Holmdel superintendent apologized for Muslim materials; tensions remain high

HOLMDEL - Schools Superintendent J. Scott Cascone apologized to staff and the community after what he described as "biased and antisemitic" material was distributed to teachers as a resource for Muslim Heritage Month.

In a staff email on Jan. 4, links directed teachers to the website TeachingWhileMuslim.org. The website hosts recommended lesson plans on teaching about Muslim heritage, but also includes political messages about Palestine, Sudan and Israel that spurred objections from some staff and members of the community.

"While the intention (of sharing Muslim heritage teaching resources) was positive, concerns arose due to the sponsoring organization's expression of biased and antisemitic information and the appropriateness of some of the resources," Cascone wrote in an email to the Asbury Park Press. "On Friday, Jan. 5, I promptly addressed this with our staff after further review of the material’s origin. In doing so, I emphasized that the Board of Education and administration do not endorse the mentioned organization."

Nagla Bedir, founder and executive director of TeachingWhileMuslim.org, says she was confused and angry after learning of Cascone's letter to staff, especially since she and Cascone had positive discussions about the teaching materials before their distribution.

"It is not a small thing to accuse someone of being biased or antisemitic," said Manar Hussein, a PhD candidate at Montclair University and an adjunct professor who serves as an editing consultant on TeachingWhileMuslim.org. "We take that very seriously."

The accusation could put members of their organization in danger, put their careers at risk and make them vulnerable to public doxing, or having their personal information published online maliciously, Hussein said.

Teaching While Muslim and the New Jersey branch of CAIR (the Council on American Islamic-Relations), sent a three-page letter to Cascone, saying his messages about their material contained "defamatory and reputation-damaging falsehoods."

"We are a student resource, and we advocate for Muslim and ALL students in schools who have yet to be adequately represented in your school culture," the organizations wrote to Cascone. "Thus, by silencing our organization you are silencing your very own students… Accusing Teaching While Muslim of 'bias' and 'antisemitism' is doing the opposite of fostering the inclusive education your district has vowed to provide its students."

Muslim education during the Israel-Hamas war

TeachingWhileMuslim.org has numerous lesson plans, including on Islamic holidays, traditions and cultures as well as resources on how American Muslims were impacted after 9/11 and during the Afghanistan war. The website also has pro-Palestinian content, including a post that accuses teachers who do not condemn Israel's actions in Gaza as "guilty" and "actively supporting a genocide."

"We cannot provide a safe space for Palestinians within our community if we are not actively standing against the violence enacted from settler colonialism," representatives of Teaching While Muslim and CAIR New Jersey wrote in their letter to Cascone. "We cannot be an educational organization if we ignore historical facts and avoid actively naming the root of systemic ethnic cleansing currently taking place."

The Teaching While Muslim website called Israel supporters "Zionists" in a post about a pro-Palestine protest at Teaneck schools. The American Jewish Committee says the term "Zionist" has been used periodically throughout history as a slur against Jewish self-determination and Jews who support a Jewish state.

Zionism, according to the Anti-Defamation League, is the movement for Jewish state and safe haven for Jews in Israel.

Hussein said Zionism is the political ideology of the state of Israel, rather than the Israeli government embracing the region as a pluralist society.

"There is no understanding Muslims without understanding the plight of the Palestinians and their quest for liberation," said Bedir, Teaching While Muslim's executive director. "Teaching While Muslim's goal, or one of the biggest goals that we have, is to eradicate anti-Muslim racism and Islamophobia in the school system, and that includes how it shows up in the classroom… in the curriculum and in school culture."

Educating students about Muslims without discussing politics is not realistic, she said.

"Education in and of itself is political," Bedir said. "There's no such thing as an apolitical education. There is an agenda that every single human being with an education system has, whether they want to acknowledge it or not. And so for us, our agenda is making sure that… all students are represented, that schools are inclusive and truly, actually align themselves with the claims that they make of wanting to be inclusive environments."

About 3% of New Jersey residents are Muslim, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center.

In 2023, Gov. Phil Murphy announced January would be Muslim Heritage Month to foster awareness and appreciation of Muslim Americans.

Historic moment: Gov. Phil Murphy declares Muslim Heritage Month in New Jersey

Holmdel schools' staff letter of teaching resources on Muslim Heritage Month prompted backlash. Cascone not only addressed staff members about the email's contents, but also members of the community who raised concerns, the superintendent said.

"I apologized for any unintended offense and clarified (to staff) that the resources should not be relied upon for classroom use," he said. "We remain committed to combating hate speech and bias, reaffirming our dedication to celebrating the diverse backgrounds of our students and community members. We acknowledge this oversight and are actively learning from it to improve our approach."

Holmdel Board of Education President Terence Wall said in an email to the Asbury Park Press that the school district's calendar includes the Muslim holiday Eid, as well as Christian, Hindu and Jewish holidays.

"Hate has no home in Holmdel," he said in an email, adding that he was speaking as an individual and not speaking on behalf of the board. "This racist group provides no value to members of Muslim, Christian, Jewish or Hindu faith. Their masquerade misled our administrative team but the charade ends with this board."

Hussein said it was ironic that the group was facing these remarks during New Jersey's first Muslim Heritage Month.

"This (Muslim Heritage) month was to fight against this Islama-phobia and anti-Muslim racism in schools also, but then now we have a school district perpetuating that very thing that the point of this month was for," she said.

When the Asbury Park Press contacted Cascone about the letter from Teaching While Muslim and CAIR New Jersey, Cascone declined to comment and cited "threatened litigation." He said the letter was forwarded to the school's attorney.

Amanda Oglesby is an Ocean County native who covers education and the environment. She has worked for the Press for more than a decade. Reach her at @OglesbyAPP, aoglesby@gannettnj.com or 732-557-5701.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Local school district tried to encourage Muslim perspective, instead it set off a controversy