Encouraging The Fight For Peace In Queens Schools

ADL Distributes Anti-Hate Material At Newcomers High School
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the New York City Board of Education are fighting to solve the problem of prejudice and hate that currently exists in our city schools. The ADL recently held a meeting at Newcomers High School in Long Island City to present an array of books and pamphlets concerning bias issues and solutions.
William Thompson, New York City Board of Education president, was presented with copies of the ADLs anti-bias book, Hate Hurts: How Children Learn and Unlearn Prejudice and the pamphlet, 101 Ways to Combat Prejudice. These tools will be distributed to all 280 high schools libraries and teacher resource centers throughout the city.
"This very generous donation offers a resource for every school to use to fight bigotry and hatred," Howie Katz, Director of the New York Regional office of ADL told The Queens Courier.
Several speakers were present at the ceremony including Carol Stern-LaRosa, ADL education director and co-author of Hate Hurts, Newcomers Principal Lordes Burrows and two students from the high school.
Both students, from Haiti and Romania, shared their experience with bias. They expressed their ideas on diversity, stating that diversity should be celebrated, not feared.
Katz said that all of the students at the ceremony were enthusiastic about the speeches and were thrilled to see the the impact that their work has on the school. "Their enthusiasm was contagious," Katz said.
Hate Hurts is the ADLs handbook for adults and children on confronting and conquering bias, encouraging appreciation to our differences. 101 Ways to Combat Prejudice is a pamphlet that highlights ways to take a stand against prejudice at home, in schools, in the workplace, in houses of worship, and in the community.
Burrows works hand in hand with the students in ADLs "A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE" Institute Peer Training Program. The donated books will be distributed by the Office of the City Schools Chancellor in the coming weeks.
Newcomers High School, open since 1995, is the first school for new immigrants who come to live in New York City. More than 63 different cultures are represented and it is known to have the most diverse student population in New York City said to the ADL.
Burrows said that it is hard to get respect for who you are. She said that Newcomers High School students learn to disagree without resorting to violence and to work together, not against each other.
"Newcomers High School is an example of multi-culturalism," Burrows said. "We practice what is taught in Hate Hurts."
Katz added that there is increased potential for hate crimes to occur at Newcomers High School, but it doesnt. He said that the students interact with each other and share what makes them different. "It is a model for all schools," Katz said.