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ይህንን ዜና መፅሄት በሌሎች ቋንቋዎች ለማንበብ፤ እባክዎን ድረ ገፃችንን ይጎብኙ።
이 소식지를 다른 언어로 읽으려면, 우리 웹사이트를 방문하시기 바랍니다.
.يرجى زيارة موقعنا الألكتروني لقراءة هذه النشرة الإخبارية بلغات أخرى
Dear Community Members,
Our community is the definition of diversity in every way, so when significant events take place across the globe, we here in Fairfax pay attention; some of us are intimately connected.
The October 7 terrorist attack on Israeli Jews has been a sobering reminder of anti-Semitism that too many of us face. Regardless of one’s religious or cultural beliefs, the terrorist attack weighs heavy on the hearts of Fairfax residents because our community rises at every opportunity to help victims of hate and war - most recently aiding students and families arriving from Afghanistan and Ukraine.
This is a time for the Fairfax community to again reject anti-Semitism and hate of any human.
As a local School Board Member, I cannot deign to solve this complex international crisis, nor offer a response that is agreeable for all. But I must acknowledge the suffering of Jewish people connected to FCPS and express my sustained commitment to combating hate. What I can do is look to education as a source of healing for students, families, and staff.
The educational environment must be a place where students feel they can express their full selves without being threatened. We must address all hate speech and actions swiftly. We must educate our students against such speech so the occurrences decrease and disappear.
What we teach must be truthful and span the breadth of human experiences. Our educators must feel confident facilitating the study of controversial issues using thoughtful resources and methods. The very times we are living in will one day be other students’ history lessons.
Parents and families are students’ first teachers, and I know that difficult conversations are happening now in Fairfax homes. Yes, this is what is needed - to talk, hear children’s questions, and affirm what is respectful behavior for which to strive. Anti-Semitism and hate will not be overcome from inside our schools alone.
The persistence and rise of anti-Semitism reflects the worst beliefs about a group of people - the very definition of racism. As so many in the FCPS community grieve, we must be resolute in having zero tolerance for hate - and so we must speak out. Please join me in doing so, for our Jewish students and staff, and all students and staff.
Be well,
Melanie
The views contained within this newsletter reflect the views of the individual school board member who is the publisher of this newsletter and may not reflect the views of the Fairfax County School Board.
© Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia
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