East Brunswick school under fire for yearbook photo mix-up some say was antisemitic
Next to a heading that reads “Jewish Student Association,” there is a picture of members of the Muslim Student Association.
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It's not often that high school seniors have to return their yearbooks. But that's the case in East Brunswick.
The demand was made by school officials after a misprinted photo offended many of those who are Jewish in town.
The issue is on page 236 of the 2024 yearbook in the section for club photos. Next to a heading that reads “Jewish Student Association,” there is a picture of members of the Muslim Student Association.
Many in the Jewish community believe it was done intentionally to cause harm, including parent Fran Snowise who has three kids in the district. She has spoken before to the school board about what she deems a pattern of inequality. She says she sees this as another case of administrators failing the Jewish community.
“The tolerance for things happening to Jewish kids is about this wide,” Snowise said gesturing. “So there’s an inequity of how we are tolerating what is happening in the building.”
The mayor of East Brunswick also chimed in and has asked for the district to investigate the matter. He has also asked for the police to investigate if necessary.
“It made everybody assume from the beginning that this is antisemitism,” said Mayor Brad Cohen.
The school superintendent sent out a message stating, “I personally, along with the entire East Brunswick Board of Education, sincerely apologize for the hurt, pain and anguish this event has caused our Jewish students, their families and the impact this continues to have on the entire EB community. We do not tolerate bias and we investigate all reported antisemitism.”
A Muslim parent says the students in the photo had nothing to do with the error yet they are being singled out for harassment on social media.
Superintendent Victor Valeski also issued a statement apologizing to the Mulsim student community.
"I want to offer sincere apologies to our Muslim students and families, as well. I am aware that the picture placed in the yearbook has caused pain for our Muslim students and for that I am deeply sorry. We work every day to foster an inclusive school environment for all EB students but I realize that new work needs to be done every day to make that a reality," he wrote.
The superintendent has asked the county to get involved in the investigation as to how the error occurred.
A correction will be made to the yearbook. Students likely won't get the new edition until July.
