P’ville Teens Arrested for Anti-Semitic Calls; Clergy to Hold Sunday Forum
Two 16-year-old Pleasantville youths were arrested for making anti-Semitic phone calls to a Jewish family earlier this month.
Mount Pleasant police arrested the pair of teens on Oct. 6 and charged them with aggravated harassment in the second degree, a Class E felony. The offense is being classified as a hate crime. Police did not release the suspects’ names due to their eligibility for youthful offender status.
On Sept. 8, a Pleasantville family reported receiving multiple phone calls that used anti-Semitic language. Following a Mount Pleasant police investigation, the two teenagers, who both attend Pleasantville High School, turned themselves into authorities. The incident was addressed at the Oct. 11 Pleasantville Board of Education meeting, where Superintendent Mary Fox-Alter read a letter that was posted on the school’s website.
“There’s no excuse for such contemptible behavior,” Fox-Alter said. “We deplore it. This is no way reflective of the youth in Pleasantville. We sponsor numerous multicultural educational programs to address such acts of prejudice and intolerance.”
In response to the incident, the Pleasantville Clergy Association has scheduled a forum for this Sunday evening entitled “Teach Your Children Well: A Presentation on What Unites Us.” It will take place at 7 p.m. at the Holy Innocents Catholic Church social hall located at 431 Bedford Road. The entire community is invited.
“We’re looking at this as an opportunity to reaffirm our mutual respect and respect for each other,” said Rabbi Mark Sameth of the Pleasantville Community Synagogue. “That’s the main thing. This incident is very disturbing to all of us.”
Fox-Alter said the district would continue to stress to students the importance of working together to combat bigotry.
“Please take time to discuss with your child the importance of celebrating diversity and respecting others,” she said. “It is our hope that the courts, along with the families of these individuals, ensure that they are provided with appropriate counseling and education so they fully understand the gravity of their actions.”
Principal Dawn Bartz said she has reached out to the police to get more details and has a meeting scheduled with the two students and their families. She said said the incident does not reflect the sentiment of the roughly 600 students at Pleasantville High School.
Sameth, who has been in the community since 1997, said he believes the incident is “an anomaly” and does not represent the community in any way. Sunday’s program will be an evening of sharing and looking at the different traditions of Muslims, Jews and Christians, he mentioned.
“Each of our notions of tolerance and mutual respect are rooted,” Sameth said. “It’s just another occasion to underscore the positive feelings we have for each other, the respect we have for each other and continue to build on that.”
Lois Winkler, president of the board of education, said the response from the superintendent and principal was swift and appropriate.
“There is no tolerance for harassment,” Winkler said. “This is unacceptable behavior.”
Mount Pleasant Police Chief Lou Alagno warned that while prank calls may seem amusing, there are serious consequences.
“Young people need to think before they do something foolish,” Alagno said. “It’s a serious crime and is treated seriously.”
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