"White tears": Ismael Jimenez, Director of Social Studies Curriculum for the School District of Philadelphia, responds to Jewish teacher's complaints over antisemitism

Yet another suit against the district alleging antisemitism

Heather Mizrachi, a curriculum specialist for the School District of Philadelphia (SDP), has sued the district for harrassment. After October 7th, Mizrachi claims that she

“has been forced to endure conditions that, by any objective measure, are grossly offensive, severe, and pervasive, including, among many other things, being forced to look at images that advocate for the violent destruction of the Jewish people and the State of Israel.”

How have her district colleagues responded?

Keziah Ridgeway, an SDP teacher who had been removed from the classroom pending an investigation into allegations she threatened Jewish parents but who is now back teaching in an SDP school, posted this to her instagram:

And responded to a re-post of her message by Hannah Gann, fellow SDP teacher and a founder of Racial Justice along with Ridgeway.

It is worth noting that Ridgeway allows her current students to follow her on instagram and often uses the platform to communicate directly with them:

This means that there is every chance Ridgeway’s current students viewed Ridgeway’s post and her exchange with Ismael Jimenez, the Director of Social Studies Curriculum for the District of Philadelphia:

Jimenez took the time to comment “white tears” on Ridgeway’s post.

The School District of Philadelphia has some questions to answer including whether they condone the behavior of their teachers and Director of Social Studies Curriculum using a public platform, visible to students, to insult a fellow district employee (let alone using a racial insult), and whether they do in fact take seriously the rampant antisemitism in their schools.