Following the October 7 terrorist attack that Hamas perpetrated against Israel, there have been alarming amount of pro-Hamas protests, including and especially among young people. The demographic is also among the least likely to support Israel. Young people have organized through social media and have even posted their exploits to such platforms. We saw that just recently, as Matt covered, with footage of students at Hillcrest High School in Queens, New York, who on November 20 forced a Jewish teacher to hide in her office while they demanded she be fired for daring to attend a pro-Israel rally.
A clip was shared over TikTok, with the caption "POV: your school had 1 lockdown multiple fights and riots js bc of a teacher that choose to wake up one day and choose support against Zionism and occupation," along with laughing cat emojis. The nearly unreadable text and the use of emojis are at best reflective of how social media doesn't exactly make students smarter. It also shows how dangerous social media can be, though.
The scene at Hillcrest High School in Queens as a Jewish teacher hid in her locked office for hours while students demanded she be fired for attending a pro-Israel rally. pic.twitter.com/jzVCEofvJS
— Steve McGuire (@sfmcguire79) November 25, 2023
While Matt's piece included a post from New York Mayor Eric Adams (D) that called the incident a "vile show of antisemitism at Hillcrest High School" that "was motivated by ignorance-fueled hatred, plain and simple," adding "it will not be tolerated in any of our schools, let alone anywhere else in our city," the mayor doesn't exactly inspire confidence.
A subsequent headline from The New York Post pointed out that "Jewish teachers slam NYC schools chief’s ‘weak response’ to antisemitic unrest at ‘radicalized’ high school," as teachers and parents on Tuesday called out Chancellor David Banks from the steps of Tweed Courthouse.
Banks' response was to double down on defending the students:
Banks spent the day at the troubled Jamaica school on Monday to try to diffuse the situation — only to be told by staffers that they’re afraid to show up for work.
He said there had been “disciplinary action” taken following the ugly incident but would not provide details.
But Banks appeared to downplay the potentially explosive tension at the school — even as one group of students flashed a Palestinian banner at him when he arrived at the Jamaica campus.
“This notion that this place, these kids are radicalized and antisemitic is the height of responsibility,” he told reporters on Monday. “I will not accept that at all.”
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Such anti-Israeli, antisemitic, and pro-Hamas protests are happening as lawmakers are looking to keep students focused at school. Last month, Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Ted Budd (R-NC), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced The Eyes on the Board Act, which would "prohibit schools that receive certain support from the Federal Communications Commission from allowing access to social media platforms on subsidized services, devices, or networks, and for other purposes." All three are members of the Senate Commerce Committee. Cruz serves as the ranking member.
"While the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) requires schools requesting E-Rate subsidies to certify that they are using technology protection software to block or filter access to obscenity, child pornography, and other harmful sexual content, there is currently no provision requiring schools to block access to distracting and addictive social media apps or websites. As a result, the E-Rate program risks inadvertently enabling access to social media in schools," a press release from the Committee read with original emphasis.
The bill has the support of numerous groups, including the American College of Pediatricians, Parents Defending Education Action, Heritage Action, American Principles Project, Family Policy Alliance, American Association of Christian Schools, Association of Christian Schools International, The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, The Institute for Family Studies, Concerned Women for America, Texas Public Policy Foundation, America First Policy Institute, Bull Moose Project, and New York Young Republicans Club.
Yet activists in favor of social media still oppose such legislation. Jason Kelley, who serves as the activism director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) last week wrote a piece claiming "The Eyes on the Board Act Is Yet Another Misguided Attempt to Limit Social Media for Teens."
Kelley's piece argues there isn't actually a problem to solve, the bill is too broad in scope, and also that it is unconstitutional. His piece really falls apart, though, when he directly addresses protests:
Though some senators may see social media as distracting or even dangerous, it can play a useful role in society and young people’s lives. Many protests by young people against police brutality and gun violence have been organized using social media. Half of U.S. adults get news from social media, at least sometimes; likely even more teens get their news this way. Those students in lower-income communities may depend on school devices or school broadband to access valuable information on social media, and for many, this bill amounts to a flatout ban.
That students get their news from social media is not something to brag about, including and especially when it comes to TikTok. Those protests also shouldn't be happening during school hours. They're at best disruptive and could even put the lives and safety of teachers at risk.
Kelley even dives into the leftist claim that books are being banned:
People intending to limit access to information are already challenging books in schools and libraries in increasing numbers around the country. The author of this bill, Sen. Cruz, has been involved in these efforts. It is conceivable that challenges of books in schools and libraries could evolve into challenges of websites on the open internet. For now, students and library patrons can and will turn to the internet when books are pulled off shelves.
In reality, in places like Florida, parents are allowed to voice concerns about graphic content that does not belong in the hands of school-age children. Many of these books that liberals insist on defending are sexually explicit, pornographic even.
Kelley has also made problematic posts and replies from his X account. On October 15, he replied to President Joe Biden claiming that "We must not lose sight of the fact that the overwhelming majority of Palestinians had nothing to do with Hamas’s appalling attacks, and are suffering as a result of them." Kelley's post noting whether he would for Biden depended on a "meaningfgul policy shift."
My vote for Biden depends on whether this tweet results in any meaningful policy shift.
— Jason “AI CAN’T SAVE US” Kelley (@JGKelley) October 15, 2023
A more recent post from earlier this month involved Kelley downplaying how newsworthy and disturbing it was that TikTok played a role in young people sharing their appreciation for Osama Bin Laden and his "Letter to America."
A small group of nobodies on TikTok saying dumb shit is not a viral trend that necessitates mass hysteria in response. This incident is only news because, well, it became news. https://t.co/58sxfMaowa
— Jason “AI CAN’T SAVE US” Kelley (@JGKelley) November 17, 2023
Kelley's piece came out on November 21, the day after the incident at the Hillcrest High School. It does not make mention of such unrest at that school. There's been other out-of-control protests and poor responses even before then, though. Last month, Matt covered how there were several high schools where students participated in walkouts funded by Soros-funded groups. In addition to these pro-Hamas demonstrations at high schools, antisemitism largely goes unpunished. It's why such incidents keep happening.
The StopAntisemitism account even recently shared how a high school in the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) system--the largest in Virginia--retaliated against an Asian student who dared to report a student who flashed a drawn picture of the American flag where the stars were replaced with swastikas and it read "Free Palestine."
Julie Moult, FCPS Media Relations Manager, is denying the student who reported the hate incident was suspended.
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) November 23, 2023
The below article screen grab is saying otherwise. pic.twitter.com/uL6LH2N0GX
Where EFF has addressed the Israel-Hamas war has involved calling out social media companies and the Israeli govermment, as they cite complaints that Palestinians have made about their social media content being censored.
Kelley isn't the only noteworthy figure at EFF. Gigi Sohn is a board member at the organization. She is one of many Biden nominees who was forced to withdraw when it was clear she would not have the votes to be confirmed. Sohn withdrew her name from consideration in March as commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission.
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