Dupage Policy Journal

Parents are expressing their dismay over lack of action by Hinsdale Central High School in relation to a history teacher at the school displaying a poster with the slogan "From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free" in her classroom.

The term has been deemed by the American Jewish Committee to be inherently anti-semitic.

Hinsdale Central High School Principal William Walsh earlier told DuPage Policy Journal the school was unaware of the incident but would investigate.

Now, in a message following the incident, Hinsdale Central High School emphasized the importance of promoting understanding and dialogue but took no action otherwise.

“It takes a lot of talent to write that long of an email without saying anything of substance. Their cowardice is next-level abhorrent,” local resident Michelle Ptak-Cordova told the DuPage Policy Journal .

"Personally, I think nobody on the board wants to address it because it's adverse to a certain board member's politics and agenda; as it's hard to fight against or argue terrorism and antisemitism when you have a board member that sits on a board of an organization (CAIR) that is known to be affiliated with Hamas, which is a US-designated terrorist group.”

One anonymous parent also weighed in on the school's response via social media.

”Indeed. A salad of buzz words. Meaningless. It feels awful- like a punch in the face,” the parent said.

The comments were in relation to a message to parents Hinsdale Central High School sent noting the situation.

"During the past week, a number of people have shared their thoughts and perspectives on the recent fundraiser at Hinsdale Central that was organized to raise money for humanitarian aid in Gaza,” the school district said in an email.

“Those we have heard from have talked about the importance of using this situation to promote a greater understanding and appreciation for the diverse populations that make up our community.”

“They have also expressed the desire to engage in a dialogue about the ways we can learn from and better support one another.”

“We know that this situation has heightened the feelings and emotions that exist regarding the conflict in the Middle East. However, we stand with those who recognize that engaging in personal attacks will accomplish nothing. Instead, we believe it is essential that we work together to build upon the unity and strong sense of belonging that are core values of our district and community. We believe it is essential that we focus our time, effort, and energy toward the creation of a nurturing environment in our schools that encourages kindness, compassion, and mutual respect. We also believe it is imperative that we stand together to ensure that every member of our District 86 family feels safe, welcome and supported.”

“Lastly, we want to thank everyone who contributed to the conversation about this situation. The feedback and suggestions we received highlight how much the members of this community care about our students, our staff and each other."

The comments come after Hinsdale Central teacher Sofia Rahman was outed for hanging a poster in her classroom reading "From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free" and featuring a Palestinian flag.

The slogan "From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free” is commonly used by pro-Palestinian activists, is seen by some, like the American Jewish Committee, as inherently anti-Semitic because it implies the elimination of the State of Israel in favor of a Palestinian state spanning from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea.

Rahman is also rumored to not stand for the Pledge of Allegiance and has retweeted controversial statements by U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar.

Since the DuPage Policy Journal reported on the incident parents have shared concerns about her views and actions.

Following the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israeli citizens Cordova-Ptak urged Hinsdale School District 86 school board member Asma Akhras, a member of the and the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), to resign from one of these positions.

Cordova-Ptak said she is concerned about Akhras's affiliation with CAIR, an organization that has been linked to recent pro-Hamas protests.

She believes that Akhras should not be on the board of an organization associated with Hamas, a terrorist group, while also serving on the school board.

Cordova-Ptak emphasizes the need for Akhras to denounce and leave the organization or step down from her school board role.

The controversy stems from CAIR's alleged ties to Hamas and its inclusion on the FBI watch list for terror funding.

Akhras has not responded to these calls for her resignation.

Hinsdale Central High School did not respond to requests for comment from the DuPage Policy Journal on this story.