Tuesday, October 28, 2008

I Can't Wait for Run Over an Anti-Semite With Your Car Day

Several sixth-graders from suburban St. Louis are being disciplined for creating "Hit a Jew Day" and then hitting Jewish classmates.

Four or five students at Parkway West Middle School in Chesterfield could be suspended and undergo counseling for last week's incident, school officials told the Associated Press. Others who taunted Jewish students or encouraged others to participate face lesser punishment.

Officials said fewer than 10 of the school's 35 Jewish students were hit. One was slapped in the face and the others were hit mostly on the back of their shoulders.

It began with an unofficial "Spirit Week" among sixth-graders that started harmlessly enough with a "Hug a Friend Day." Then there was "High Five Day."

Soon, though, the days moved from friendly to silly. Next there was "Hit a Tall Person Day" and, finally, "Hit a Jew Day."

Later in the school year the the sixth-graders will be studying the Holocaust.

"It's going to be a little more meaningful this year than it's ever been before," Principal Linda Lelonek said.

Unfortunately I disagree. I remember during our school trip to see "Schindler's List" some black kids left the theater and snuck into some Wesley Snipes movie. There were also other stories of kids at schools across the country laughing or joking during the movie. I even remember Steven Spielberg going to one school to talk to kids about the Holocaust.

No comments: