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Dear Esteemed Colleagues:
Some of you may be aware that Charles Jacobs ("Americans for Peace and Tolerance")
has been stirring the pot in Newton recently. There has been an op‐ed, an article,
and some letters in the Tab, and on Wednesday night there was a city council
committee hearing about the history curriculum in NPS. Here's what I want you to
know about all of this:
1. Since late summer I've been working with central administration and some outside
organizations to respond to these provocations in ways that will not fan the
flames. We're aware, and we're on it.
2. Despite this latest round of public allegations, I have received absolutely no
inquiries, complaints, or follow‐up from anyone, in any medium. No phone calls, no
emails, no requests for meetings. This tells me that Jacobs et al are gaining no
sympathy for their claims. Jacobs and his allegations are, for our purposes,
entirely irrelevant.
3. You should not change a thing in your teaching. Keep doing what you do, and
ignore the noise. We continue to enjoy the full confidence and support of our
Superintendent, School Committee, City Council, and public.
Thank you for all your excellent work!
Best,
Jonathan Bassett
History & Social Sciences Department Chair
Room 359
Newton North High School
Newton Teacher Residency Program Director
www.newton.k12.ma.us/ntr
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