It is really sad that people have to hit jews in a game. Those kids faces, names and addresses should be put on websites so people can tell them they are wrong.

The parents of students clearly involved should PUBLICALLY apologize for this disgraceful event. These kids are old enough to know right from wrong and the fact the things were not violent-as explained by the principal, has nothing to do with the issue. This event should not be minimized or brushed under the carpet. Shame on this school.

This is not the only discriminatory issue that has occurred at Parkway schools. The district HAD included in its non-discrimination policy both sexual orientation and gender expression, however, they covertly removed it recently without telling anyone.

Now, the children regularly harrass other kids about their sexual orientation or that of their parents. Since most children of elementary and middle school age are not yet mature enough to form their own rock solid thoughts and opinions on issues like this, they are getting these twisted ideas from their parents. That is disgraceful and wrong!

At the very least the district must reinstate the non-discrimination policy as it was written before and, in my opinion, add a few more protected classes as well. Obviously people are still going to push it, but at least this way the parties who are being harrassed will have some recourse against those who are so hate filled and ignorant.

I’ve only seen this article and a video news report. But it appears to me that the school has responded properly. And it certainly can’t be expected to anticipate something like this. There are no adults to blame here other than these kids’ parents. It’s a shame their names can’t be made public. BTW, I’m Jewish, and I hope that the Jewish people who deal with this directly don’t play the “blame the whole city for the actions of a few” game that we generally see in these situations.

It should have been stopped at “Hit a Tall Person” day. Totally inappropriate to single out any group for behavior that has the potential to be violent, embarassing, discriminatory, degrading, and disrepectful.

Wow, does no-one remember middle school? I grew up down the street from parkway west and in a multi (catholic and jewish) religion household. This is a case of kids being kids. Not racial, religous or sexual descrimination. This is kids teasing each other. It is how life is and the fact that so many people are taking it way out of context is the main problem with the media being in everyones business. The school is handling it and the children just need to be sat down with the principle to reiterate that social intolerance is not a game. We do NOT need a witch hunt. Public humiliation and apologies are completely innappropriate in this instance and everyone just needs to calm down.

Sastaab: I just talked to Parkway. The district says it had to change its policies when the law changed recently in August. The law now says that school districts can’t list individual groups to be protected, but must protect all equally. Here’s the text, from section 160.775:

Each district’s antibullying policy shall be founded on the assumption that all students need a safe learning environment. Policies shall treat students equally and shall not contain specific lists of protected classes of students who are to receive special treatment.

This is more than just the students. This is a problem with the families. Children don’t just become anti a type of person without some teachings from their parents.

(I suspect that these are the same families that would say that Obama is a Muslium.)

Thank you Matt - btw - these kids should not be publicly humiliated. How preposterous is that. If you recall, it was a self proclaimed spirit week by the kids, not a school sponsored event. It started of with ‘hug a friend’ day, then ‘high five’ day, then it turned a little silly with ‘hit a tall person day’ and then the ‘hit a jew’ day. These kids, I’m sure had no idea it was going to escalate to this. I am sure they have learned their lesson from all this by the punishment they are receiving from school and their parents. I can guarantee you that these kids are in no way going to be shaving their heads or wearing swastikas anytime soon. Kids are kids - it’s up to us to teach them right from wrong. It was an innocent mistake that I am sure they have learned from and paid dearly for. BTW - if you think what these kids did was awful - just read some of the bashing that is going on right here on STLTODAY.com on the comment pages regarding all the presidentail stuff or shootings in StL. Talk about name calling and defamation of character!!! Sheesh!!!

This whole thing has been ridiculously blown out of proportion.

These are children. In no way should their names, faces and address be put on websites for people to perform their own sick witch hunts. The school is dealing with the situation appropriately and the students are learning a valuable life lesson. They don’t need the added stress of some vigilantes chasing them down. I’m surprised you don’t remember being 12. This is a case were the press and a few have blown it out of proportion and should let the school and parents deal with this issue. I suggest any adult that wants to contact a child to “tell them they are wrong” should seek therapy for their own obsession. As far as publically apologizing, that is ridiculous. The only ones who deserve an apology are the other children that were hit during this week. The parents and children should seek them out and apologize directly to them. To engage in public apology would only disconnect these children from the situation and would not teach then anything but anger.

I am amazed at those who have responded saying this is just kids being kids and that it has been blown out of proportion. That is just the kind of attitude that we don’t need. This is serious. Racism and anti-semitism is serious. These serious issues need to be addressed now. If they are not, it will get worse. Is it embarrassing to the kids and families - yes. Perhaps that is what they need to straighten up and end this type of behavior.

Sorry, but I have to agree with Matt. These are kids being sixth graders. It went from shake someones had day to hug someone day to slap someone day to “hit a Jew day”. These are just kids taking things to a next level until they are told to stop. We need to take a step back.

Racist parents usually raise their kids to be racist. Sad part is, some parents don’t even realize they are racist. This is 2008. How sad for these kids, …and these parents?

To Upset - yes, you are right, these issues need to be addressed now. I’m sure they are. As I said and others, the parents and school officials are handling it. These kids have learned a lesson, and I am sure understand people of different religions and different cultures a little better now by making this mistake. We have to trust that the appropriate people are making sure of this. This is not our business. THESE ARE 12 YEAR OLDS who made a mistake - they didn’t spray paint swastikas on lockers, they didn’t send nasty notes, they didn’t beat a kid up because of his religion. I am not Jewish, but have Jewish friends, know many muslims due to the melting pot that St. Louis is becoming, children need guidance and like adults make mistakes and learn from them. Please let this drop and again trust that it is being handled appropriately by the appropriate people.

I say send them all to jewvie. Seriously, though, they’re 12. This will all pass within a week.

David Hunn: I was not referring the the schools antibullying policy but rather their non-discrimination EEOC policies as follows:

Book: 1
Section: A
Title: Equal Educational Opportunities
Number: ACB-BP
Status: Active
Legal:
Adopted: 09/06/2000

Policy Detail

ACB.BP*
EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

The Parkway Board of Education believes that each individual student should be provided the opportunity to develop and achieve to his/her maximum potential. Therefore, the Parkway School District shall foster an educational environment that provides equal educational opportunity for all students.

PARKWAY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Statement of Philosophy
EQUAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

The board reaffirms in its basic policy statement that every child – regardless of race, creed, color, sex, cultural or socio-economic status, or handicapping conditions - should be given equitable opportunity for educational development. The board also believes that each school within the district must strive to create and perpetuate a learning atmosphere that capitalizes on student diversity and differences.

The board recognizes the importance of providing each student a school environment conducive to intellectual, emotional and social growth through participation in the full range of educational programs and activities. Board policy insures equal educational opportunities in the following: course offerings, guidance and counseling, test procedures, extra-curricular programs and activities, co-curricular programs and activities, implementation of student management and discipline procedures, and support services.

In the performance of its duties, the board guarantees the constitutional rights of each student who comes within its jurisdiction. The goal of equal educational opportunity will be implemented in each of the board’s policy determinations and actions. Board policies and actions of the administration will be directed toward extending and cultivating equal educational opportunities for each student. Affirmative efforts will be exerted to achieve a quality integrated school system as evidenced by racially balanced administrative and instructional staff in accordance with existing federal and state laws, guidelines, court mandates, and the Settlement Agreement.

The Parkway Board of Education directs the superintendent to develop administrative guidelines to implement this policy.

___________________________________________________________________________
POLICY REAPPROVED: September 6, 2000
SUPERSEDES: ACB, 6/24/87
LEGAL REFERENCE:
CROSS REFERENCE: JB

well at least with st. pats day we get an option. if we wear green we won’t be pinched!!! if they want to have hit a jew day then you have to have a way out, like anyone not wearing the little hat gets hit. then it would be a holiday and we would all have cute little round hats and kiss me i’m jewish pins then go get drunk (not the kids of course)

It is good to see so many drama queens responding to this story. Should kids hit kids? Of course not, but kids have been hitting kids since the creation of the world. Frankly, I think this whole story has to be from a Southpark script because that is the way the adults are handling it. Kids learn to deal with problems and social issues through their own encounters, not by whining adults who aren’t even directly involved. I assume all the people complaining are the ones who lost in dodgeball and felt that the rubber spheres were treating them too harshly for gym class. In all honestly, I would love to have a little talk with the person/people who decided to make this a media circus and ruin the reputation of a great school district.

hey igloo, what is “jewvie”? let me guess, you are one of the parents of these kids at issue. why do people like you think these comments are funny and appropriate?

To everyone saying that these are just kids being kids, what would be your reaction if the game was “Hit a black kid” I think what we are seeing now would be nothing compared to what Al Sharpton would have to say about that. Racism is racism. Every single racist action against any other minority gets front page billing, what is so different here??

Hey hel, being of Irish background I am appalled by the thinking that “pinching” the Irish is appropriate. Slapping is one thing but pinching?
::sarcasm off::

Also, to Upset, I do apologize if you were offended by my earlier comment. Growing up in the South Park and Howard Stern era, we learned how to take things not so seriously.

Who asked the ADL to get involved? The principal? Or did they invite themselves? Does having the ADL on her side somehow strengthen the principal’s position against the children? The fact that what happened could have and should have been handled privately, between teachers and students, was instead allowed to become (according to Tandy) a worldwide spectacle is a complete farce. Suspending sixth graders. Every person involved in this decision should be ashamed of themselves. Not only are they failures as educators, they are failures as rational thinking adults. Quite an example to set for the kids. And if even one kid’s name appears in the media, especially the internet, that kid’s parents should sue the district into financial oblivion.

What’s also sad is that I moved here from Southern California 23 years ago and started my 8th grade year at West Middle.. The first thing I remembered when I saw this story is that it was at this very same school that I learned what a Jewish person was.. Guess how I found out? By a bunch of kids in school referring to another classmate as “F’in Jew”.. That was my first introduction to racism as I can recall. I guess some things just never change..

Will someone please explain to me why the kids’ parents are at fault? Is it because they make better scapegoats than young people whose cognitive/social reasoning skills haven’t fully developed? People whose sole focus in life is to fit in with their peers? Doesn’t anyone remember Middle School!? And public humiliation!? REALLY!?!? Like medieval style? Wow. What a special suggestion on SO many levels. Let’s target a group of kids for targeting another group of kids…the logic is astounding. How many of you would like to be publicly humiliated for the stupid things you did when you were hitting puberty? Pull it together people. I know everyone feels obligated to be ultra-liberal for fear of being accused of racism…but reason should also enter into your thought processes.

I can tell you as a former teacher at West Middle that an Anti-Bullying Committee (ABC) was begun 5 years ago, but begrudgingly by Linda Lelonek (principal), who very rarely attended meetings and resisted major policy changes or programs for the student body.

I hope Parkway resists the ADL being involved. The ADL might say “to secure justice and fair treatment to all”. But in Israel, everyday is hit a Palestinian day, shoot a Palestinian day, or bulldoze a Palestinian’s house day. Foxman and the ADL are quick to condemn Nobel Peace Prize winners Desmond Tutu and Jimmy Carter for comparing Israel’s treatment of Palestinians to apartheid. The ADL always takes the side of Israel and ignores their human rights violations. They are not qualified to speak for human rights and do not belong in our public schools.

I am a parent at this school. It is BECAUSE these kids are not anti-semitic that they did not realize they were being anti-semitic. To them, “Jewish” was just another category - like “Tall”. Of course, it’s not okay to hit anyone for any reason, but I’m telling you evil was not in their hearts. These kids can not be expected to have the perspective we do as adults. They do not know that the Jews have been a persecuted people. They do not know about the evil of the holocaust. To these kids, “Are you Jewish or Christian?” Is like asking, “Do you like Coke or Pepsi?” Children are childish. They do impulsive, stupid things. Have you ever met a 6th grade boy? I do not believe that these kids’ parents taught them to be anti-semitic because I do not believe the kids ARE anti-semitic. The principal of the school, the 6th grade principal, and the regional director of the Anti-Defamation League have ALL said that the kids did NOT realize they were acting in a predjudiced manner and that’s good enough for me. Let’s use this as a teachable moment to let the kids know WHY it’s inappropriate to single out race, religion, tall, short, etc. By the way - did anyone get suspended for hitting the tall kids?

“The meeting went well and two more students were suspended.” Does anybody else realize what a sad statement that is? If we chuck out to more students, everyone is happy. No. Negative punishment is not what is needed in this case; education is what’s needed. Teach these kids that signaling out anyone based on religion, race, appearance, etc. is not acceptable. Parkway should be ashamed of themselves for making this a public spectacle and an apparently global witch hunt of 12 YEAR OLDS. This should have been dealt with internally. Now we have people trying to find these kids’ names and addresses. This is getting dangerous Parkway, the media, and the agenda-driven Anti-Defamation league should be absolutely ashamed of themselves, but they are to busy basking in the attention.

Mara, parents — not school employees — contacted the media. Should they not have? Could anyone argue this is not an issue others are concerned about?