A school board member in Carmel claims he is the target of a smear campaign in response to backlash over comments he made about the war in the Middle East.
School board Trustee Jim Wise has become the center of a topic that is gaining polarized responses from people living in the area.
It all started in June when Wise attended a rally.
He says things got heated there while he and others were demanding an immediate cease-fire in Gaza.
A couple of weeks later, members of the school board passed a resolution condemning the remarks he made during that event.
Some board members claimed his comments were detrimental to the district's work of recognizing the need to address antisemitism.
Those concerns have now made their way up to the state level.
"Over the course of the last 24 hours, my office has received over 1,500 emails from residents of the Carmel School District. We thought it would be a good idea to urge him to step aside and let the Carmel School Board get back to business," says Assemblyman Anil Beephan, who serves New York's 105th District.
Beephan says he is also calling on the state education commissioner to remove Wise from office.
"The idea that we could weaponize a school board or the state Education Department to try and shut down views we oppose of is the most un-American thing I have ever heard," says Wise.
Wise, who is Jewish, says he believes this is all part of a smear campaign that started when he took a seat on the school board last year.
"This is very much a fake, grassroots campaign designed to impact local politics," says Wise.
The superintendent and the board released the following announcement:
"We unequivocally denounce antisemitism in all of its forms and expressions. The Carmel Central School District serves a diverse population. We embrace that diversity and are focused on shaping the next generation of successful Carmel graduates who exemplify the Carmel 6 Cs (Citizenship, Compassion, Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration, Communication). Through education, our students are taught to engage in civil and respectful discourse. Our mission is to educate the whole student through partnerships to become lifelong learners in an ever-changing world.
To stand before and serve children and families is a privilege. As the Superintendent for the Carmel Central School District, and in partnership with the Board of Education, we are committed to providing a safe, welcoming, and orderly school environment where students receive, and teachers, administrators and all staff deliver quality educational services without disruption or interference. Each student should be provided with a safe, supportive environment free from bullying, harassment or discrimination.
Recent events, sadly, have disrupted the district’s vital mission. The adults who lead our district must remember that they serve as role models for our students. While freedom of speech is a cherished right in our country, words or actions that serve to harass or discriminate based on race, color or national origin, including shared ancestry or ethnicity, are not condoned by our school district.
Our schools foster empathy, kindness, tolerance and understanding. We are committed to the mission of the school district. Carmel’s families, staff and community deserve no less. Thank you for your support.”