BIRMINGHAM, Mich. – The Jewish Federation of Detroit is set to meet with Birmingham Public Schools next week after antisemitic stickers were found at an elementary school during a multicultural night event.
The stickers, discovered Tuesday evening at Beverly Elementary School, included one that had anti-Zionist rhetoric and another depicting a gun.
They were found on a table during an event celebrating diversity. School officials said the stickers were not present during the principal’s walkthrough beforehand.
“Which have no place in our school system at all,” said Steven Ingber, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Detroit, who called the stickers antisemitic.
Ingber said he plans to ask district leaders multiple questions during their upcoming meeting: “How’d we get here? What went wrong? And how do we prevent it from happening again?”
“It’s gotta stop. Hate has got to stop,” Ingber said. “We’re not born with hate, we’re taught hate.”
He said he is notified about incidents like this at schools or workplaces at least once a week.
Ingber said the district has been responsive from the start of this incident, publicly condemning it and launching an investigation.
People who live near Beverly Elementary expressed anger and disappointment.
“They should rethink their life goal,” said neighbor Eileen Michalak, who lives behind the school and has family members who attended Beverly. “Because their future could be destroyed real easy.”
Local 4 reached out to the school district for comment.
They sent us the same statement they sent to parents at the school:
Dear Birmingham Public Schools Families,
At Birmingham Public Schools, we welcome and celebrate all cultures and backgrounds to foster a learning environment where every student is respected and valued. We do not tolerate intimidation, bullying, threats, discrimination, or antisemitism in our schools.
I am writing to inform you of an incident that occurred during Beverly Elementary’s Multicultural Night on Tuesday evening. This event was intended to bring students and families together to learn about and celebrate the many cultures represented in our community.
During the event, a table in one room included stickers that were inappropriate and offensive, including a sticker with an image of a gun and a sticker that stated “(expletive) Zionism.” These materials were not on display during the principal’s walkthrough prior to the event, and they do not reflect our district’s values.
As soon as the situation was brought to the attention of the school administration, we took prompt, thoughtful steps to address it and keep the Beverly school community informed. We are handling this matter carefully and in line with our district policies.
We recognize that incidents like this are hurtful, and we are sorry for the impact on our community. It is not what we want for our students or our families. We remain committed to ensuring that our schools are places where all feel safe, respected, and supported.
We are also reviewing our processes and planning to strengthen safeguards for future events. Our goal is to continue providing opportunities for our community to come together in ways that reflect care, respect, and a commitment to one another.
Sincerely,
Dr. Embekka Roberson
Superintendent