Nysmith allegedly allowed antisemetic bullying and expelled the kids who's parents complained

[Anonymous]

How were the other two siblings treated?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've read up more on the case and these parents sound like they did everything possible to give the school the benefit of the doubt. Regarding the bullying, they were tipped off by another parent and then asked their kid about it. So, they have witnesses. Very sad and this could have been nipped in the bud if the school knew what it was doing. The principal comes across as having spent too long in a bubble where he is used to people kissing up to him and didn't develop the professional skills to deal effectively with concerns. He needed more experience working for someone other than mom.

No. That is the opposite of what happened.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When you go to a DC private school (including surrounding areas) you are buying into a community that is proudly progressive in its ideology. If you hold conservative views, are proudly Catholic or Jewish, or God forbid support President Trump, you probably won’t be happy.

The idea that Nysmith is some sort of hotbed of progressive wokeness is laughable. If anything, it probably tends a bit conservative, but whoever above described it as fairly even-keeled, balanced, apolitical with Ds and Rs in the population is closer to accurate. That’s part of what draws people to it — it historically focuses on education rather than political battles/culture wars statements.

[Anonymous]

The one nuance that is hard to understand if you don’t go to a school like this is that it is run so differently from other schools … if you are looking for a suggestion box or an avenue to suggest new ideas this isn’t the place. Ken is well known for writing you a check to leave if you voice displeasure on how something is done or handled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When you go to a DC private school (including surrounding areas) you are buying into a community that is proudly progressive in its ideology. If you hold conservative views, are proudly Catholic or Jewish, or God forbid support President Trump, you probably won’t be happy.

The idea that Nysmith is some sort of hotbed of progressive wokeness is laughable. If anything, it probably tends a bit conservative, but whoever above described it as fairly even-keeled, balanced, apolitical with Ds and Rs in the population is closer to accurate. That’s part of what draws people to it — it historically focuses on education rather than political battles/culture wars statements.

This is an accurate statement. The school is the least political of any our kids have attended.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:It's hard to take this stuff seriously when anyone who criticizes the IDF or Israel attacks on Palestinians gets labelled "anti-Semetic". Seems kinda like a cheap trick and manipulation

It's kind of hard to believe that people can't see that lessons that involving drawing Hitler (in any context), canceling Holocaust survivors and expelling three students in March is anything other than anti-Semitic. No one is challenging criticism of the IDF or Israel's heavy-handed response to October 7th, but rather, you know, anti-Semitism. Like "you're the reason people hate Jews" or celebrating (incorrectly) an October 7th death.

How is this anti-Semitic?

And for that matter, why would drawing Hitler be anti-Semitic either? Unless youre lionizing the guy... I mean drawing someone is a neutral act. We hire courtroom artists to draw the most vile criminals and murderers, that's hardly an endorsement of them.

Okay, you have to realize how insane this sounds. Like, you are so deep in this hole that you can't even see the top.

I actually dont, so please explain it to me. Because the emotional, overwrought reaction isnt exactly winning over any minds.

People who suffered through a catastrophic historical genocide at the hands of a single person don’t like to see that person depicted in a neutral way. I imagine a black wouldn’t be happy about some depiction of a “happy slave” or a slave action. sorry you have a mental disability.

So unless people are beaten over the heads with it they are unable to perceive hitler as evil?

What?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:It's hard to take this stuff seriously when anyone who criticizes the IDF or Israel attacks on Palestinians gets labelled "anti-Semetic". Seems kinda like a cheap trick and manipulation

It's kind of hard to believe that people can't see that lessons that involving drawing Hitler (in any context), canceling Holocaust survivors and expelling three students in March is anything other than anti-Semitic. No one is challenging criticism of the IDF or Israel's heavy-handed response to October 7th, but rather, you know, anti-Semitism. Like "you're the reason people hate Jews" or celebrating (incorrectly) an October 7th death.

How is this anti-Semitic?

And for that matter, why would drawing Hitler be anti-Semitic either? Unless youre lionizing the guy... I mean drawing someone is a neutral act. We hire courtroom artists to draw the most vile criminals and murderers, that's hardly an endorsement of them.

Okay, you have to realize how insane this sounds. Like, you are so deep in this hole that you can't even see the top.

I actually dont, so please explain it to me. Because the emotional, overwrought reaction isnt exactly winning over any minds.

DP. I have to agree that you sound pretty insane. Actually you sound like the one who is hysterical and overwrought.

you can think whatever you like, I dont know you and dont care so no sweat on my back. i am waiting for that explanation at any moment though

The explanation is that it is offensive, the same way the n word is offensive.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:It's hard to take this stuff seriously when anyone who criticizes the IDF or Israel attacks on Palestinians gets labelled "anti-Semetic". Seems kinda like a cheap trick and manipulation

It's kind of hard to believe that people can't see that lessons that involving drawing Hitler (in any context), canceling Holocaust survivors and expelling three students in March is anything other than anti-Semitic. No one is challenging criticism of the IDF or Israel's heavy-handed response to October 7th, but rather, you know, anti-Semitism. Like "you're the reason people hate Jews" or celebrating (incorrectly) an October 7th death.

How is this anti-Semitic?

And for that matter, why would drawing Hitler be anti-Semitic either? Unless youre lionizing the guy... I mean drawing someone is a neutral act. We hire courtroom artists to draw the most vile criminals and murderers, that's hardly an endorsement of them.

Sure. they could also draw swastikas as a neutral act just to show the symbols of the strong Machiavellian leader.

Sure. I'd also advise you never to travel to east asia, where swastikas are still widely used and literally can be observed on google maps marking temples every 200 feet or so. This oversensitivity to historical facts and symbols is what makes people roll their eyes. Again, unless the school is ENDORSING these things, what exactly would be anti-semitic about portraying historical accuracy?

So just to be clear - your position is that people who are offended by Nazi swastikas are “oversensitive” because Hindus use a similar symbol for totally benign, non-Nazi reasons? I don’t think anyone in America in 2025 is going to see a swastika (particularly if the assignment had to do with nazis) and think “oh, must be the Hindu symbol. It would be oversensitive of me to react.” Like what even ?

Yeah, my point is it's a widely used, ancient symbol used in various cultures and co-opted by the nazis. Unless youre arguing that the combination of lines is some magical emblem, in which case, half of asia would be implicated, then it makes sense that students might sketch it out as part of a historical lesson. Or are we not supposed to talk or even touch on WWII?

NP. What would be the reason/necessity to have kids draw such a symbol as part of a lesson?

Probably the same reason you do any classroom activity? To get them to connect with the course material and pay attention?

True - one cannot teach the Holocaust without having the kids draw a giant Hitler head.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:It's hard to take this stuff seriously when anyone who criticizes the IDF or Israel attacks on Palestinians gets labelled "anti-Semetic". Seems kinda like a cheap trick and manipulation

It's kind of hard to believe that people can't see that lessons that involving drawing Hitler (in any context), canceling Holocaust survivors and expelling three students in March is anything other than anti-Semitic. No one is challenging criticism of the IDF or Israel's heavy-handed response to October 7th, but rather, you know, anti-Semitism. Like "you're the reason people hate Jews" or celebrating (incorrectly) an October 7th death.

How is this anti-Semitic?

And for that matter, why would drawing Hitler be anti-Semitic either? Unless youre lionizing the guy... I mean drawing someone is a neutral act. We hire courtroom artists to draw the most vile criminals and murderers, that's hardly an endorsement of them.

Sure. they could also draw swastikas as a neutral act just to show the symbols of the strong Machiavellian leader.

Sure. I'd also advise you never to travel to east asia, where swastikas are still widely used and literally can be observed on google maps marking temples every 200 feet or so. This oversensitivity to historical facts and symbols is what makes people roll their eyes. Again, unless the school is ENDORSING these things, what exactly would be anti-semitic about portraying historical accuracy?

So just to be clear - your position is that people who are offended by Nazi swastikas are “oversensitive” because Hindus use a similar symbol for totally benign, non-Nazi reasons? I don’t think anyone in America in 2025 is going to see a swastika (particularly if the assignment had to do with nazis) and think “oh, must be the Hindu symbol. It would be oversensitive of me to react.” Like what even ?

Yeah, my point is it's a widely used, ancient symbol used in various cultures and co-opted by the nazis. Unless youre arguing that the combination of lines is some magical emblem, in which case, half of asia would be implicated, then it makes sense that students might sketch it out as part of a historical lesson. Or are we not supposed to talk or even touch on WWII?

NP. What would be the reason/necessity to have kids draw such a symbol as part of a lesson?

Probably the same reason you do any classroom activity? To get them to connect with the course material and pay attention?

I'm sure it is pretty easy to just show them a picture of it.

Sure, which is exactly the point. It's easy to just use a calculator in math class or google everything during history class, but that's not great engagement, huh?

Drawing hitler is, in fact, also not great engagement

According to who? You?

According to everyone with a brain except you, ya nut.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The one nuance that is hard to understand if you don’t go to a school like this is that it is run so differently from other schools … if you are looking for a suggestion box or an avenue to suggest new ideas this isn’t the place. Ken is well known for writing you a check to leave if you voice displeasure on how something is done or handled.

He will end up taking down the school with this attitude. I am surprised they have lasted this long. This would be the perfect time for a Board of Directors to say they are looking into the matter and are concerned, but will wait for the case to play out. If he loses, the Board could just replace him and apologize to the community. Now if he loses, I wonder if the school could go under.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The one nuance that is hard to understand if you don’t go to a school like this is that it is run so differently from other schools … if you are looking for a suggestion box or an avenue to suggest new ideas this isn’t the place. Ken is well known for writing you a check to leave if you voice displeasure on how something is done or handled.

He will end up taking down the school with this attitude. I am surprised they have lasted this long. This would be the perfect time for a Board of Directors to say they are looking into the matter and are concerned, but will wait for the case to play out. If he loses, the Board could just replace him and apologize to the community. Now if he loses, I wonder if the school could go under.

Ken is the one and only board member

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The one nuance that is hard to understand if you don’t go to a school like this is that it is run so differently from other schools … if you are looking for a suggestion box or an avenue to suggest new ideas this isn’t the place. Ken is well known for writing you a check to leave if you voice displeasure on how something is done or handled.

He will end up taking down the school with this attitude. I am surprised they have lasted this long. This would be the perfect time for a Board of Directors to say they are looking into the matter and are concerned, but will wait for the case to play out. If he loses, the Board could just replace him and apologize to the community. Now if he loses, I wonder if the school could go under.

Yeah, not sure that would happen at any other school either. A school doesn't fire the HoS whenever a parent complains. The school fires the parents, as they did here. The "emotional" meeting seems to tell the tale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The one nuance that is hard to understand if you don’t go to a school like this is that it is run so differently from other schools … if you are looking for a suggestion box or an avenue to suggest new ideas this isn’t the place. Ken is well known for writing you a check to leave if you voice displeasure on how something is done or handled.

He will end up taking down the school with this attitude. I am surprised they have lasted this long. This would be the perfect time for a Board of Directors to say they are looking into the matter and are concerned, but will wait for the case to play out. If he loses, the Board could just replace him and apologize to the community. Now if he loses, I wonder if the school could go under.

Yeah, not sure that would happen at any other school either. A school doesn't fire the HoS whenever a parent complains. The school fires the parents, as they did here. The "emotional" meeting seems to tell the tale.

He has camera everywhere. This meeting is surely recorded. He is sensitive to any suggestions of change - even things like asking why the language curriculum changed. Things like that can elicit an invitation to leave. I am highly highly skeptical that this meeting was “highly emotional” and assume it was probably critical of the school’s handling with suggestions to change/remedy.

[Anonymous]

If you read his post to instagram today, it’s not what you would post in the wake of this - it’s still defensive with no accountability.

[Anonymous]

1. The suspended kids are the first victims. They are children, and did nothing wrong.

2. Reading between the lines, I suspect the parents of the suspended students may have over-reacted, but this might be understandable if bullying was insufficiently addressed.

3. I suspect the Head also over-reacted.

4. The inclusion of anything to do with Hitler as a neutral-to-positive model is NOT APPROPRIATE for elementary school or middle school, and barely appropriate for high school. That is a shocking and grave mistake by the teacher, and were I the Head, I would looking suspension of the teacher.

So... poor kids. They're suffering from stupid decisions all around.