© DOUG HOKE/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK
(Fort Lee, New Jersey) – A group of sixteen and seventeen-year-old students at Fort Lee High in New Jersey walked into their history class last week to an unexpected surprise. Their teachers told them they were confiscating their phones so they would pay close attention to a very important lecture on the war in Gaza and the history of the Middle East conflict.
The students say their teachers, Fathia Balgahoom and Stephen Wolowitz then warned them that the google slides presentation would be biased, and if they didn’t want to sit through it, they could just leave.
Students in the class then say Balgahoom and Wolowitz proceeded to give a lecture over two days where they called members of Hamas, resistance fighters and spoke about how Israel was carrying out genocide in Gaza. (see presentation below) On both days of the Gaza history class, phones were confiscated and kids were told to sit, watch and ‘learn’.
CLICK HERE TO SEE PRESENTATION
Luba Veiland is an upset parent, and when she heard what was happening in her two daughters’ school, she knew she had to speak up.
Ben Hyman is another parent in Fort Lee. When he caught wind of what the teachers had taught students, he was furious.
77 WABC reached out to Fort Lee High school teachers, guidance counselors, and an assistant principal for comment. No one wanted to go on record. The Fort Lee Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Robert Kravitz issued a statement, “ The Fort Lee School District values a harmonious culture and climate with board of education approved policies and procedures that honor our curriculum and diversity.
We can not make any comment at this time as it is a personnel and legal matter that is currently under review.
Thank you”.
Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Robert Kravitz
The school system would not say if the teachers had been given the green light to confiscate student phones, or if the lesson plan had been pre-approved by the school. There is no word if the teachers involved will face any disciplinary action.
