NJ school district blasted for partnering with controversial CAIR group

Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) is blasting a New Jersey school district for partnering up with the local branch of a controversial American-Islamic advocacy organization CAIR — calling the move “outrageous and unacceptable.”

Teaneck Public Schools Superintendent Andre Spencer, who endorsed a polarizing Nov. 29 walkout in support of the group, hailed the partnership as part of a new “Togetherness and Belonging program” in Teaneck schools in a letter to community members obtained by The Post.

In the December letter, Spencer described the program as a way to “improve the dialogue within our scholastic community and bolster respect for and appreciation of our diverse population.”

Spencer went on to note the “expansion of these programs with organizations like CAIR-NJ to provide education sessions on a variety of local and global issues.”

The program will also be run in partnership with the Anti-Defamation League and Facing History and Ourselves.

Rep. Josh Gottheimer and Jewish families within the community were shocked by Spencer’s partnership with CAIR-NJ Getty Images

A letter obtained by The Post from Gottheimer slammed Spencer’s decision, highlighting that CAIR has “openly praised Hamas terrorists” after their brutal attack on Israel Oct. 7.”

“It is outrageous and unacceptable to welcome CAIR-NJ into Teaneck’s schools to promote ‘togetherness and belonging’ after its national executive director [Nihad Awad] openly expressed glorification about the vile terrorist attacks and sexual violence perpetrated against innocent Americans, Israelis, and others,” Gottheimer said.

Gottheimer said the organization should not be afforded a pulpit to “promote antisemitism and hatred as part of the Teaneck’s curriculum.

“As Superintendent, you have a duty to protect Teaneck students of all backgrounds. Inviting CAIR-NJ to your schools puts the safety of Jewish students at risk,” he added.

Teaneck Public School’s superintendent Andre Spencer sent a letter to the community detailing the launch of a “Togetherness and Belonging program” noting the partnership with CAIR-NJ KVUE

In a statement to The Post, a CAIR-NJ spokesperson said Awad’s words “were taken out of context and have been interpreted in bad faith.”

The organization also hit out at Gottheimer for some of his own past statements, claiming they put Muslim students across the state — some of them minors — “in direct harm’s way.”

“The Congressman accused minor students at Teaneck High School of antisemitism simply because they saw Muslims like themselves being killed in Palestine, and walked out of school in protest — with the permission and support of Dr. Andre Spencer,” the spokesperson wrote.

The advocacy group went on to note that they’ve received 157 reports of anti-Muslim bigotry between Oct. 7 and Dec. 31 of last year, compared to 152 in all of 2022.

“The Congressman’s accusations against CAIR are defamatory and untrue in nature. CAIR and its chapters — including New Jersey — have a strong track record of condemning antisemitism. We have consistently made clear that our critique is of Israel as a nation state and not of Jews.”

In November about 100 students at Teaneck High School staged a walkout in support of the partnership with Spencer’s blessing, despite complaints from local Jewish organizations.

In November about 100 students at Teaneck High School in New Jersey staged a walkout with Spencer’s support, despite complaints from local Jewish organizations CBS New York

The school district has since been added to the US Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights list of open Title VI Shared Ancestry Investigations of Institutions of Higher Education and K-12 schools on Jan. 5 for “possible discrimination based on race, color or national origin.”

Spencer’s statements and the board of education’s subsequent handling of public speakers on the subject at its meetings has been called into question as a result.

Deborah Blaiberg, a Jewish mother of four who has been a Teaneck resident since 2016, said when posts about the walkout circulated she felt forced to keep her children home after receiving “little to no response from the school” about the handling of her children’s’ safety.

After Spencer’s letter to the Teaneck community went out, Blaiberg said the decision to partner with CAIR-NJ was not discussed with parents ahead of the program’s launch.

“It’s an absolute disgrace. If you speak to any Jewish parent, well, you might as well have slapped us in the face, it’s so disrespectful,” she said noting her understanding of the organization’s comments regarding Hamas.

The advocacy group went on to note that they’ve received 157 reports of anti-Muslim bigotry between Oct. 7 and Dec. 31 of last year, compared to 152 in all of 2022. CBS New York

Teaneck has historically been a town with a strong black and Jewish connection, which has been strained by months of divisiveness.

There has been an increase in bias crimes against Jewish people in the community and the rally has been viewed as a possible breaking point, with Blaiberg commenting it feels as though the Jewish community has been muzzled.”

Awad’s latest controversial statements came in November, when the group’s co-founder said, “the people of Gaza only decided to break the siege — the walls of the concentration camp — on Oct. 7. And yes, I was happy to see people breaking the siege and throwing down the shackles of their own land and walk free into their land that they were not free to walk in.”

The White House later condemned Awad’s comments as “shocking, antisemitic statements in the strongest terms.” Awad has stressed the comments were taken out of context.

CAIR has long been a controversial player in Washington, presenting itself as a champion of civil rights for Muslims in an era of Islamophobia, yet has been regularly pilloried as an apologist for extremism.

Awad, a Palestinian American, and his group have been accused of past sympathy for Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States and European Union.

In 1994 Awad said he was “in support of the Hamas movement” later, in 2006 backtracking and saying “I don’t support Hamas today” with CAIR denying any ties to the group or support of terrorism.

The Post has contacted superintendent Spencer and the Jewish Federation of New Jersey for further comment.

Additional reporting by Chris Nesi.