A Pennsylvania school board member resigned after calling Israel’s military a “terrorist organization” on social media, but he will retain his position as assistant superintendent in the Philadelphia school system.
Dr. Jamina Clay, who was elected in 2021 to the Colonial Board of School Directors, had just been re-elected to the panel when she sparked a local uproar over her offensive position and agreed to resign.
“As you all know, I recently made a post on my Facebook page where I intended to draw attention to the conflict in the Middle East,” Clay wrote in a humiliating missive on Facebook, the same platform he used to delete. disparage the Israel Defense Forces, on Thursday, according to Fox News.
“Upon reflection and after conversations with loved ones and friends, I understand that my choice of words may have caused harm to many and the impact did not match my intent. This position has been eliminated,” said Clay, deputy superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia, where she oversees 10 schools.
“Due to the pain my position has caused, I have resigned my position on the Colonial School Board, effective immediately,” he said.
Dr. Jamina Clay, who was elected in 2021 to the Colonial Board of School Directors, announced her resignation from the panel in a since-deleted Facebook post.Facebook/Mina Clay
“I understand that the district needs to heal from the painful words I chose and it is best to do so in my absence. The board is prepared to move forward and I hope that by stepping down, the community can too.”
Clay then noted that he will continue to do his job at the school.
“I again apologize for the post I made and hope to learn from this situation,” he said. “I will continue to pray for peace in the Middle East.”
Clay wrote in his apology that he understands that “my choice of words may have caused harm to many and the impact did not match my intent.” FOXNews
The apology came just a day after Clay posted on Facebook: “The terrorist organization known to many as the IDF is currently targeting a hospital.
“The world watches as the Palestinian people are eliminated.”
The post quickly sparked a backlash from the local Jewish community, many of whom expressed their concerns at a school board meeting Thursday night, just hours after Clay submitted his resignation.
Andrew Goretsky, a local father who serves as regional director of the Philadelphia Anti-Defamation League, said he found Clay’s post not only offensive but “as an educator, negligent.”
Spencer Yablon said the “despicable opinions” in Clay’s post “bring to the surface what Jews have always felt: that anti-Semitism is all around us,” according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Rabbi Glenn Ettman added: “The main thing that stands out as harmful, not just harmful, but harmful, was calling the Israel Defense Forces a terrorist organization.
“Words do matter,” he told NBC Philadelphia. “Words have influence, and certainly words that come from people who are elected officials carry even more weight because of the position they hold.”
Clay was absent from the Colonial School Board meeting Thursday night, just hours after submitting his resignation.FOX News
In a statement, Beth Patruno, president of the school district, said: “We recognize that members of our community are suffering as a result of Dr. Clay’s comments.
“This is not acceptable in our school district, where we pride ourselves on creating a culture of belonging,” he told CBS News.
The Colonial School District issued a statement saying it received Clay’s resignation letter, noting that his “post was offensive to many and resulted in numerous emails calling for his resignation or censure, as well as a call for many to attend the board meeting. the School Board tonight to express their concern.
“Dr. Clay submitted his resignation this morning stating that he did not want to be distracted from the work of the School Board or the district,” the statement said, according to Fox News.
“Upon receiving your letter of resignation, we sent a message to the community to notify you of this development and reiterate our commitment to creating a safe and inclusive environment for students, faculty and staff.
Many people in the local Jewish community expressed their concerns at the school board meeting Thursday night.FOX News
“The Colonial School District prides itself on cultivating a sense of belonging,” he continued. “All of our schools work hard each year to maintain their designations as No Place for Hate Schools as part of our partnership with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and participate in many other initiatives and programs aimed at fostering equity, inclusion and belonging .
“We condemn all forms of hate and violence and remind everyone that we have counseling services available for anyone who is struggling.”
Superintendent Michael Christian said Clay’s post was “offensive to many and, as a school board member, this is unacceptable in a district that prides itself on cultivating a sense of belonging.”
School District of Philadelphia spokeswoman Monique Braxton said the district’s free speech policy, which says: “Employees are protected by the First Amendment when speaking on a matter of public interest that is not part of their job duties “, applies to Clay’s position.
Still, “the views and opinions expressed in Dr. Clay’s Facebook post do not reflect the position, opinion or views of the School District of Philadelphia,” Braxton added.
The representative noted that the district’s policy on employee social media use says disciplinary action can be taken when a staff member’s use of social media “damages the reputation of the School District of Philadelphia.” as an educational institution” or “has a negative impact on the ability of a staff member.” to effectively carry out their functions.
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