Demonstrators disrupted the School District of Philadelphia board meeting Thursday night, calling for a teacher to be reinstated and arguing that she was targeted for her personal beliefs.
The group Philadelphia Parents for Palestine protested the removal of teacher Keziah Ridgeway from her Northeast High School classroom in September after a complaint filed by the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia accused her of using her role to push anti-Israel views and threaten some Jewish parents online. An investigation into Ridgeway's conduct is pending.
About 30 parents, educators and community members demonstrated at the meeting, NBC10 reported, holding signs and chanting in support of Ridgeway. The school board moved the session to a private room and continued to stream it online in accordance with the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act, which requires school boards hold their meetings in public.
Protesters continued demonstrating in the lobby of district's administration building and later gathered on the front steps outside.
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Ridgeway, the recipient of a Lindback Award for distinguished teachers in 2020, first drew criticism in February for assigning her African American history class to examine a modern day group's use of art as an act of resistance and compare it to the spirituals sung by enslaved Black people.
A student and her friend from another class made a video podcast that focused on Palestinian resistance art. The student received an A grade and the video was featured in a Black History Month school assembly after the school principal cleared the video's use. After a Jewish teacher raised concerns that it was antisemitic and community groups complained about it, district officials ordered it be removed.
In September, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia filed a complaint against Ridgeway, alleging she was using her job to condemn Israel and had threatened some Jewish parents on social media.
Ridgeway was removed from her position Sept. 6. A petition calling for her reinstatement is nearing its goal of 2,500 signatures.
Ridgeway was not present at the school board meeting. The School District of Philadelphia did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
