Swastikas, Death Threats, ‘Heil Hitler’: Terrifying Antisemitism at Brooklyn HS

BROOKLYN (VINnews) — In yet another disturbing case of alleged antisemitism in NYC public schools, high-profile Jewish activists say that a Brooklyn high school is riddled with vicious hate, including death threats against Jewish teachers, swastikas, pro-Hamas ‘martyr’ propaganda and other horrifying Jew-hatred.

Elected officials, advocates and staff from Origins High School in Sheepshead Bay, held an impassioned press conference Sunday, going through a long list of antisemitic incidents and comments.

Dov Hikind, founder of Americans Against Antisemitism and former Assembly member, discussed how one teacher “lives in fear” each day.

MUST WATCH as we expose the HORRORS of the “School from Hell” which should be renamed to renamed to Adolf Hitler High. https://t.co/wL9VftWoXB pic.twitter.com/PRyp5gkIQY

— Dov Hikind (@HikindDov) March 3, 2024

“Should anyone live in fear of going to work? Especially if you’re working at a public school?” Hikind asked. “At a public high school that our tax dollars pay for everything?”

Hikind added that students have repeatedly made antisemitic comments like “kill the Jews,” which has become an unofficial slogan in the school. He said some students have also walked out of class doing the “Heil Hitler” salute.

One staff member allegedly filed 15 complaints to officials, but Hikind said that those complaints have been ignored. Activists want Schools Chancellor David Banks and other officials removed.

“They talk the talk and do nothing,” Hikind said. “Banks does nothing, and he will do nothing,” adding that he “has no clue and has to go.”

“The principal here needs to go. There’s not even a question about that,” Hikind added. “She needs to be fired. Period. Not reassigned to another school.”

Brooklyn City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov said antisemitism is nothing new at the school.

https://twitter.com/InnaVernikov/status/1764373279387623934

“The issues at this school have been going on for years, way before Oct. 7,” she said. “And after Oct. 7, it’s just been amplified.”

“I corroborated many of these allegations because I spent about a week reviewing what’s been happening here,” Vernikov said. “I spoke to the parents, I spoke to the students, I spoke to students who transferred.”

The teacher who has been in fear for her life for over two years & was tormented at Origins High School, as well as the school’s campus security manager spoke to @CBSNewYork. Thanks @CBSNewYork for covering this troubling story. More to come. Watch here: pic.twitter.com/1dtndcufvY

— Councilwoman Inna Vernikov (@InnaVernikov) March 4, 2024

Two Jewish staff members said the antisemitism has been going on for years. “I live in fear going to work every day,” said Danielle Kaminsky, a global history teacher at Origins.

“I’ve had students call me a ‘dirty Jew.’ I’ve had students draw swastikas on my desk and bulletin boards. I’ve had students tell me they wanted to kill my family,” Kaminsky said.

Photos show a “Free Palestine” post-it notes placed on her classroom door, and a disturbing social media post.

“On a former Jewish student they drew swastika on his laptop charger,” Kaminsky said. “The school has no consequences, or they just say it’s academic conversation.”