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“Jewish children deserve the same protection, seriousness, courage and moral clarity we would demand for any child.” Photo: iStock
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I am an African-American Boeing retiree, Seattle University alumnus and founder of the Calhoun Family Fellowship at Seattle University School of Law, which supports students pursuing careers in social justice, racial equity and public service. I do not use the language of bigotry lightly.
I am writing with profound alarm and disappointment after learning from a mother about repeated antisemitic harassment directed at her 12-year-old Jewish daughter in the Snoqualmie Valley School District. She says her child has endured repeated antisemitic targeting throughout the school year, both digitally and in person.
Students have reportedly said “dirty Jew” and “stupid Jew” behind the girl’s back while she stood at her locker in the school hallway. She also received explicit text messages directed at her in a group chat stating: “Yup … you’re dead tomorrow,” “I’m going to brutally dismember her,” and “Sorry, I’m German, I kill you guys.”
Pause for a moment and absorb those words. These messages were sent to a 12-year-old Jewish child in 2026.
The girl’s mother notified the school, and says the parents of the perpetrators were informed, but the emotional toll on her daughter became so severe that she withdrew from school for part of the week before winter break. She no longer feels safe to use her bus stop.
Imagine the response if these acts targeted a Black, Muslim, Asian, LGBTQ or any other marginalized child. Our communities would rightly mobilize with urgency, courage and moral clarity. School leaders would issue statements. Parents would demand accountability. Community organizations would rally publicly and loudly. As they should.
But when the target is a Jewish child, there often appears to be a troubling hesitation — a selective silence and discomfort that many Americans are increasingly noticing. This is not about politics. It is not about Israel. It is not about the Middle East. It is about whether a 12-year-old girl can attend public school without being terrorized because she is Jewish.
Jewish children deserve the same protection, seriousness, courage and moral clarity we would demand for any child, minority or not, facing identity-based hate. Antisemitism is not a lesser form of hate. When communities hesitate to confront it with clarity and courage, they normalize the very prejudice they claim to oppose.
History teaches us that societies rarely collapse all at once. More often, they erode gradually — one tolerated slur, one ignored threat, one rationalized act of dehumanization at a time.
The Snoqualmie Valley School District has a responsibility to lead with moral clarity, institutional courage and decisive action — especially in a case this grievous involving threats and hatred directed at a 12-year-old child. Administrators, school board members and community leaders must confront antisemitism with visible accountability and the same urgency they would summon if any other minority child were under attack.
Children are watching how adults respond.
And so are the rest of us.
Editor’s note: Jerry Calhoun is a contributor to ParentMap and a member of the extended family of ParentMap's CEO.
ParentMap contacted the Snoqualmie Valley School District regarding this op/ed; here is the district’s response:
The Snoqualmie Valley School District takes all reports of harassment, intimidation and bullying seriously. We investigate allegations thoroughly and in accordance with state law, and we implement safety plans and supports when appropriate. While we cannot discuss specific student matters due to privacy laws, we recognize the impact these incidents have on students, families and our broader school community.
Many of these situations involve conduct that occurs online, off campus or outside of the school day, which can make investigations more complex and limit the information immediately available to schools. Even so, our goal remains to work closely with families and students to gather information, address concerns and provide appropriate support. Strong partnerships between schools and parents are essential to effectively addressing these situations and helping prevent future incidents.
As part of our ongoing efforts, we are expanding student and parent education, strengthening the language in the student handbook and improving the consistency and effectiveness of disciplinary and restorative practices across our schools. We are also intentionally seeking input from students and families, including those from impacted groups, to help inform this work.
Every student deserves to feel safe, respected and supported at school. We remain committed to promptly and thoroughly addressing harassment and discrimination, in accordance with our responsibility to provide a safe learning environment for all students.
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