A Jewish teacher from Massachusetts recently resigned after facing months of alleged antisemitic harassment from one of his sixth-grade students.
Morrison Robblee said that after he told his students he was Jewish, one of his children began harassing him, according to the Berkshire Eagle. The student, 12, is facing a misdemeanor charge of criminal harassment, the outlet reported.
Jewish teacher resigns after antisemitic harassment from 12-year-old student https://t.co/w6hJu1gJO1 pic.twitter.com/3sFzkvdmFt
— New York Post (@nypost) June 19, 2023
The harassment reportedly began after a February incident in which the student began yelling homophobic slurs, Insider reported. After the student was removed from the class, the school administration held a “restorative circle” to give Robblee, the student and an administrator a chance to discuss what had happened, per the outlet.
Robblee told Insider the student did not speak during the meeting. (RELATED: California Community College Student Delivers Anti-Semitic Remarks About Israel At Graduation Speech)
During Passover in April, Robblee wore a kippah, a cap worn by observant Jewish men, Insider reported. The student responded by making disrespectful comments about the head covering, leading Robblee to send him to detention, according to the Eagle.
After that, the student allegedly handed Robblee a piece of paper showing Adolf Hitler standing over a dead person labeled “Jew” surrounded by swastikas and canisters labeled “gas,” Insider reported. The drawing featured the words “Sorry Jew” written on the top of the page, which Robblee had expected to be a written apology, he told Insider.
Eventually, the student was suspended and was removed from Robblee’s class, the outlet reported, but this did not stop the student from harassing him. The student reportedly sent him multiple insulting emails and another handwritten note.
This led Robblee to file a grievance with his union, which recommended that he bring the student’s drawings and emails to the police, the outlet shared.
Robblee claimed that the school failed to protect him and that the student should have been removed from the classroom earlier. Later, the school district placed Robblee on administrative leave, due to the student alleging the teacher made a face at him, according to the Berkshire Eagle. Robblee admitted to making the face, the outlet reported.
After being placed on administrative leave, Robblee decided to resign from the school district and reportedly plans to move, according to the outlet.