Philadelphia’s public school system is facing intense criticism from local parents who describe it as an “absolute cesspool” of anti-Semitism and anti-American sentiment.
Parents express frustration that Governor Josh Shapiro (D.) has “completely ignored” their concerns since the attacks by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
In recent statements, Philadelphia school officials have been accused of defending terrorism, calling for the release of convicted cop killers, and labeling Israel an “apartheid theocracy” while denouncing the United States as a “criminal Amerikan empire.”
The district had previously settled a federal discrimination case with the Department of Education, following reports of incidents where students taunted their Jewish peers with Nazi salutes, swastika graffiti on classroom doors, and threats of violence.
Frustrated parents have reached out to the governor’s office to address these issues but claim his team has not acted on their concerns.
One mother, who has two students in the Philadelphia public school system, recounted that she and other parents met with staff from Shapiro’s office multiple times throughout 2023 and 2024.
Despite their efforts, including discussions with Carrie Rowe, the head of Pennsylvania’s Department of Education, they feel they have received no response or action.
“We have met with people in his office, seven or eight of them on a few occasions, and nothing has happened,” the mother said.
Another parent noted that Shapiro’s office stopped meeting with them last fall, during a time when issues within the schools became markedly more serious.
“Let’s just be very clear, [Shapiro’s staffers] have done nothing,” she stated.
The concerns raised by parents include calls for an investigation into teachers who allegedly promote violence, radical ideologies, and derogatory rhetoric about Jews and America.
A spokesman for Shapiro denied the allegations of neglect, stating that the governor’s administration has provided resources and connected parents with city and school officials.
“Governor Shapiro takes a back seat to no one on these issues,” the spokesman asserted.
He emphasized that Shapiro has condemned hateful rhetoric and stressed the need for the school district to take these matters seriously.
Parents have raised concerns about specific district officials, including social studies curriculum director Ismael Jimenez.
Jimenez has defended Hamas, calling Israel a “terrorist state” and denying that the group was responsible for the kidnapping of Israelis during the recent violence.
High school teacher Hannah Gann has been quoted as saying “F— the police until Palestine is free!” and calling Israel’s actions in Gaza “genocidal terror.”
Keziah Ridgeway has also faced scrutiny for referring to Israeli military actions as “worse than gas chambers” and has been reassigned following allegations regarding threats against Jewish parents.
These educators recently established a group named the “Racial Justice Organizing Committee,” which advocates for anti-American and anti-Israel programming in schools.
This committee recently shared a flyer on social media that called for the release of convicted cop killer Mumia Abu-Jamal and denounced “Amerikan Patriotism”.
Clifford Smith, director of government affairs at the North American Values Institute (NAVI), highlighted his organization’s findings regarding extremist teachers in Philadelphia.
“I’ve seen no worse schools than Philadelphia for having particularly radical and anti-Semitic teachers and administrators,” he reported.
According to Smith, the school district has been criticized for indoctrinating students with ideological perspectives that incite hatred towards Jews, Israel, and the United States.
NAVI’s analysis of Philadelphia’s high school history offerings indicated that many courses were developed under Jimenez’s leadership, raising alarms about the content’s focus on political ideology over factual historical instruction.
Parents voiced concerns that the curriculum fosters hostility towards various groups, including promoting violence as an acceptable method of advocacy.
Courses emphasize criticism of the United States and capitalism while failing to adequately cover significant historical events such as the French Revolution and World War II.
An example from the 10th Grade African American History course encourages students to replace the national anthem with a song they feel is more representative.
Additionally, the course promotes themes of reparations and devotes considerable time to the Black Panther movement while ignoring key figures in Black history such as Obama and Parks.
The U.S. History curriculum has faced similar criticism, omitting foundational subjects like the Revolutionary War and the Constitution, while emphasizing themes connected to racism and imperialism.
The 11th Grade World History course mentioned the Holocaust only once and had limited references to World War II, focusing instead on the intertwined nature of capitalism and oppression.
Students are instructed to reconsider American identity in terms of economic inequities, continuous racism, and militarism, as described in the curriculum.
As tensions rise, parents remain committed to advocating for their children’s education and safety against what they describe as a hostile and dangerous atmosphere within the Philadelphia public school system.
image source from：freebeacon
