A cadre of lawmakers representing the Carmel School District has formally requested New York State Education Department Commissioner Betty Rosa remove Trustee JimWise from the Carmel Central School District Board following his blatant and dangerous use of antisemitic rhetoric. In a letter to Commissioner Betty Rosa, Assembly Members Matt Slater and AJ Beephan joined Congressman Mike Lawler and State Senator Rob Rolison urging immediate intervention to address this unacceptable behavior.
“Our public school officials are entrusted with the education and protection of all students,” the letter states. “There must be zero tolerance for any school board trustee who spreads and defends ignorant antisemitic slogans such as ‘From the River to the Sea, Palestine must be free.’”
The phrase in question has long been recognized as an explicit call to eliminate the state of Israel and exterminate the Jewish population within it. Slater condemned the use of this phrase by any elected official, especially one serving on a school board, and demanded that those engaging in such behavior be held accountable.
The lawmakers also highlighted comments made by Mr. Wise at a Carmel Central School
District meeting on July 9th, where he insinuated that Israel is a terrorist state, equating it with terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah. Similar harmful rhetoric is being addressed through legislative measures such as Congressman Lawler’s Antisemitism Awareness Act and Slater’s own efforts in the New York State Assembly.
“Our state has seen a dramatic rise in antisemitism following the disgusting attacks by Hamas on
October 7th,” said Slater. “It is unacceptable for someone in a leadership position to create a hurtful and divisive environment. I stand as a representative of this community and join my fellow colleagues and the rest of the residents in Carme, in requesting that not only antisemitism be addressed but to remove Trustee Wise from office.”
“As a representative of our community, I take seriously the concerns raised by thousands of residents regarding Trustee Wise. After reviewing the situation and the divisive impact his perceived antisemitic comments have had on the Carmel Central School District, my office formally called for his resignation. It is disappointing that instead of stepping down to allow the school board to focus on governance and healing, Trustee Wise has dismissed these concerns as a smear campaign. Given his refusal to heed the community’s call, I am joining in a collective appeal to Commissioner Rosa to take the necessary steps to remove Trustee Wise from office. Our children and our district deserve leadership that fosters unity, respect, and progress,” said Assemblyman Anil Beephan (R,C-East Fishkill).
“Antisemitic bigotry has no place in New York's educational values and the teaching of our children. Those who willfully ignore this truism to push a noxious political agenda must face the consequences. I therefore join with my colleagues to urge Commissioner Rosa to take immediate action on this matter,” said New York State Senator Rob Rolison.
“There must be zero tolerance for antisemitism,” said Congressman Lawler. “Carmel Trustee Jim Wise has broken the public trust by repeating the disgusting antisemitic lies of Hamas apologists. Conduct such as his is unbecoming of an elected official anywhere, especially here in the Hudson Valley, home to one of the largest Jewish populations in our country. Jim Wise should resign in disgrace and be removed from office if he refuses to do so. That is why I have joined Senator Rolison and Assemblymen Slater and Beephan in asking Commissioner Rosa to remove him from office at once.”
Click here to review the letter sent to Commissioner Rosa
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