Cancel Culture, Jewish Educators Style

Two weeks ago, I co-wrote an Open Letter to the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School in the Washington, D.C. area raising concerns about the school’s “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice” (DEIJ) program. Like so many others, the school’s diversity program does not provide alternative perspectives to the typical “anti-racist” point of view. My co-author and I, both of whom had children graduate from the school, regard this “pedagogy” as a form of indoctrination.

I decided to post this Open Letter on JEDLAB, a Jewish educators Facebook group with 12,000 members. I was active in the early days of JEDLAB, a space where innovative educators shared and discussed cutting edge ideas and approaches often at odds with the Jewish educational establishment. I loved it so much I even interviewed the founder in eJewish Philanthropy.

It seemed a perfect forum for generating interesting and important discussion about emerging diversity programs in Jewish educational settings.

Apparently, however, DEIJ initiatives in Jewish schools are not open for discussion.

Almost immediately, a member of the Facebook group pronounced the post “racist.” The member said I had no business posting my views there. Several others piled on, also calling the post “racist” and urging its immediate removal. Not a single person took exception or came to my defense  (except, of course, in private messages). The comment from the member accusing me of promulgating racism had numerous “likes,” including one from a mainstream Jewish professional who is a self-proclaimed moderate on the subject. His vote of support for this vitriol suggests otherwise.

About an hour after posting, the post was removed without explanation by the administrators of the group. There are two possible explanations:

The first is that the administrators agreed that raising concerns about the “anti-racist” perspective being taught to kids is inherently racist. Ibrahim X. Kendi has spoken, and we must all fall in line.

If that’s the case, I despair over the future of Jewish education.

A second possibility is that the administrators received complaints that my ideas make the space “unsafe” for participants. This, of course, meant that the administrators had to silence someone with a different point of view. This is the “heckler’s veto”: a few shrill voices who protest a particular viewpoint get spineless institutions to stifle debate.

This is the “heckler’s veto”: a few shrill voices who protest a particular viewpoint get spineless institutions to stifle speech.

If that’s the case, I again despair over the future of Jewish education.

Our kids must be educated in a culture and sensibility that values Makhloket Leshem Shamayim—arguments for the sake of heaven. This sensibility welcomes—even encourages—debate among people with different points of view. The Jewish tendency to question and engage in intellectual discourse is one of the great qualities of the Jewish tradition. Why would anyone, least of all Jewish educators, try to blot this out? Don’t we want our kids to be critical thinkers and challenge the status quo?

Of course, there are many Jewish educators and parents who do value discussion among people with different viewpoints. A headmaster of a pluralistic Jewish school direct messaged me on Facebook and thanked me for raising the topic. One prominent professor called to say “I wanted to kiss you.” Numerous Jewish day school teachers reached out to me and my co-author of the Open Letter, thanking us for giving a voice to their concerns. These teachers cannot speak publicly themselves because, well, they fear they will be cancelled, just like my Facebook post.

These teachers cannot speak publicly themselves because, well, they fear they will be cancelled, just like my Facebook post.

How is that good for the Jews?

David Bernstein is the Founder of Jewish Institute for Liberal Value (JILV.org). Follow him on Twitter @DavidLBernstein.