Latest news with #LowerMerionSchoolDistrict
CBS News
12-06-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Student says Pennsylvania high school forced them to remove keffiyeh at graduation ceremony
A student at Lower Merion High School in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, says they were not allowed to fully participate in their graduation ceremony because they were wearing a headscarf that has become a symbol for Palestinians. The student, Evan, said they showed up for the ceremony last Thursday in a keffiyeh-patterned headscarf. According to Evan's post on Instagram, school officials said the colors were a "political statement." The post says the student was pulled aside and told to take it off because it would cause a disruption. Evan said they were eventually allowed to return for a portion of the graduation after removing the headscarf. In a statement to CBS News Philadelphia, the Lower Merion School District said it sent guidelines to seniors and their families weeks before graduation. The guidelines included not wearing attire with political messages that would distract from the purpose of the ceremony, the Lower Merion School District said. The Philadelphia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the schools' actions and said in a statement in part that the incident is a "clear violation of students' rights to free expression, and a troubling example of racial and political profiling." The Lower Merion School District said students were given a choice between removing items that violated their guidance and participating in the ceremony, or not removing them and not participating.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Yard sign condemning antisemitism on college campuses sparks free speech debate
Jeff and Rachel Lobman did not expect to receive backlash when they put up a sign reading "Jewish students deserve to be safe on campus" in the yard of their home in a suburb of Philadelphia. When their son was home from college for winter break, the Lobmans posted the sign to symbolize their solidarity with Jewish college students who experienced antisemitism in the wake of Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks. The sign held a double meaning for the family. In addition to its message against antisemitism, the color pink resonated with the Lobmans, as they are passionate advocates for breast cancer research. Lower Merion School District (LMSD) Board member Anna Shurak, who happens to be the Lobmans' next-door neighbor, took issue with the sign. According to the Lobmans, before Shurak reached out asking them to remove the sign, she blocked it with a wheelbarrow and dirt. In response, the Lobmans elevated the sign, but Shurak then used a Philadelphia Eagles flag to block it a second time. 13 American Universities Slapped With 'F' Grade On Campus Antisemitism The Lobmans decided to reach out to local officials, as Shurak serves in an elected position, and they believed her blocking the sign was an act of censorship that violated their First Amendment rights. Jeff Lobman also expressed these frustrations to Fox News Digital, saying he was stunned that an elected official felt that she could censor free speech. Shurak, who is also Jewish, eventually put up her own sign, one that read "We believe black lives matter, no human is illegal, love is love, women's rights are human rights, science is real, and water is life." However, Shurak claimed in a since-deleted Facebook post that she had the sign for eight years. The Lobmans were able to dispute her claim with images from her yard on Google Maps, one of which is from as recently as July 2024, in which there is clearly no sign. Read On The Fox News App Delegation Of Hostages Released By Hamas Traveling To Dc To Meet With Trump Admin Officials The Lobmans reached out to local officials about the ongoing situation, one of whom was Lower Merion County Board of Commissioners member Gilda Kramer. Jeff Lobman later described the conversation with Kramer as "invasive and disturbing," saying that the commissioner asked them to modify the sign while speaking in her official capacity. In February, the Lobmans presented their case during a meeting of the Board of Commissioners. In his presentation, Jeff Lobman told the board that "the net effect of Anna's actions was to diminish our free speech and convey that her message is worthwhile and ours is not, a similar theme to something we learned she advocated publicly about in her elected role." However, the sign attracted attention from other neighbors, who began telling the Lobmans about what was happening in the local school district. When they put up the sign, the Lobmans, who have a child in private school, did not realize that there was an ongoing battle in the local school district about the handling of antisemitism. "A few weeks ago, there was a community meeting about Jewish children not feeling safe at Lower Merion schools that highlighted disturbing incidents of verbal and physical assaults," Jeff Lobman told the board. "We made the connection to our sign and realized how wrong it was for Anna to censor a current local issue in a political campaign." Jeff and Rachel Lobman were not alone in their concerns about free speech. Steve Rosenberg, Jewish Community consultant serving as Philadelphia Regional Director for The North American Values Institute, agreed. "The idea that an elected school board member would go to such lengths to obstruct a sign that simply states 'Jewish students deserve to be safe on campus' is beyond troubling—it's appalling. This incident is not just about a sign; it's about a growing and dangerous trend of silencing Jewish voices under the guise of 'keeping the peace.' We cannot allow this kind of blatant intimidation to stand, especially in a district where parents are already deeply concerned about antisemitism," Steve Rosenberg told Fox News Digital. Shurak did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for article source: Yard sign condemning antisemitism on college campuses sparks free speech debate
Fox News
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Yard sign condemning antisemitism on college campuses sparks free speech debate
Jeff and Rachel Lobman did not expect to receive backlash when they put up a sign reading "Jewish students deserve to be safe on campus" in the yard of their home in a suburb of Philadelphia. When their son was home from college for winter break, the Lobmans posted the sign to symbolize their solidarity with Jewish college students who experienced antisemitism in the wake of Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks. The sign held a double meaning for the family. In addition to its message against antisemitism, the color pink resonated with the Lobmans, as they are passionate advocates for breast cancer research. Lower Merion School District (LMSD) Board member Anna Shurak, who happens to be the Lobmans' next-door neighbor, took issue with the sign. According to the Lobmans, before Shurak reached out asking them to remove the sign, she blocked it with a wheelbarrow and dirt. In response, the Lobmans elevated the sign, but Shurak then used a Philadelphia Eagles flag to block it a second time. The Lobmans decided to reach out to local officials, as Shurak serves in an elected position, and they believed her blocking the sign was an act of censorship that violated their First Amendment rights. Jeff Lobman also expressed these frustrations to Fox News Digital, saying he was stunned that an elected official felt that she could censor free speech. Shurak, who is also Jewish, eventually put up her own sign, one that read "We believe black lives matter, no human is illegal, love is love, women's rights are human rights, science is real, and water is life." However, Shurak claimed in a since-deleted Facebook post that she had the sign for eight years. The Lobmans were able to dispute her claim with images from her yard on Google Maps, one of which is from as recently as July 2024, in which there is clearly no sign. The Lobmans reached out to local officials about the ongoing situation, one of whom was Lower Merion County Board of Commissioners member Gilda Kramer. Jeff Lobman later described the conversation with Kramer as "invasive and disturbing," saying that the commissioner asked them to modify the sign while speaking in her official capacity. In February, the Lobmans presented their case during a meeting of the Board of Commissioners. In his presentation, Jeff Lobman told the board that "the net effect of Anna's actions was to diminish our free speech and convey that her message is worthwhile and ours is not, a similar theme to something we learned she advocated publicly about in her elected role." However, the sign attracted attention from other neighbors, who began telling the Lobmans about what was happening in the local school district. When they put up the sign, the Lobmans, who have a child in private school, did not realize that there was an ongoing battle in the local school district about the handling of antisemitism. "A few weeks ago, there was a community meeting about Jewish children not feeling safe at Lower Merion schools that highlighted disturbing incidents of verbal and physical assaults," Jeff Lobman told the board. "We made the connection to our sign and realized how wrong it was for Anna to censor a current local issue in a political campaign." Jeff and Rachel Lobman were not alone in their concerns about free speech. Steve Rosenberg, Jewish Community consultant serving as Philadelphia Regional Director for The North American Values Institute, agreed. "The idea that an elected school board member would go to such lengths to obstruct a sign that simply states 'Jewish students deserve to be safe on campus' is beyond troubling—it's appalling. This incident is not just about a sign; it's about a growing and dangerous trend of silencing Jewish voices under the guise of 'keeping the peace.' We cannot allow this kind of blatant intimidation to stand, especially in a district where parents are already deeply concerned about antisemitism," Steve Rosenberg told Fox News Digital. Shurak did not immediately respond to Fox News' request for comment.
