We don’t know exactly what happened. Someone commenting in the Fairfax Times article claims it did. However, no one knows the facts of the case one way or another.

A little girl being bullied in an anti-Semitic way is horrific. The school should have responded immediately. However, many schools are incompetent when it comes to dealing with bullying.

The first thing you do is to protect the child who is purportedly being victimized. You can do that even before you have proof by ensuring they are paired with a buddy at all times and that there is physical separation between them and the purported bullies. You alert all of the teachers and aides that there is an issue they need to watch out for. You ask them to share anything they see with all the other teachers and aides. You check in with the purported victim daily.

You can’t wait for definitive proof. It’s not a frickin’ court of law. The first duty of the school is to prevent further harm.Nysmith the school and Nysmith the person failed utterly.

However, if the parents behaved in a way that was anything other than calm, measured, and perfectly defensible it would have been grounds for the family being removed.

Is this fair? Hell, no.

If you’re a private school parent you should know that dealing with bullying if your child is the victim requires you to behave in a way that is above reproach. Also, keep in mind that if you piss off the administrators or teachers your child will suffer more. Unless you’re ready to leave the school you have to keep your frustration and temper in check. As a parent unless you’re a big donor or are connected in a way that you can harm the school you have zero leverage.

In some cases the only way you can protect your child is to remove them from the school.

Surprised more people aren't discussing the WaPo article. Sounds like the dads are colossal bullies and totally misrepresenting what happened:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/07/10/nysmith-school-antisemitism-lawsuit/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“Nysmith is probably an a$$hole but the parents may also have behaved in a way that gave grounds.”

Yes it’s always proper to take it out on kids when you’re mad at the parents. 🙄

Sorry. Those are the rules in private school. We’re at different ones but you cannot berate or discipline another child and expect to stay. In fact if my child had been attacked and berated by another parent I would expect the school to remove the parents from the community. Imagine the chaos that ensues if parents feel empowered to take disciplining other kids into their own hands.

One of my children endured physical bullying resulting in bruises and cuts. Believe me, I understand the impulse to discipline the other child especially if the school is not responding fast enough. It’s still unacceptable.

Do we know the parents did this?
I agree. Parents have no right to attack another child, even if that child is a bully.

As a teacher, I don't think it ever happened in my class--though there were certainly parents who threatened and wanted to do it. I assured them I would handle it. And, I did. It's not easy.

In this case, we don't know what happened. I kind of doubt Nysmith talked to the other kids, though.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You read that article and your takeaway was “lol those pushy parents were probably lying because of reasons I will not specify”??

Oh, but I did specify. One of the commenters, presumably another parent at the school, claims that the parents accosted and harshly spoke to a child they believed was bullying their daughter.

Parents disciplining or bullying a child not their own is unacceptable behavior in most private school cultures. That alone would have been cause to expel the family.

You read this and your heart didn’t break for this family?
…“Mr. Nysmith replied that he had cancelled the annual Holocaust program speaker because of his concern that the event might inflame emotions within the Nysmith School community in light of the Israel-Gaza conflict.”

No, my heart didn’t break. The annual speaker had died. Having a speaker is not an entitlement.

Suggesting the Holocaust has nothing to do with Israel is disingenuous. Zionist Jews cite the Holocaust as the reason why Israel is justified in taking whatever measures it needs to defend its existence, including bombing and starving civilians.

If Jews don’t want the Holocaust connected to Israel they should stop using it as justification for Israel’s horrific acts of war against civilians.

There are Jews with specific beliefs about Israel’s right to violence, so don’t bother claiming I’m anti-Semitic. I’m anti-war crimes. I believe Israel has the right to exist. I don’t believe Israel has the right to kill indiscriminately.

Not all Jews support Netanyahu’s war crimes. Some see Palestinians as human beings and are doing what they can to stop Netanyahu.

Few would deny that Hamas’ October 7 attacks were horrific and demanded a response. Killing 50,000+ civilians and condemning thousands more to a slow, painful death through starvation is not a proportionate or effective response.

You are absolutely psychotic if you think that Holocaust education should be canceled “because Israel”.

That is so beyond twisted. We educate children about the Holocaust because it is a thing that happened. Whether we teach children about the Holocaust, or about slavery, or about Hiroshima, should not be dependent on whether we approve of the current actions of a foreign state. We don’t teach history to reward or punish certain ethnicities or certain countries. We teach history to understand where the world has been. It’s really sick that you would reject that because you’re afraid it might accidentally make somebody sympathetic to Israel.

No one said the Holocaust speaker should be canceled because of Israel.

The PP asked the idiotic question, “Aren’t you heartbroken?” No, I’m not heartbroken that the school did not replace its Holocaust speaker for one year. It was a stupid decision, but c’mon people put this in perspective.

Most schools do not have the privilege of having a Holocaust survivor speak in an annual basis. While it’s powerful to have their testimony, does it mean Holocaust education can’t happen outside of having a speaker? It’s pretty idiotic to suggest that.

The reference to the parents accosting and bullying another child was not presented as truth but as a possible explanation, if true, why the family was so summarily ejected from the school.

Nysmith is probably an a$$hole but the parents may also have behaved in a way that gave grounds.

The reference to heartbreak was about the impact on the children. “He didn’t allow the children to retrieve their belongings, didn’t let their daughter collect a science medal she had earned the following day, and didn’t consult with teachers before making the decision… The expulsion came too late in the year for the children to enroll in another school. Instead, they spent the rest of the year learning alone at home.”

Those poor kids. There was no reason to not treat them with humanity. Your invented story about how “well, the parents were probably bullying another child” doesn’t make it OK.

Anonymous wrote:“Nysmith is probably an a$$hole but the parents may also have behaved in a way that gave grounds.”

Yes it’s always proper to take it out on kids when you’re mad at the parents. 🙄

Sorry. Those are the rules in private school. We’re at different ones but you cannot berate or discipline another child and expect to stay. In fact if my child had been attacked and berated by another parent I would expect the school to remove the parents from the community. Imagine the chaos that ensues if parents feel empowered to take disciplining other kids into their own hands.

One of my children endured physical bullying resulting in bruises and cuts. Believe me, I understand the impulse to discipline the other child especially if the school is not responding fast enough. It’s still unacceptable.

“Nysmith is probably an a$$hole but the parents may also have behaved in a way that gave grounds.”

Yes it’s always proper to take it out on kids when you’re mad at the parents. 🙄

“We teach about the holocaust to try and prevent Rwanda and Bosnia and other genocides that have occurred or will occur”

Too bad nobody in Africa or eastern Europe is taking those courses.

And in the Ukraine war both sides are accusing each other of being genocidal Nazis. That’s how well they’ve learned the lesson “Nazis are bad, don’t be a Nazi”. Yay!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You read that article and your takeaway was “lol those pushy parents were probably lying because of reasons I will not specify”??

Oh, but I did specify. One of the commenters, presumably another parent at the school, claims that the parents accosted and harshly spoke to a child they believed was bullying their daughter.

Parents disciplining or bullying a child not their own is unacceptable behavior in most private school cultures. That alone would have been cause to expel the family.

You read this and your heart didn’t break for this family?
…“Mr. Nysmith replied that he had cancelled the annual Holocaust program speaker because of his concern that the event might inflame emotions within the Nysmith School community in light of the Israel-Gaza conflict.”

No, my heart didn’t break. The annual speaker had died. Having a speaker is not an entitlement.

Suggesting the Holocaust has nothing to do with Israel is disingenuous. Zionist Jews cite the Holocaust as the reason why Israel is justified in taking whatever measures it needs to defend its existence, including bombing and starving civilians.

If Jews don’t want the Holocaust connected to Israel they should stop using it as justification for Israel’s horrific acts of war against civilians.

There are Jews with specific beliefs about Israel’s right to violence, so don’t bother claiming I’m anti-Semitic. I’m anti-war crimes. I believe Israel has the right to exist. I don’t believe Israel has the right to kill indiscriminately.

Not all Jews support Netanyahu’s war crimes. Some see Palestinians as human beings and are doing what they can to stop Netanyahu.

Few would deny that Hamas’ October 7 attacks were horrific and demanded a response. Killing 50,000+ civilians and condemning thousands more to a slow, painful death through starvation is not a proportionate or effective response.

You are absolutely psychotic if you think that Holocaust education should be canceled “because Israel”.

That is so beyond twisted. We educate children about the Holocaust because it is a thing that happened. Whether we teach children about the Holocaust, or about slavery, or about Hiroshima, should not be dependent on whether we approve of the current actions of a foreign state. We don’t teach history to reward or punish certain ethnicities or certain countries. We teach history to understand where the world has been. It’s really sick that you would reject that because you’re afraid it might accidentally make somebody sympathetic to Israel.

No one said the Holocaust speaker should be canceled because of Israel.

The PP asked the idiotic question, “Aren’t you heartbroken?” No, I’m not heartbroken that the school did not replace its Holocaust speaker for one year. It was a stupid decision, but c’mon people put this in perspective.

Most schools do not have the privilege of having a Holocaust survivor speak in an annual basis. While it’s powerful to have their testimony, does it mean Holocaust education can’t happen outside of having a speaker? It’s pretty idiotic to suggest that.

The reference to the parents accosting and bullying another child was not presented as truth but as a possible explanation, if true, why the family was so summarily ejected from the school.

Nysmith is probably an a$$hole but the parents may also have behaved in a way that gave grounds.

Anonymous wrote:Do you really want to claim that Islamophobia hasn’t existed in the United States?

Nobody is saying that. But typically islamophobes are on the right of the political spectrum. People like PP who purport to have “progressive” values would NEVER spout this kind of BS about Muslims. They can and do say this crap about Jews though, because antisemitism deeply infects both the right and the left.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You read that article and your takeaway was “lol those pushy parents were probably lying because of reasons I will not specify”??

Oh, but I did specify. One of the commenters, presumably another parent at the school, claims that the parents accosted and harshly spoke to a child they believed was bullying their daughter.

Parents disciplining or bullying a child not their own is unacceptable behavior in most private school cultures. That alone would have been cause to expel the family.

You read this and your heart didn’t break for this family?
…“Mr. Nysmith replied that he had cancelled the annual Holocaust program speaker because of his concern that the event might inflame emotions within the Nysmith School community in light of the Israel-Gaza conflict.”

No, my heart didn’t break. The annual speaker had died. Having a speaker is not an entitlement.

Suggesting the Holocaust has nothing to do with Israel is disingenuous. Zionist Jews cite the Holocaust as the reason why Israel is justified in taking whatever measures it needs to defend its existence, including bombing and starving civilians.

If Jews don’t want the Holocaust connected to Israel they should stop using it as justification for Israel’s horrific acts of war against civilians.

There are Jews with specific beliefs about Israel’s right to violence, so don’t bother claiming I’m anti-Semitic. I’m anti-war crimes. I believe Israel has the right to exist. I don’t believe Israel has the right to kill indiscriminately.

Not all Jews support Netanyahu’s war crimes. Some see Palestinians as human beings and are doing what they can to stop Netanyahu.

Few would deny that Hamas’ October 7 attacks were horrific and demanded a response. Killing 50,000+ civilians and condemning thousands more to a slow, painful death through starvation is not a proportionate or effective response.

You are absolutely psychotic if you think that Holocaust education should be canceled “because Israel”.

That is so beyond twisted. We educate children about the Holocaust because it is a thing that happened. Whether we teach children about the Holocaust, or about slavery, or about Hiroshima, should not be dependent on whether we approve of the current actions of a foreign state. We don’t teach history to reward or punish certain ethnicities or certain countries. We teach history to understand where the world has been. It’s really sick that you would reject that because you’re afraid it might accidentally make somebody sympathetic to Israel.

We teach about the holocaust to try and prevent Rwanda and Bosnia and other genocides that have occurred or will occur because it is easier to turn a blind eye. Maybe one approach would be to bring in multiple speakers with knowledge of other genocides that have happened since WWII and make the conversation about genocide as a larger issue and not only the one massively large-scale example. I taught international relations at the University level for 10 years. There was a documentary that I showed that highlighted 4 different genocides outside of the holocaust. I showed it to my students because it made them think about how genocide continues to occur and ask the question why we stay silent or not step in to prevent such actions. It is a hard topic that has to be discussed. Cancelling a speaker about the Holocaust because of the current war in Gaza is ridiculous.

Ken must have done an interview with the Washington Post based on quotes in new article.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You read that article and your takeaway was “lol those pushy parents were probably lying because of reasons I will not specify”??

Oh, but I did specify. One of the commenters, presumably another parent at the school, claims that the parents accosted and harshly spoke to a child they believed was bullying their daughter.

Parents disciplining or bullying a child not their own is unacceptable behavior in most private school cultures. That alone would have been cause to expel the family.

You read this and your heart didn’t break for this family?
…“Mr. Nysmith replied that he had cancelled the annual Holocaust program speaker because of his concern that the event might inflame emotions within the Nysmith School community in light of the Israel-Gaza conflict.”

No, my heart didn’t break. The annual speaker had died. Having a speaker is not an entitlement.

Suggesting the Holocaust has nothing to do with Israel is disingenuous. Zionist Jews cite the Holocaust as the reason why Israel is justified in taking whatever measures it needs to defend its existence, including bombing and starving civilians.

If Jews don’t want the Holocaust connected to Israel they should stop using it as justification for Israel’s horrific acts of war against civilians.

There are Jews with specific beliefs about Israel’s right to violence, so don’t bother claiming I’m anti-Semitic. I’m anti-war crimes. I believe Israel has the right to exist. I don’t believe Israel has the right to kill indiscriminately.

Not all Jews support Netanyahu’s war crimes. Some see Palestinians as human beings and are doing what they can to stop Netanyahu.

Few would deny that Hamas’ October 7 attacks were horrific and demanded a response. Killing 50,000+ civilians and condemning thousands more to a slow, painful death through starvation is not a proportionate or effective response.

Ugh yeah those “entitled” Jews, always insisting on….[checks notes] Holocaust education.

“Don’t bother claiming I’m antisemitic” lol ok bro. If you’re not antisemitic (you 1000% are), you’re dumb as rocks. We shouldn’t educate kids about the holocaust bc “Zionists” “use it as justification”? Pretty sure you just demonstrated succinctly why we DO need Holocaust education. Also, Zionists cite Judaism as part of the founding ethos of the state. Should we ban Judaism too? Just f all Jews everywhere, right? Hamas cites the “Nakba” as justification for their butchery. Should we not teach kids what happened in 1948? ISIS claims to be carrying out the dictates of the Koran. “If Muslims don’t want the Koran connected to terrorism they should stop using it as justification for terrorists horrific acts of murder against civilians.” See how that sounds?

JFC. People feel comfortable saying sh*t about Jews they would NEVER, in a MILLION YEARS dream about saying about other minorities. Disgusting antisemitism on open display and you have the gall to ask people not to call you an antisemite.

As for Mr. Nysmith. he needs a little common sense. Maybe those parents could use it, too. I wasn't there and I don't know. I do know that they might not have been aware for quite a while because kids do not always share their bullying experiences.

As HoS, his proper title is Nepo Baby Nysmith.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any parents currently have their kiddos in Nysmith? Please chime in to offer your perspective

There's a thread on Reddit where at least one parent of currently enrolled students discussed the issue.

I think most people with past or present ties to the school are being very quiet on purpose.

Well, yes. It reflects badly on them to stay with this information out there.

So your position is not only should everyone leave the school on the basis of allegations that have not been in any way been proven but that by not leaving they are somehow morally besmirched? Because that’s nuts.

I am not saying they should leave but I am stating the truth: it reflects badly on them to stay. If you are okay with a school where the head of school is defending smiling children standing around a giant picture of Hitler that those kids drew, well, it reflects on you. And that’s why they are quiet.

The picture is not in doubt. That’s not alleged or denied.

Are the children smiling? In the pic I’ve seen they are appropriately blurred. Also, the plaintiffs stayed despite that photo until they were kicked out ( perhaps for legit reasons or for bad and/or antisemitic reasons, I have no idea!)

It is unclear when the plaintiffs learned of the photo.

Whether they are smiling or not is unimportant—it’s a picture of a lot of kids around a giant Hitler they drew. That’s what the school permits. You can stay in that environment as a family, of course, but you can’t control what other people think about that choice.

You’re really talking yourself into a corner here, pp. and fwiw I am completely, unreservedly prepared to believe the hos is both a prima Donna and an antisemite!

However, the idea that being photographed next to an image of Hitler regardless of context is beyond the pale (and context in this case seems to be an ill advised Machiavellian trait project) is is a non starter.

Okay, then there is no reason for current parents to be silent. They should be out there celebrating the school and their children’s attendance there.

Anonymous wrote:

You read that article and your takeaway was “lol those pushy parents were probably lying because of reasons I will not specify”??

Oh, but I did specify. One of the commenters, presumably another parent at the school, claims that the parents accosted and harshly spoke to a child they believed was bullying their daughter.

Parents disciplining or bullying a child not their own is unacceptable behavior in most private school cultures. That alone would have been cause to expel the family.

You read this and your heart didn’t break for this family?
…“Mr. Nysmith replied that he had cancelled the annual Holocaust program speaker because of his concern that the event might inflame emotions within the Nysmith School community in light of the Israel-Gaza conflict.”

No, my heart didn’t break. The annual speaker had died. Having a speaker is not an entitlement.

Suggesting the Holocaust has nothing to do with Israel is disingenuous. Zionist Jews cite the Holocaust as the reason why Israel is justified in taking whatever measures it needs to defend its existence, including bombing and starving civilians.

If Jews don’t want the Holocaust connected to Israel they should stop using it as justification for Israel’s horrific acts of war against civilians.

There are Jews with specific beliefs about Israel’s right to violence, so don’t bother claiming I’m anti-Semitic. I’m anti-war crimes. I believe Israel has the right to exist. I don’t believe Israel has the right to kill indiscriminately.

Not all Jews support Netanyahu’s war crimes. Some see Palestinians as human beings and are doing what they can to stop Netanyahu.

Few would deny that Hamas’ October 7 attacks were horrific and demanded a response. Killing 50,000+ civilians and condemning thousands more to a slow, painful death through starvation is not a proportionate or effective response.

You are absolutely psychotic if you think that Holocaust education should be canceled “because Israel”.

That is so beyond twisted. We educate children about the Holocaust because it is a thing that happened. Whether we teach children about the Holocaust, or about slavery, or about Hiroshima, should not be dependent on whether we approve of the current actions of a foreign state. We don’t teach history to reward or punish certain ethnicities or certain countries. We teach history to understand where the world has been. It’s really sick that you would reject that because you’re afraid it might accidentally make somebody sympathetic to Israel.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any parents currently have their kiddos in Nysmith? Please chime in to offer your perspective

There's a thread on Reddit where at least one parent of currently enrolled students discussed the issue.

I think most people with past or present ties to the school are being very quiet on purpose.

Well, yes. It reflects badly on them to stay with this information out there.

So your position is not only should everyone leave the school on the basis of allegations that have not been in any way been proven but that by not leaving they are somehow morally besmirched? Because that’s nuts.

I am not saying they should leave but I am stating the truth: it reflects badly on them to stay. If you are okay with a school where the head of school is defending smiling children standing around a giant picture of Hitler that those kids drew, well, it reflects on you. And that’s why they are quiet.

The picture is not in doubt. That’s not alleged or denied.

Are the children smiling? In the pic I’ve seen they are appropriately blurred. Also, the plaintiffs stayed despite that photo until they were kicked out ( perhaps for legit reasons or for bad and/or antisemitic reasons, I have no idea!)

It is unclear when the plaintiffs learned of the photo.

Whether they are smiling or not is unimportant—it’s a picture of a lot of kids around a giant Hitler they drew. That’s what the school permits. You can stay in that environment as a family, of course, but you can’t control what other people think about that choice.

You’re really talking yourself into a corner here, pp. and fwiw I am completely, unreservedly prepared to believe the hos is both a prima Donna and an antisemite!

However, the idea that being photographed next to an image of Hitler regardless of context is beyond the pale (and context in this case seems to be an ill advised Machiavellian trait project) is is a non starter.