SOMERS, N.Y. - Even a single act of hate – like the drawing of a swastika on a school desk or the use of racially offensive language -- can have devastating, lasting, and far-reaching consequences.
Not only does it harm the victim, it can cause a “ripple effect” of fear and insecurity in the community at large.
School and town officials and students anxious not to let that happen here in Somers are vowing to – or at least try to -- be the pebbles in the pond that create ripples for positive change.
The idea is to tackle the ugly issue proactively instead of reactively, they say.
Back in September, three swastikas and an obscenity had been found on the wall of a student bathroom at Somers Middle School. In December, hateful graffiti had been found at Somers High School. And there reportedly have been more recent incidents as well.
Schools Superintendent Dr. Adam Bronstein and other leaders hastened to assure the community that they took great pride in providing a “safe and supportive learning environment” for all students, teachers, and staff.
Among the many responses to the situation was the recent presentation at the high school of “13 Drivers’ Licenses,” a traveling exhibit and educational project that details the 1938 Nazi confiscation, after the Kristallnacht pogroms, of -- and subsequent discovery of -- drivers’ licenses belonging to Jewish residents in Lichtenfels, Germany.
The Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center, based in White Plains, partners with various entities to host the exhibit, which tracks the victims’ fates with the goal of teaching about persecution, memory, and reconciliation.
Speaking at the SHS assembly was Lisa Salko, a second-generation Holocaust survivor who spoke about her family’s history and the lasting impacts of anti-Semitism and hate.
Middle school students will have the chance to attend the same assembly in March.
LUSTHAUS
Allie Lusthaus, an ex officio student member of the Board of Education, credited the high school club, RISE (Representatives Inspiring Social Equality), with helping organize the living history event.
Afterward, participants reflected on what they had learned, she said at the board’s Feb. 10 meeting.
Many reported finding the experience “meaningful” and “impactful,” Lusthaus said, adding that it sparked “important conversations about remembrance, identity, and standing up against injustice.”
In April, the wider community will get the same chance at a “Tusker Café” co-sponsored by the town and the school district.
(The time, date, and place are to be announced.)
SCORRANO
Somers Supervisor Robert Scorrano, who was in the audience that Tuesday, weighed in at a Town Board meeting two days later.
The café is an ideal venue for addressing issues that affect both the schools and the town at large.
In 2024, the school district and town partnered on an event at SMS – “Somers Soars When Everybody Belongs” – that focused on mental health and the “importance of supporting one another through open dialogue and awareness,” he said.
Last year, the cafe was again held, focusing on the "power of connection" and how mental and physical wellness are deeply linked.
"Mental health is a leadership priority — and it starts with us," Scorrano said in a Facebook post then.
“In light of the recent discovery of hateful symbols in this community, this topic carries even greater weight,” Scorrano said on Feb. 12, adding: “It’s moments like these that remind us why education is essential.”
Because small actions can grow “into something far more dangerous,” continuing the discussion with the broader community – “reflects our shared commitment to education, awareness, and responsibility,” Scorrano said, encouraging residents to attend the upcoming Tusker Café.
Time, date, and place for the cafe will be announced later.
KANDEL
Board President Amanda Kandel reminded folks that last month the board had thanked Bronstein and administrators for their “prompt response” and communication with the school community and public following the discovering of the hate graffiti.
“We reaffirmed our shared commitment to a safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment for all students and staff,” she said, noting that since then there have been “additional incidents involving swastikas and racially offensive language” at the Somers Middle School.
Each of these has been taken seriously, addressed promptly, and investigated in accordance with district protocols, she said, adding that the district remains committed to “clear communication, appropriate consequences, and ongoing support for students and staff.”
Educators themselves have, she said, “taken meaningful steps to reflect on and strengthen our work.”
An “audit” of curriculum aimed at identifying opportunities is being undertaken in order to address “any gaps, and to enhance instruction around empathy, tolerance, and our LIFE Initiative -- in developmentally appropriate ways.”
The "LIFE Initiative" (Learning Inclusively For Everyone) is a special education philosophy focused on educating students in the least restrictive environment. It ensures students with individual education plans, including those with intensive support needs, spend maximum time with general education peers.
According to Kandel, the district is also continuing to prioritize “professional development” for faculty and staff to ensure that educators are “supported with the tools, training, and resources needed to thoughtfully address anti-Semitism, racially offensive language and all forms of hate” and to “foster a respectful learning environment for all students.”
Acts of hate are “never acceptable,” she said, adding that “creating a culture of respect and belonging requires sustained effort from all of us.”
“It costs us nothing to be kind to one another and it means everything to the well-being of our students and community,” Kandel added.
BRONSTEIN
“Each of these instances is one too many. These events require us to educate and remind our students about the importance of tolerance, empathy, and understanding,” Bronstein said on Feb. 10 of values that he called “sacred” and always “to be cherished and nurtured.”
At times, it also requires accountability for those students who are responsible and the taking of actions in accordance with the district’s code of conduct.
“As we know this issue is not isolated to our schools, but is one that exists within our society as a whole and is one that must be addressed constructively,” he said, adding that it was “imperative” that the district “not simply respond to these incidents as one-off events” but continue to take a long-term educational approach.
Bronstein looked forward to co-hosting the Tusker Café this spring.
Meanwhile, he wanted the community to know that, as its schools superintendent, he remained “committed to serving our children, families, staff, and administration to improve our response to these incidents and the educational experiences for our students.”
Bronstein then thanked the administrative team for its “continued leadership” on the thorny issue and also the school board for “its support of this important work.”
GALLINO, MUNDIS
Trustee Rosalind Gallino thought it was “commendable” that RISE “was able to transform a negative situation into a meaningful opportunity where students were able to witness the strength of human compassion and be able to have meaningful conversations.”
She was also pleased that it’s being translated into “a bigger event that will involve more of our community.”
Trustee Daryl Mundis was also looking forward to attending the Tusker Café in April.
“That’s a topic (battling hate) that’s obviously of great importance to all of us,” he said.
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