldan, Vice President, Ann Arbor Orthodox Minyan
Rachel Wall, Treasurer, Ann Arbor Orthodox Minyan
Tali Amidror, Board Member, Ann Arbor Orthodox Minyan
Resources
Press About the Resolution
Content of the Resolution in MLive
MLive
New York Times
Detroit News
The Forward
Report Local Antisemitic Incidents
Unfortunately, we in Washtenaw County are not immune to the ramifications of the situation in Israel. If you experience or witness any antisemitic or security-related concerns, please report them via our Incident Reporting form.
Parents of AAPS students are encouraged to contact Eileen Freed at the Jewish Federation to report incidents in the classroom in which students experience bias or are made to feel uncomfortable as a result of the board’s actions.
Access the Incident Reporting Form
Connect Locally
If you are in need of additional resources or connections, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Federation by emailing info@jewishannarbor.org.
For mental health services or other needs, please contact Jewish Family Services of Washtenaw County at 734-769-0209 and indicate you are seeking support regarding the conflict in Israel.
