January 22, 2010 update



In our ongoing efforts to keep the community updated on what positive things are taking place at the North Naples Middle School, please find a recent report from the ADL.

I am pleased to report that not only have all of the students gone through A World of Difference™ diversity training in an ADL-led Multi-Cultural Diversity Awareness day, but also the entire staff of North Naples Middle School participated in a full-day of ADL’s “A Classroom of Difference” training on January 4th.  

This training was held as the second part of a multi-faceted education intervention for the school, in response to the recent “Kick a Jew Day” incident.  The first part of the program was held in December, where all students and all teachers in the school participated in an ADL-run Multi-Cultural Diversity Awareness day.  

The first ADL training was held on December 18th, the final day of classes before Winter Recess, where all students and all teachers in the school participated in a Multi-Cultural Diversity Awareness day filled with activities, projects and speakers for each class.  

The A Classroom of Difference™ Teacher Training not only trained all teachers at the school, but all staff at the school who come into contact with the students. The training focused on making teachers aware of their own biases, team building, applicable intervention strategies, and the curriculum review. 

Each participant received a copy of the ADL Anti-Bias Study Guide and practical instruction on how and when to use infuse it into the curriculum. The teachers were grateful to receive the training and felt empowered.

We plan to be back at the school in May to award the school their No Place for Hate® status, which they will earn after completing four anti-bias activities school-wide.

 May 17 – 28, 2010:  The Holocaust Museum of Southwest Florida boxcar will be at the school, including an Open House and Parent Night.

I look forward to our continued work together and appreciate your assistance in spreading the word about the good work happening at North Naples Middle.

Philene Harte-Weiner, M.A.
Associate Project Director
Anti-Defamation League
561-988-2932
www.adl.org/florida

IMPORTANT COMMUNITY UPDATE - December 21

In our ongoing effort to keep our Jewish community and other interested parties updated on matters relative to the situation at that occurred at the North Naples Middle School , before Thanksgiving, below is a report of positive activities going on at that school.

Anti-Defamation League Activity
“Say No To Hate”
North Naples Middle School
Friday, December 18, 2009

The day began with Opening Remarks from Principal Margaret Jackson to all students and teachers promoting that today’s activities were going to be the start of something new for North Naples Middle School.

Principal Jackson introduced Philene Harte-Weiner, MA , Associate Project Director for the Anti-Defamation League who led three presentations throughout the day on the “Pyramid of Hate.”
The Goal of the day was to teach the students about Respect – for each other; to learn how to create a safe, friendly and homelike environment for students to learn.  Today’s lessons were to promote that it’s okay to be a kid, but you need to understand that with every action there are consequences.  We hope that what you learn today about Respect for each other will be important as you become adults.

The teachers received interactive workbooks before the day’s sessions began.

·       The “Pyramid of Hate” exercise starts at the Base of the pyramid with a joke a slur or saying something mean to and about someone.

·       The second level is Prejudice & Bigotry.  This includes Scapegoating, placing blame on someone for their differences whether religion, ethnicity, etc. 

·       This escalates to the third level – Discrimination – telling someone or a group that they are different and not respecting that difference. Others join in with this similar thought process.

·       This leads to the fourth level – Violence – physical threats, hitting someone, threatening to use a weapon against someone.

·       The top of the pyramid is Genocide.  Students have had the opportunity to learn lessons of hate by studying the Holocaust.  Learning what is means to “Never Forget”.

·       The focus of this exercise is to teach students that very quickly a joke can escalate into an entire population being exterminated because they were different. 

·       Students were asked if they have ever been a bystander, a perpetrator, a victim an ally. Students raised their hands to respond to each category.  Many raised their hands to more than one category.

·       At the end of each presentation, students and teachers were asked to discuss what they would: Stop Doing; Start Doing and Do Differently to change themselves and their school. 

The second presentation pertained to the Legal Issues pertaining to Bullying and the Anti-Bullying Laws in Florida, led by David Barkey, Southern Area Counsel for the Anti-Defamation League.

Mr. Barkey began by asking if the students understood that the reason he was at their school today was due to recent incidents in their school.

Mr. Barkey first described an incident that could happen to adults in a workplace, if an individual says something harmful or actually pushes or hits another person.  The students were asked what would happen to the person who caused the hurt.  They suggested the person could get fired, arrested, sued for assault, all possible consequences.

Mr. Barkey then asked the students if this type of action could happen in schools.  They raised their hands or said yes.   He asked the students at what age do you become an adult.  Most answered 18 years of age.  He then described that there are actions that occur in school or society that can be treated by law for individuals who are age 14.

Mr. Barkey then explained the Florida Anti-Bullying Law, the Jeffrey Johnston Stand Up for All Student Act, created in Florida when a student Jeffrey Johnston committed suicide after years of bullying beginning when he was in 7th grade.
The Law prohibits anti-bullying actions in a school, on a school bus or any school sponsored event.  Actions can be verbal teasing, writing hurtful things, a threat or intimidation, public humiliation, damaging property, shunning someone because they are different, based on physical characteristics – eye or hair color, religion, race, etc.
There are also consequences for Cyber-bullying, using an electronic device to harass someone, send text messages or post pictures of someone online, etc.
Every school in Florida has to adopt the Policy.  Teachers have to report any incidence. Students are urged to report any incidence of bullying.  There are procedures for investigating incidents and a variety of punishments, including expulsion or arrest.

For actions that occur at home or at a friend’s house, parents can be sued through a civil lawsuit.

The most important information the students learned at this session were the major consequences of bullying actions.

If a student has any misconduct on their school record, from K-12 grade levels, they can be refused admission to a university, the military or hired at a job.  They can lose the right to vote or the ability to own a firearm.  If a misdemeanor or felony hate crime is perpetrated, the penalties are increased with jail time and fines.

The students took away from this day new attitudes and understanding about what can be hurtful to an individual from a tease or a joke to any form of physical threat.  They also were able to learn about school punishments or legal consequences for any action against another person.  The most important information learned were the life and societal lessons that can follow them through life if there is any misconduct action on their school record.

There will be a Teacher Training scheduled before students return from their winter break.

Submitted by Melissa Keel, Official Observer
Community Relations Committee
Jewish Federation of Collier County

December 10 update:

It has been a week since our last update regarding the incident at the North Naples Middle School .  Today, I attended the meeting of Collier County District School Board, with Rosalee Bogo, Federation President along with several other interested parties.

This update will attempt to cover what took place at the meeting, highlighting some of the speakers and actions taken by the School Board.  For those of you, who were at the meeting or watched it on the Educational Channel on your TVs, please forgive any errors or omissions on my part.

The School Board meeting started promptly at 3:00P.M.  The matter of the North Naples Middle School incidents on the agenda began at 4:00P.M. and concluded at 5:35P.M. when the Board took a break.

Dr. Dennis Thompson, Superintendent opened the discussion with a statement about the students kicked in the incident.  His remarks were positive in nature.

School Board Chair Curatolo read a letter from Dr. Regan with the Chamber of Commerce that addressed the need to tackle this matter, as it impacts how our community is perceived.

Open discussion commenced with a number of speakers.  The following people spoke out, representing a broad cross-section of our community:

·        Sandy Parker - President of the League of Women Voters

·        Doug Bell - President of the Collier County Non-Discrimination Coalition

·        Stuart Zager - a member of the Jewish community

·        Susan Schechter Daugherty - Executive Director of Temple Shalom and mother of two students in the North Naples Middle School

·        Ann Jacobson - Spoke on behalf of the American Jewish Committee

·        Alta Werner - a member of the Jewish community

·        David Willens - please see my address to the School Board printed below

·        Jack Conroy - Catholic Co-Chair of the Catholic Jewish Dialogue of Collier County

·        Chair Curatolo read a moving letter pointing out the Constitution of our great country and our Bill of Rights

·        Robin Bernhat - with the Great Naples Chapter of the AAUW, American Association of University Women

·        Rabbi James Perman - Senior Rabbi of Temple Shalom

·        Steve Goldenberg - a member of our Jewish community

·        Dr. Noreen ? - a retired educator and psychologist

·        Beth Povlow - a member of our Jewish community from Marco Island

·        Harold Weeks - President of the Collier County Chapter of the NAACP

·        David Goldstein - a member of the Jewish community and spokesperson for the ACLU

·        Laurie Pastor - provided the School Board with pamphlets from the Southern Poverty Law Center and their programs that address the issue

·        Ruth Dorfman - a member of the Jewish community whose home was defaced with swastikas several months ago.  To quote Ruth in her address, she said, "weeds like this grow in neglected gardens."

·        Klaus Peterfos - spoke to the inappropriate comments from the Superintendent that were published in an article in the Naples Daily News

·        Rabbi Chezi Zionce - rabbi with Beth Tikvah Conservative Synagogue

·        Mr. Trimble - addressed the broader issue of discrimination in our adult community

·        Robert Leher - a volunteer at the Seagate Elementary School

School Board members offered the following comments:

·        Julie Sprague - She referred to the Zero Tolerance matter on a previous agenda item that was passed.  She suggested reinstating the Diversity Committee for the district schools.

·        Steve Donovan - He addressed proactive parenting and saw much of this as a societal problem.  He stood behind the actions of the Superintendent.

·        Richard Calabrese - He saw this as a "hate crime" and a matter to be reckoned with, turning this issue into a "learning" process.

·        Pat Carroll - This matter should serve as a warning to parents, highlighting the difficulty in monitoring their children's actions (social networking issues)

·        Kathleen Curatolo - Our Board denounces discrimination.  We will take steps to implement diversity training in our schools and address the issues of social networking problems


Upon MOTION made by Julie Sprague the Board voted 4 to1 to reinstate the Diversity Committee of the Collier County District Schools.  The motion passed.

Jewish Federation's talking points for the Collier County School Board meeting regarding the " North Naples Middle School " incidents.

Presenter - David Willens, Federation Executive Director

Madame Chair, School Board Commissioners, Dr. Thompson:

I am David Willens, Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Collier County .  I thank you for allowing me to speak today.  I speak on behalf of our organization, which serves as a central address for our Jewish community.

The incident at the North Naples Middle School has traveled around the world and back again.  We should all be mindful of today's instantaneous communication capabilities - the benefits and the pitfalls.

An excerpt from all students' Daily Planner was read, pointing out disciplinary action for a variety of discriminatory behaviors and cyber bullying.

Our organization comes not with criticism, but rather with ideas and potential solutions.  Let me share with you our position:    
·        No child should be targeted in school for who they are, whether it's based on religion, race or any personal characteristic.  While these incidents were committed by children, they are nonetheless appalling and unacceptable. 
·        The Jewish community is generally pleased with Principal Jackson's prompt and vocal response to these incidents.  While some in the community feel that the students who perpetrated the incidents did not receive harsh enough punishment, at this point we don't believe seeking more severe punishment would be productive.
·        The Jewish Federation, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), and Holocaust Museum of Southwest Florida are pleased that Principal Jackson and the N. Naples Middle School have chosen to partner with them to provide training for the entire student body and teachers.  We are confident that ADL and Holocaust Museum 's programming will help ensure a safe and respectful learning environment for all children in the school.
·        In follow up to meetings held last week at North Naples Middle School with ADL and the Holocaust Museum, ADL will begin providing anti-bias educational programming later this month based on ADL's A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE® Institute programs, which provide hands-on training to help children and adults challenge prejudice and discrimination and learn to live and work successfully and civilly in an increasingly diverse world.
·        We would urge the Board to denounce the recent incidents at North Naples Middle School , and prospectively speak out whenever any act of intolerance occurs within the Collier County Public Schools.  We urge you to administer more appropriate disciplinary action for any future occurrences and to advise all students in our school system of the consequences of such behaviors.  We also urge the Board to voice support for the anti-bias and anti-bullying programming that Principal Jackson is bringing to her school, with the hopes that this program will be embraced by schools throughout the Collier County school system.  We would also suggest that you consider a Board Workshop to become more familiar with these issues and their resolution.

December 2 update:

We wanted to update you on the efforts of the Jewish Federation and the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) to address the recent "Kick a Jew Day" incidents, which occurred at North Naples Middle School.

On Wednesday, December 2, ADL's Florida Regional Director and Southern Area Counsel, Andrew Rosenkranz and David Barkey, traveled to Naples to meet with the leaders of our Jewish community, including the Council of Presidents of our synagogues and organizations, Rabbis, Community Relations Committee and the Federation Board at the Federation's Office.
The ADL's preeminent concern is the safety of Jewish children and fostering a safe learning environment for all students in the Collier County Public School system.
To this end, ADL has been speaking with the parents of victims.
ADL had a long and productive conversation with Principal Margaret Jackson of North Naples Middle School .  She is very interested in bringing ADL's anti-bias and anti-bullying programs to the school.
On Friday, Dec. 4, ADL and a representative from the Holocaust Museum of Southwest Florida will be meeting with Principal Jackson to further discuss training for the specific perpetrators of these incidents, the entire student body, and teachers.
Our leadership will work to ensure that the incident is discussed at the next school board meeting. We are working with ADL to coordinate speakers from within and outside the Jewish community, as well as talking points.