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Carmel superintendent says district "misstepped" on middle-school Holocaust presentation; trustees press for clearer parent outreach
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Kennedy acknowledged the district "misstepped" by not engaging parents before a George Fisher Middle School assembly about symbols and language of hate. Trustees pressed for detail about student reactions and follow-up supports after some parents reported students mimicking a Nazi salute.
Dr. Kennedy, Carmel Central School District superintendent, opened the board's Nov. 19 meeting by apologizing for "a misstep" in the district's handling of an assembly at George Fisher Middle School and promising improved parent outreach.
The superintendent said the district contracted Steven Goldberg of the Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center to present on symbols and the language of hate to grades 5'8 on Nov. 13. "The material is not in question. The material is supported by the, State Education Department," Dr. Kennedy said, adding the error was a failure to "pull our parents in as partners." She said faculty heard the material in advance and a parent forum was offered the same evening.
Why it matters: multiple parents and some trustees said the way the material was presented left…
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