On Monday, April 17, 2023, Meridian High School hosted a Holocaust survivor as a speaker for our high school students. The very meaningful conversation was recorded in order to share with the entire school community.
The Meridian High School Anti-Hate Group, led by students, hosted this conversation in response to the climate of increased antisemitism in the United States and antisemitic incidents at the school. The presentation was very meaningful to students and teachers and is already leading to an increased understanding of the genuine dangers of antisemitism and hatred.
Towards the end of his presentation, our presenter made some personal and politically-charged comments, not related to the main presentation, about immigrants and vaccinations that were outside the topic.
When the video was released on Schoology, an internal student communications platform, Assistant Principal Peter Laub wrote a disclaimer that said:
We want to express our gratitude for Mr. Z's willingness to share his experiences with us today and provide us with a deeper understanding of the atrocities committed during the Holocaust. However, it is important to note that the thoughts and opinions expressed by the speaker do not necessarily reflect those of the school or its administration. The Holocaust is a deeply sensitive and complex topic, and it is essential that we approach it with sensitivity and respect. While we value the importance of hearing from survivors and educating ourselves about this dark chapter in human history, it is also important to recognize that not everyone may share the same perspective or interpretation of events. We encourage students to continue to engage in critical thinking, open-mindedness, and respect for diverse viewpoints as we learn and grow as a community.”
The statement's wording has led some to erroneously infer that Falls Church City Public Schools (FCCPS) is in any way supportive of the views of Holocaust deniers. Nothing could be further from the truth. FCCPS is committed to teaching the truth in our history.
There is no room in FCCPS for those who deny that the Holocaust occurred. The Falls Church City Public Schools administration, teachers, and community do not tolerate hate of any kind.
After the message went out, it was updated on Schoology with this clarifying statement:
We want to clarify the wording in our statement, which implied perhaps that our program offered differing views on the Holocaust. We regret the confusion this statement may have caused. While many individuals’ opinions are shaped by and reflected in their lived experiences, there is only one view of the Holocaust: it was an abhorrent and tragic crime against humanity.
While this was not our intent, we recognize the impact. Rather, we wanted to clarify that as Mr. Z shared some of his opinions on issues unrelated to the central topic, these views do not necessarily represent the views of FCCPS.
Listening to the story of Mr. Z and his family surviving the Holocaust was indeed an important educational experience that we stand unequivocally behind as valuable for all our students.
Unfortunately, many people did not see the second message, and concern has spread to social media, which caused others to seek clarification.
I want to repeat the clarification in the second message:
We want to clarify the wording in our statement, which implied perhaps that our program offered differing views on the Holocaust. We regret the confusion this statement may have caused. While many individuals’ opinions are shaped by and reflected in their lived experiences, there is only one view of the Holocaust: it was an abhorrent and tragic crime against humanity.
We apologize to students, families, and community members who experienced distress and concern as a result of the statement. FCCPS will continue to work to eradicate hate and intolerance in our school community.
If you have further questions or concerns, please contact me directly at pnoonan@fccps.org.