Danielle Kaminsky teacher at Origins High School in Brooklyn is 33 years old.

She has taken legal action against the New York City Department of Education because she feels her school hasn’t been doing enough to stop her students from being really mean to her, including sending hateful emails, drawing swastikas, threatening her with death, and waving Nazi flags.

She thinks the school’s not doing anything to stop this antisemitism from spreading. Her situation highlights how crucial it is for schools to stand up against discrimination, especially with more antisemitic acts happening after the fight between Hamas and Israel in October 2023.

Allegations Against Origins High School

Danielle Kaminsky teacher at Origins High School, has been through a lot of upsetting events of hate towards Jewish people.

She is taking legal action against the New York City Department of Education because of it.

Since October 2023, she’s been the target of nasty comments, like being called a “dirty Jew,” and has even found swastikas on her desk and walls in her classroom.

Students have walked through the school with hateful songs and waved flags of groups they don’t like.

They’ve also left hurtful notes and sent scary emails, including one that said they wanted to get rid of Jews.

The October 7 Incident and Its Aftermath

The Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, really ramped up the violence, leaving Jewish communities in the U.S. and globally feeling terrified and stunned.

These attacks were brutal and caused a ton of damage, making folks feel like they weren’t safe and leading to tighter security at places like synagogues and schools.

There was a wave of anti-Semitism especially in schools after the attacks where students were dealing with bullying and unfair treatment.

A lot of Jewish Americans believe that anti-Semitism has gotten worse, with 90% saying that discrimination against Jews has gone up since the attacks.

Retaliation and Administrative Response

In a legal case, Danielle Kaminsky teacher claimed that Origins High School was coming back at her for speaking up about antisemitic behavior.

Even though Danielle Kaminsky teacher reported it, the school didn’t do enough to deal with the people who did it.

Instead, they set up “restorative justice circles” that looked like they were just making fun of her.

Danielle Kaminsky teacher wanted to switch to other schools but was turned down, dealing with unfair disciplinary hearings and threats.

Support from Colleagues

Michael Beaudry, who runs the school and is also in charge of the sports teams at the Frank Macchiarola Educational Complex, which has Origins High School in it, backed up Danielle Kaminsky teacher, when she said she was the target of hate speech.

Beaudry, 48, defended Kaminsky’s claims that she was bullied with hate speech, including someone tearing down an Israeli flag from a big international display in her classroom.

But, Beaudry got into big trouble for what he did. The DOE kicked him out of the school and told him to stay home, warning him he could lose his job if he didn’t.

The lawsuit says that after Beaudry told the principal about the antisemitic acts, Dara Kammerman, the principal, came back with the accusation that Beaudry didn’t report two other bad things that happened at the school.

The Role of the NYC Department of Education

The New York City Department of Education has defended itself against accusations in a lawsuit by saying every student and staff member should feel safe and respected at school.

Nathaniel Styer, a DOE spokesperson, mentioned that Origins High School is also included in this commitment and that they will carefully look into the lawsuit.

The lawsuit accuses the school’s leadership, especially the interim principal Dara Kammerman, of ignoring serious antisemitic incidents.

Instead of taking strict actions, the school’s leadership set up “restorative justice circles,” which were sarcastically called the “Pro-Palestinian Circle,” allowing the antisemitic acts to go on without consequences.

Public and Media Reaction

The New York Post backs Danielle Kaminsky teacher up, saying the lawsuit is a way to bring the problem to the forefront and push for improved safety for Jewish students and teachers.

The case is being discussed across the country, emphasizing the need to tackle discrimination and make schools safer.

Legal Implications and Precedents

The rules about discrimination and harassment in schools come from different federal laws, like Title IX and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which stop discrimination by sex and race, respectively.

These laws say schools must be safe and free from harassment, and if they don’t, they can be sued.

Danielle Kaminsky teacher’s case against the NYC Department of Education could set a big example for future discrimination cases in schools.

Danielle Kaminsky teacher’s lawsuit against the NYC Department of Education highlights the urgent need for schools to prioritize the safety and well-being of all students and staff.

The incidents she faced at Origins High School reveal a critical failure to address antisemitism, emphasizing the necessity for effective strategies to combat discrimination.