An antisemitic riot in an NYC high school needs more than just ‘I’m outraged’

Some young scholars at Hillcrest High School in Queens last Monday learned that one of their teachers had attended a pro-Israel rally shortly after the Oct. 7 atrocities – and, by God, they were having none of that.

A mini-mob surged through school corridors; the teacher was locked into an office for her own safety; cops cleared the building after two long hours – and presently highlights were all over TikTok.

Because, you know, that’s how a lot of folks relate to Hamas’ acts of genocidal savagery these days – they hector Jews and make celebratory videos.

Mayor Adams finally caught up with events Saturday; predictably, he was, ahem, shocked. 

“The vile show of antisemitism at Hillcrest High School was motivated by ignorance-fueled hatred, plain and simple, and it will not be tolerated.”

The thing is, it was tolerated, for almost a week, until this newspaper blew the whistle and City Hall spooled up its outrage generator. 

The NYPD had responded to the riot, so the commissioner and the Department of Education were both well aware of what happened. Which means the mayor had to know what happened. So what was the plan before this newspaper’s Sue Edelman broke the story? Hope no one noticed?

And now that it’s all out in the open, the question becomes this: What precisely does Adams mean by “will not be tolerated?”

Three Hillcrest scholars face “superintendent’s suspensions,” but because of supposed privacy claims, we’ll never know who was punished and how. The consequences lack the moral authority an immediate announcement and crackdown would have.

As we’ve seen in universities, the administrators are afraid of offending their own students.

“We are better than this,” Adams huffed, but who is teaching them to be?

Reading scores at Hillcrest are pretty dismal – 27 percent at or above grade-level – so it would be generous to suggest that last week’s rioters were up on their Mideast history. To say nothing of the Holocaust.

We’ve spent the past few years inserting “social justice” into the curriculum, at the expense of knowledge and tolerance. Now the intellectual engagement the Hillcrest scholars bring to the Oct. 7 massacre is a knee-jerk “chase a Jew.”

And, of course, when the same evil is rampant on Ivy League campuses it’s probably a little much to expect better of a struggling outer-borough high school in New York City.

Which brings us back to Eric Adams, who needs to do more than belatedly express outrage for the Hillcrest High rioters, no matter how difficult that may prove to be. Punish the leaders of the riots, yes, But what about teaching the student body about anti-semitism? “Do the work” as they say.

Anything less would be a surrender to the cultural nihilism of New York’s progressive left.

You say no more mini-pogroms in New York City high schools, Mr. Mayor? Prove it.

Email: bob@bobmcmanus.nyc